Catharina Clement
COMPOSER
BIOGRAPHY
“By creating music, I hope to evoke or convey emotions and touch the listener. My ultimate goal is just that: to make people feel something – even if it is something small. Through music, I attempt to create connections – with myself, with others, and between humans. Perhaps it sounds overly idealistic, but if I somehow manage to make the world just a tiny bit more human through my music, one of my greatest dreams will be achieved.”
– Catharina, 12 April 2025The Amsterdam-based and originally ‘Zeeuwse’ Catharina Clement (1998) composes, sings, and creates music theatre. She has an affinity with interdisciplinary art forms as well as vocal- and acoustic music. Her music, frequently containing a lyrical, eclectic, and colourful nature, is mostly inspired by personal experiences, psychology, nature, spirituality and fantasy. Catharina has written for renowned musicians such as the Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, HiiiT/Slagwerk Den Haag and Duo Rozemond & Bekkers, and her music has been performed at venues as Wonderfeel, Opera Forward Festival (Nationale Opera & Ballet Amsterdam), Aurora Festival, Dag van de Componist and Oskar Back Prijs. In June 2025, her music will be rehearsed by the Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest during the Composer’s Workshop. A new work will be premiered by the Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest in October 2025.Currently graduating from her BA in Composition at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Catharina is supervised by Meriç Artaç & Willem Jeths (composition) and Pierre Mak (classical singing). In 2021, she graduated as a musicologist (MA, Universiteit van Amsterdam), focusing on forbidden music during World War II.
Catharina Clement (1998) is a Dutch composer with an affinity for interdisciplinary art forms (such as opera and musical theatre) as well as acoustic and vocal music. She graduated from Utrecht University’s Honours College in Middelburg, University College Roosevelt (BA, magna cum laude) and the University of Amsterdam (MA) as a musicologist. Currently, she studies composition with Willem Jeths and Meriç Artaç and classing singing with Sasja Hunnego at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.Being a young musician, Clement has already written for a wide range of instruments. Her experience ranges from composing for solo instruments (e.g. violin, recorder, and saxophone) and small ensembles (such as piano trio and clarinet quintet) to writing for larger groups (inter alia symphonic orchestra, opera, choir, brass band, and accordion orchestra).In the Netherlands, her music has been performed in e.g. Rotterdam, Wageningen, Eindhoven, Middelburg, Amsterdam and Domburg. National highlights include the composition competition of the Nederlands Blazers Ensemble of which she became finalist in 2016; the broadcast of her monodrama Avondrood for soprano, violin and piano on the Dutch radio station Concertzender in 2022; and the various performances of her opera Een Ragnarok during the Opera Forward Festival 2022 at the Nationale Opera Ballet in Amsterdam.The recording of her work Variation on a theme by Arno ter Burg for saxophone in Portugal resulted from an international cooperation. She entered into collaborations outside Europe, leading to the screening of the film Bad Liars with her soundtrack at the Rough Cut Film Festival in Philadelphia (USA), and an interview for the Canadian television station TV5, during which piece Miniatures: No. I for piano solo was played.Clement’s music is characterised by its strong lyrical, eclectic and colourful nature. She is inspired by personal stories, psychology, nature and mysticism. In her music, she concentrates on emotional transmission, attempting to connect people through her music and
to affect a wide audience.As mentioned previously, Clement is also active in singing, and performs during concerts and church services. She has taken singing lessons with Margriet van Reisen, and master classes with Johannette Zomer, Jasper Schweppe, and Paul Komen. Moreover, she has sung in various choirs, led by Klaas Stok, Elisabeth Blom, and Ramon van den Boom, and is active as a member of the vocal ensemble entitled Eleanor Ensemble.In her capacity as a musicologist, she aims to rediscover Dutch/Jewish composers who fell into oblivion in the course of the Second World War. In the Fall of 2021, her essay ‘The Impact of Alphons Diepenbrock on Matthijs Vermeulen’ appeared in the Journal of the Royal Society for Music History of The Netherlands.Aside from music, Clement successfully completed the preparatory course in acting at Theaterschool de Trap in 2019. She greatly enjoys writing short texts and poetry, and works as a lifeguard in Zeeland during the summers.
EVENTS
Upcoming Events
2025
EVENT [New work] for Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest
DATE 13 October 2025
LOCATION Concertgebouw Amsterdam
EVENT [New work] for Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest
DATE 11 October 2025 - world premiere
LOCATION Concertgebouw Amsterdam
EVENT Start of tour Van Gogh Trio (Autumn 2025)
[New work] for Enzo Kok, Charlotte Brussee & Maxim Heijmerink (piano trio), details TBA
DATE Starting: 4 October 2025
LOCATIONS TBA
TICKETS TBA
EVENT Workshop with Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest
Rehearsal with KCO; Catharina receives the opportunity to work on a new orchestral work with KCO, conducted by Jurjen Hempel
DATE 12 June 2025, 09:00 CEST
LOCATION Concertgebouw Amsterdam
TICKETS Private Event
EVENT Composers' Festival 2025 | Graduation Concert Catharina Clement, Bachelor's Exam Conservatorium van Amsterdam
- 'De Hartentuin' for violin and accordion
- 'Tranen van Goud' for five percussionists
- 'Insneeuwing' for piano and orchestra
This concert is part of Composers' Festival 2025
DATE 15 May 2025, 20:00 CEST
LOCATION Bernard Haitinkzaal, Conservatorium van Amsterdam
TICKETS Free Entrance; everyone warmly welcomed!
Past Events
2024
EVENT Noot aan de Vrouw
Interviews and music by Anne-Maartje Lemereis, Catharina Clement & Monique Krüs.
DATE 24 October 2024, 20:15 CEST
LOCATION Sint Aegtenkapel, Amersfoort
EVENT Wonderfeel 2024
'Tranen van Goud' for HiiiT (former Slagwerk Den Haag) - world premiere
DATE 19 July, 14:00 CEST
LOCATION Wonderfeel, 's-Graveland
EVENT Dag van de Componist 2024
Interview with Catharina Clement by Aad van Nieuwkerk
DATE 15 June, 13:10 CEST
LOCATION TivoliVredenburg, Pandora Foyer, Utrecht & LiveStream
EVENT Duo Rozemond & Bekkers: BLISS
'De Hartentuin' for two voices, violin, and accordion - world premiere
DATE 21 April 15:00 CEST
LOCATION Dorpskerk, Baambrugge (Abcoude)
EVENT Opera Forward Festival
'Mijmering' and 'Maanlicht' for tenor and acoustic ensemble.
DATE 10 March
LOCATION Nationale Opera & Ballet, Amsterdam
EVENT Koepelconcert: Klinkend Samenspel
'Mijmering' & 'Maanlicht' for tenor and acoustic ensemble - world premiere
DATE 9 March, 15:00 CEST
LOCATION NedPho-Koepel, Amsterdam
EVENT Halve Finale Oskar Back Prijs
'NARKISSOS' for Enzo Kok (violinist), piano and vocal ensemble.
DATE 20 January, 14:00 CEST
LOCATION Tivoli Vredenburg, Utrecht
EVENT Young Masters in Concert: Catharina Clement | Aurora Festival
Recording of live concert.
DATE 8 January, 21:00 CEST
LOCATION ConcertZender Live