House Concertshuisconcerten
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About Monument House Concert Series: The recently renovated monument house at Keulsekade 25, near "Utrecht Centraal" station, was built by the Dutch National Water Board for its employees in 1903. With a breathtaking view of the peaceful canal between Lombok and Oog in Al, the three-storey house offers a restored Steinway Grand Piano (188 cm, model A New York 1909), high ceilings and centrally-heated European oak floors. The reception and piano room comfortably seat 40 with unrestricted views. Numerous musicians from the Netherlands and abroad have enquired about performing and recording here. This is a nonsmoking venue with free parking under the cool shade of centennial linden trees. DIRECTIONS TO THE MONUMENT HOUSE.
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About the founders: A graduate of the Conservatory of Maastricht, Robert Bekkers also studied contemporary music with Angelo Gilardino in Italy. While accompanying flamenco dance classes, Robert formed the group "IMPETU" consisting of 9 musicians and dancers, mixing flamenco and classical music. He has toured with Serenata Mexicana, Amstel Guitar Quartet, and Berdien Stenberg Orchestra. Since 2001, he and pianist Anne Ku have taken their Piano Guitar Duo to London, North Cyprus, Cape Town, Italy, and throughout the Netherlands. Bekkers plays a 2005 Jeroen Hilhorst concert guitar, custom-made for the duo. Born in Brunei of Chinese parents, Anne Ku studied piano under Betsy Hermann in Okinawa and Randall Love at Duke University. She began accompanying choirs from age 12, followed soon after by wedding engagements as pianist and organist. A graduate of London Business School, she brings her passion for organising thematic house concerts from Houston and London to the Netherlands. Anne is currently midway through her composition studies at Utrecht Conservatory while writing didactic music and arrangements for her private piano teaching practice. Her ensemble piece "All Tuned Out" premiered in the Vredenburg was broadcasted on Dutch Radio 4 in spring 2007. |
Directions to the Monument House: From Utrecht Centraal Station, by bus number 4 in direction of Cartesiusweg through Lombok and get off after the bridge at Laan van Nieuwe Guinea, cross the street, walk towards the canal and then to your left along the canal. It's two strips on the "strippenkaart" or 1.50 euro to the bus driver. 10 min. [Actually there are many buses that come this way, onto the Vleutensweg nearby.] By car on A2 motorway, exit Oog in Al, after the bridge, pass the Douwe Egberts coffee factory and the GAMMA home improvement store. At the junction facing a huge church, turn right onto a 4 lane road. At next traffic light turn left (before the bridge over the canal) onto Laan van New Guinea which is a narrow and nearly a single lane road. Turn right on Groeneweg which leads you to the canal. You will see a big factory on the other side. Take the first and only right which is Keulsekade, parallel to the canal. This is a dead end street. Park anywhere --- it's free and plentiful. The house is on the same street, minutes away from the famous second-hand store Emmaus and near the Oog in Al park. Try Routenet.nl and type the postal code: 3531JX Here's a map for drivers and a map for cyclists and pedestrians |