Hans Vonk (conductor)
| Hans Vonk | |
|---|---|
| Born |
18 June 1942 Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Died | 29 August 2004 (aged 62) Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupation(s) | Conductor, pedagogue |
| Associated acts |
Staatskapelle Dresden St. Louis Symphony Residentie Orkest WDR Symphony Orchestra Netherlands Radio Symphony |
Hans Vonk (18 June 1942 – 29 August 2004) was a Dutch conductor.
Vonk was born in Amsterdam, the son of Franciscus Cornelis and Wilhemina Vonk. His father was a violinist in the Concertgebouw Orchestra, and died when Vonk was age three. Vonk studied piano with Jaap Spaanderman at the Amsterdam Conservatory and law at Amsterdam University. During this time, he made a living from gigs as a jazz pianist. He later studied conducting with Hermann Scherchen and Franco Ferrara.
Vonk debuted as a conductor with the Netherlands National Ballet. He later married the ballerina, Jessie Folkerts. He also served as assistant conductor with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, and associate conductor with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London.
Vonk held chief conductor positions with De Nederlandse Opera (1976-1985), the Residentie Orkest (1980–1991) and the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. From 1985 to 1990, he was principal conductor of both the Staatskapelle Dresden and the Semper Oper, Dresden. In 1988 he conducted at La Scala in Milan in a revival of Jommelli's Fetonte, but then had to take a year off from conducting after being diagnosed with Guillain–Barré syndrome, a neurological condition. He appeared to recover and resumed conducting. He became chief conductor of the WDR Symphony Orchestra, Cologne in 1991.
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