Janine Jansen Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Janine Jansen
Jansen in 2019
Born	7 January 1978 Soest, Netherlands
Alma mater	Utrechts Conservatorium
Occupation	Classical violinist and violist

Janine Jansen is a famous Dutch musician. She plays both the violin and the viola. She was born on January 7, 1978.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Janine's Music Career
Recordings
See also

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Janine grew up in Soest, a town in the Netherlands. Her family was very musical. Her father, Jan Jansen, plays the organ, harpsichord, and piano. He was even an organist at a big church called St. Martin's Cathedral, Utrecht for many years. He also received a special award called the Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau.

Janine's mother was a classical singer. Her brothers, David and Maarten, are also musicians. David plays the harpsichord and organ, and Maarten plays the cello. Her uncle, Peter Kooy, is a bass singer.

Janine started learning the violin when she was just six years old. She studied with talented teachers like Coosje Wijzenbeek, Philippe Hirschhorn, and Boris Belkin. She also competed in the Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists in 1991 and 1993. She made it to the finals in 1991.

Janine is married to Swedish conductor Daniel Blendulf. They live in Utrecht, Netherlands.

Janine's Music Career

Jansen performing with the New York Philharmonic in 2020

Janine Jansen has performed with many famous orchestras and at big events. In 2001, she played the Brahms Violin Concerto with the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland. She also helped open the BBC Proms in 2005, which is a huge music festival in the UK.

She has recorded music in unique ways. For example, she recorded some pieces with only five string instruments instead of a full orchestra. Her brother played the cello and her father played the continuo on these recordings.

Janine's live concerts are very popular. She has received standing ovations from excited audiences. For instance, she played for 25,000 people at the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra concert in 2006. She also performed for a sold-out crowd in Los Angeles with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in 2008.

Famous Violins She Has Played

Janine has had the chance to play some very special violins. These include:

The 1727 Stradivari "Barrere" violin.
The 1727 Stradivari "Baron Deurbroucq".
The 1707 Antonio Stradivari ‘Rivaz, Baron Gutmann’.
Since September 2020, she has been using the 1715 Stradivari ‘Rode, Duke of Cambridge’.

Janine also started her own chamber music festival in Utrecht. Chamber music is played by a small group of musicians. She has been a member of Spectrum Concerts Berlin since 1998.

Awards and Recognition

Janine has received several important awards for her musical talent:

The Dutch Music Prize in 2003.
The Royal Philharmonic Society Instrumentalist Award in Britain in 2009.
She was a Radio 3 New Generation Artist from 2002 to 2004.
In 2018, she received the Johannes Vermeer Award. This award was given to her by the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science.

Recent Performances

Janine often performs with other great musicians.

In January 2018, she played Max Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1.
In February 2018, she performed with Mischa Maisky and Martha Argerich at the Barbican Centre.
In December 2018, she played with Valery Gergiev and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
In September 2021, Janine was featured in a documentary film. This film was about the famous violin maker Antonio Stradivari.

Recordings

Janine Jansen has released many albums.

By 2006, she had recorded two main CDs. One was a collection of short pieces, and the other was a chamber music version of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Her Vivaldi recording was very popular for downloads.
In October 2006, she released an album with the Mendelssohn and Bruch Violin Concertos.
Her fourth album, Bach: Inventions & Partita, came out in 2007.
In 2008, she recorded a live session for iTunes with Bach's music.
In 2009, she released an album featuring the Beethoven and Britten Violin Concertos. She wanted to record these two concertos together because she believes they are among the best.
In December 2010, she played Dvořák's Piano Trio in e minor with Mischa Maisky and Hannes Minnaar.
In 2010, she recorded her first album with just violin and piano, featuring French music.
In 2012, Janine recorded an album dedicated to Prokofiev. It included his violin concerto and other chamber music pieces.
In 2013, she released an album of chamber music with other violinists and cellists. It included Verklärte Nacht by Schoenberg and a string quintet by Schubert.
In June 2013, she recorded her second album of Bach's music. This album featured Bach's violin concertos and sonatas. She played with a small group of musicians she chose herself, including her father, Jan Jansen.

Janine Jansen facts for kids

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