Sietze de Vries
Sietze K. de Vries (born 1973) is a Dutch organist, church musician and academic teacher. In the context of his international concert activities, he became known for his renowned organ improvisations on chorale, psalm, and hymn melodies in numerous styles and the "Genevan Psalter" in numerous styles, but most especially in that of the Renaissance and the Baroque. He is one of several organists at the Martinikerk in the Dutch city of Groningen. Life. Sietze de Vries' father was the organist at the Gereformeerde Kerk (Vrijgemaakt) in Niezijl, where his grandfather was the sexton. During his school  years, de Vries attended the "H.N. Werkman College" in Groningen. Since 1988, he received organ lessons from lecturers at the Prins Claus Conservatorium in Groningen. The lessons took place at the famous Organ in the Martinikerk at Groningen, which received its authoritative form in 1692 through Arp Schnitger. de Vries studied at the Groningen Conservatory with Johan Beeftink, Jan Jongepier and Wim van Beek until he obtained his bachelor's degree in 1994. At the Royal Conservatory of The Hague followed two years in the organ class of Jos van der Kooy, graduating with a master's degree in 1996 . There, de Vries deepened his knowledge of improvisation with van der Kooy from 1996 to 1998. Since 1994, de Vries has been active as a concert organist. In 2002, he won the International Organ Improvisation Competition in Haarlem.. At the Southern Adventist University in Tennessee, de Vries has held a visiting professorship since 2011. Since 2015, he has been a lecturer in piano at the Prins Claus Conservatorium, and in 2020 he received an appointment there as a lecturer in the organ major, succeeding Theo Jellema from September 2021. Since 2017, he has shared with Stef Tuinstra the organist position  of the Martinikerk Groningen, which was held by Wim van Beek for 60 years before them. In addition, he is still organist with a quarter position at the Immanuelkerk in Groningen, where he has worked since 2014. Sietze de Vries is artistic director of the Stichting Hinszorgel Leens, a foundation that promotes young talent. He also directs the "Organ Education Center Groningen", which, starting with the Hinsz organ of the Petruskerk in Leens, aims to preserve and publicise the historic organ landscape of Groningen (province). He gives organ lessons, leads organ excursions and master classes. Improvisations in various styles from  the Renaissance to the modern are a fixed component of his concerts. As a rule, he adapts stylistically to the instrument and plays in the style of the epoch in which the organ was created. His improvisations present the individual tonal possibilities of the respective organ in the manner of stops performances. His CDs recordings also always include improvisations, preferably in the style of the 17th and 18th centuries. More than 800 recordings have been uploaded on his video channel and in parallel on YouTube (as of 2021). Recently, de Vries started publishing a video-course in organ improvisation. He  regularly writes specialist articles in the field of organ building, church music and improvisation and is editor for the organ building section of the Dutch trade journal "". de Vries bought the desecrated church in the village of Niezijl and made it his private residence. The organ there by Marten Eertman from 1907 (originally I/p/10) is being rebuilt in several stages into a two-manual instrument with independent pedal in the style of the late baroque (II/P/21). In addition, there are further keyboard instruments, besides three house organs also harpsichords, a clavichord and harmoniums. de Vries has been married  to the conductor Sonja de Vries, ("née" van der Linden, born 1980) since 2005 and has a daughter and a son with her. His wife grew up in South Africa, also studied music and has conducted the Roden Girl Choristers since 2008. Her husband has been organist of the boys' choir "Roder Jongenskoor" and the girls' choir since 2006. de Vries speaks four languages fluently: Dutch (his native tongue), German, English (fluently), and Afrikaans. Recordings. Most of the CD recordings were released on his own label "JSB Records".