Martin de Ruiter - President

Studied at the Amsterdam School of Art for his Masters Degree Accordion, emphasis on
20th century music. Currently he is Head of the Music Departement of the Filmmuseum in
Amsterdam. As soloist, conductor and ensemble-player he played in the Netherlands,
Belgium, Germany, France, United States of America, Russia and Japan.
He has written music for a number of theater-productions. Since 1992 he has played the
bandoneón, forming his own Tango-quartet with which he has conertized in the Netherlands,
Germany, Belgium, Argentina and Uruguay.

Petra Haiderer - Vice-President

Vienna Austria Music critic and music jounalist for the Austrian newspaper "Die Presse".
In addition she is producer of music features for Austrian Radio (ORF). Her studies include
Violin, Philosophy and Theater Science at the University of Vienna.

Christian Begemann - Secretary

After studying Improvised Music at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam, Christian
Begemann performed as a trumpetplayer with jazz and worldmusic groups in the Netherlands,
Germany and France. As trumpeter, pianist, percussonist and singer he has worked with a
number of Dutch theatre groups.

Pien Straesser - Treasurer

Singer. Graduated at the Conservatory in Utrecht with Marianne Blok in 1998. In addition to
opera repertoire (i.e. Ann Truelove in The Rake´s Progress, Stravinsky ; Fiordiligi in Cosi fan
tutte, Mozart; Gravin in Die Verschworenen, Schubert; Flora in La Traviata, Verdi), Ms. Straesser
sings contemporary music (Pierrot Lunaire, Schönberg; Songcycle, Jaques Bank) cantatas
and oratorio. Currently she studies with Peter Elkus.