The song accompanist of the 21st century
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Whether Rachmaninoff concerto or Schubert pianissimo: DAAD prizewinner Daan Boertien is up to the highest musical demands
In addition to his Master's degree in Song Interpretation, which he passed with flying colors, Daan Boertien was delighted to receive another award at the end of January: the DAAD Prize, endowed with 1,000 euros. The prize has been awarded for more than ten years for outstanding achievements by foreign students at German universities. It is intended to help give a face to the large number of foreign students at German universities and make it clear that every single student who comes to us from another culture takes a piece of Germany back home with them and leaves something of themselves in Germany.
This is particularly true of Daan Bortien. The 28-year-old Dutchman initially studied piano in David Kuyken's class at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where he completed both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees. During his studies, the young musician has already won numerous awards, such as the Prinses Christina Concours and the Honorary Award for Outstanding Musicianship at the Peter de Grote Festival in Groningen. In 2015, the young pianist also won the prestigious Kunst aan de Dijk Prijs voor Jong Talents.
At the start of the 2016/17 winter semester, the young pianist began his Master's degree in Song Interpretation in Burkhard Kehring's class at the HfMT. In 2017, he was awarded a scholarship from the Oscar and Vera Ritter Foundation and also received a sponsorship award from the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds. These awards enable him to intensively develop his musical activities thanks to the secure financial framework.
Accompanying soloist instead of background musician
He considers his collaboration with his professor, Burkhard Kehring, to be a particular stroke of luck. "Burkhard imparted an incredible amount of his knowledge of Song Interpretation to me. As a musician and teacher, he is a real role model for me. At the same time, my repertoire has constantly expanded over the course of the many recitals I have given during these two years. It now includes practically all the great song cycles from the Romantic period to the modern era." His mentor can only confirm this: "In terms of his pianistic profile, Daan is not a pale 'background musician', but an accompanying soloist, and I find that truly exemplary. He is up to the technical demands of a Rachmaninoff concerto, but does not hesitate to submit completely to a Schubertian pianississimo or the breathing and tempo requirements of a singer. The vocal partners clearly sense that the supporting quality of his playing is not lost - and feel comfortable and at ease. And that's how it should be."
Projecting the richness of tradition into the future
Kehring looks forward to his pupil's future musical career with excitement: "His great intellectual openness to creative and communicative discourse not only benefits him in the moment of making music together with other artists. It will also make him a good program designer and mediator in the future. After all, it is not just a question of hoarding and continuing the unique European tradition of song accompaniment, but also of projecting this wealth anew into a smart and global 21st century. And as long as international accompanists with the talent of Daan Boertien follow, I am not at all worried about the future of the Lied."
After completing his Master's degree, the talented musician wants to concentrate more on giving concerts with established vocal partners. "I accompanied the German baritone Bejamin Appl not so long ago and would very much like to continue this collaboration. The same applies to my fellow countryman Raoul Steffani, with whom I won the audience prize at the Dutch Classical Talent competition last year." Despite numerous engagements abroad, especially in the Netherlands, Daan, who keeps himself physically and mentally fit with tennis, fitness and chess, would like to stay in Hamburg for the time being. "I feel very much at home here and am glad I made the decision to move to the Elbe to be with my girlfriend Marlen Korf. I also love good food - and Hamburg has a lot to offer in that respect too."
TEXT DIETER HELLFEUER PHOTO: DAAN BOERTIEN CHRISTINA KÖRTE