Bio

Heleen Bongenaar (June 26th, 1995), Soprano, started her musical education in a local brass band playing the trumpet. Being a dreamy child, she forgot to bring her trumpet multiple times to rehearsals and lessons. Then she found out singing is a much better fit and joined choir school Senta, led by Sylvia van der Vinne. Her love for music grew and she started her bachelor’s in Classical Singing at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. Recently she obtained her master’s degree in Early Music Voice with a 9 plus distinction for artistry, also in The Hague. She studied with Noa Frenkel, Maria Acda, Peter Kooij, Pascal Bertin, Robin Blaze, Jill Feldman, Dorothee Mields and Francesca Aspromonte.

In her young career she already worked as a choir singer with several great conductors like Philippe Herreweghe, Ton Koopman, Harry Christophers and Daniel Reuss. As a broadly trained singer Heleen feels at home in early, classical, romantic and contemporary repertoire. She sings regularly as a soloist in oratorio works and baroque operas. Heleen enjoys working with viola da gamba consorts, performing early German and English baroque repertoire. A group that is still in the starting phase but that Heleen is proudly part of, is CORVUS. A collective of 8 musicians focused on German repertoire from the early baroque era. She is also in a duo with Michela Amici (harpist). They perform mostly 17th century repertoire and include female composers like Isabella Leonarda.

Next to her work as a musician she is on her way to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Management, Economics, and law. It helps her understand the organisational side of the musical world better and applies this knowledge in her job as a singer.