In recent years, Dutch violinist Niek Baar has established himself as a charismatic and serious musician, captivating audiences both nationally and internationally. He has performed in renowned venues such as the Philharmonie Berlin, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Gewandhaus Leipzig, Oriental Centre Shanghai, Philharmonie Essen and the Gasteig in Munich. Niek made his solo debut with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra at just 16 years old and has since become a regular soloist with orchestras including the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra, Radio Philharmonic Orchestra of the Netherlands, and the Residentie Orkest in The Hague.
After winning numerous national and international competitions and awards, such as the Prinses Christina Concours (1st prize, 2010), the International Solo Bach Competition in London (1st prize, 2012), the Grommek Prize at the Kronberg Festival in Germany, and the Kersjes Prize in the Netherlands. Niek reached a significant milestone in 2018 when he won 1st prize at the National Violin Competition “Oskar Back”. Since then, he has played as a soloist with leading Dutch orchestras, including Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonie Zuid-Nederland, North Nederlands Orchestra, and his return in 2019 to the Rotterdam Philarmonic Orchestra. Niek has developed a close relationship with the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra, with whom he released his debut album “Obsession” on Channel Classics / Outhere Music in 2022. In addition to joint concert tours, a video production with Beethoven's Violin Concerto was created in 2024.
A special recent experience for Niek was the performance of Dvořák's Violin Concerto with Christoph Eschenbach and the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic in Poland in December 2024. Other highlights in recent years have been engagements with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie (Paganini, Bruch and Schumann), the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie Herford (Dvořák), the Israel Chamber Orchestra (Schumann) and the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra (Bruch).
Niek has a long-standing musical partnership with the American pianist Ben Kim. The duo has performed at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Konzerthaus Berlin, Gasteig Munich, WDR in Cologne and the Musique & Neige festival in Switzerland.
In 2018, they recorded their first album together for Avrotros Klassiek with duo works by Kreisler, Bach, Mozart and Beethoven.
Niek has a particular fondness for the music of Robert Schumann, whom he finds fascinating both as a composer and as a person. Schumann's three violin sonatas and his violin concerto are central works in his repertoire. In 2023, Niek released an album of Schumann's violin sonatas together with Ben Kim for Channel Classics / Outhere Music, which received excellent reviews.
This label also released a recording of Schumann's Violin Concerto and Bruch's Concerto in G minor with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie and Christoph Poppen in 2024, which received numerous top ratings in newspapers and music magazines.
Niek was born in Rotterdam in 1991 and started violin lessons at the age of eight. He then studied at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague and graduated with distinction in 2012. After he continued his studies at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music in Berlin with Prof. Stephan Picard and received his master's degree with distinction in 2016. His last teacher was Prof. Christoph Poppen, who remains an inspiring mentor to this day. Other influential teachers for him were Mihaela Martin and Anner Bylsma.
Born in Rotterdam in 1991, Niek began violin lessons at the age of eight. By twelve, he was admitted to the preparatory program at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, where he studied with Mireille van der Wart and Peter Brunt, graduating cum laude in 2012. He then pursued further studies at the Hochschule für Musik 'Hanns Eisler' in Berlin under Prof. Stephan Picard, earning his master’s degree with distinction in 2016. His last teacher was Prof. Christoph Poppen, who remains an inspiring mentor to this day. Other influential teachers for him were Philippe Graffin, Mihaela Martin and Anner Bylsma.
Niek plays the ‘ex Vornbaum’ violin, made by Carlo Bergonzi in Cremona in 1729. This instrument he has on loan from the Tjardus Greidanus Foundation in Amsterdam. Despite his frequent travels, Niek maintains a close connection to his home country, the Netherlands. In addition to numerous concerts there, he is an ambassador for the bforyou foundation, which helps children in Rotterdam to recognise and develop their talents.