Theo Hoogstins (double bass)

Kollum, Holland, 1955

Double bass player Theo Hoogstins obtained his classical music education at the Stedelijk Conservatory at Groningen, studying there under Peter Korpershoek, and at Sienna, Italy, with Franco Pertrachi. In addition to primary emphasis on composing and performing, his credits include experience as a conductor, producer, arranger, band-leader, guest soloist on CD's for other musicians, as well as for his own CD's. He also has written scores for two Dutch movies, a musical, and appeared numerous times on television and radio. He has composed music set to Federico Garcia Lorca's poem "Oda a Walt Whitman", and for poetry written by the American novelist James Purdy. In 1993, at Amsterdam's world-famous Concertgebouw, he presented and directed the Ear Opener, a CD made by "The Theo Hoogstins Octet", compositions for which were underwritten by the Dutch music foundation "Fonds voor de Scheppende Toonkunst". At the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam he played in concert in 1994, and in 1993 and 1992 at the BIMhuis in Amsterdam. In 1990, he was awarded best solo performance at the Middelsee Jazztreffen at Leeuwarden, and a year earlier, he received top honours for composition at the NOS-Jazz Festival at the Meervaart in Amsterdam. He played with the Herbie White Orchestra, and 1995 he co-produced with White the CD "De Boventoon", which included four of his own compositions. With his jazz orchestras "Hoogstins Five", "The Theo Hoogstins Octet", and "The Boventoon", he has performed on large jazz stages throughout the Benelux countries. His classical background and training are consistently present in his compositions and he has developed an innovative interpretation and expanded emphasis on fellow-Dutchman Peter Schat's Tone Clock © and its solutions for classical harmony based on Schoenberg's twelve-tone system. He is a visiting lecturer for Composition at the Utrecht Conservatory, and conducts workshops in numerous parts of the country.