Hans Oudenaarden

Hans Oudenaarden (Rotterdam, June 23rd, 1948) is a Dutch notary and pianist.

By the time he was 10 years old he was accepted as a student by Marinus Flipse, a well-known pianist and piano teacher in the Netherlands and France. Flipse turned out to be of great influence on Oudenaarden’s piano playing, notably in the development of the so called ‘jeu perlé’. Oudenaarden later studied notarial law at the University of Utrecht and civil law at the University of Leiden. He was a partner of Dutilh, and after 1990, a partner of NautaDutilh.

His first recordings were made in the ‘70s and his first cd was brought out in 1982, ‘Pianissimo’. Later he made recordings as a soloist and with pianists like Daniel Wayenberg, Louis van Dijk and Wibi Soerjadi. In 1992 Double Portrait was released. On this cd Oudenaarden can be heard playing music by Debussy and Poulenc with his former teacher, Marinus Flipse. Oudenaarden’s most popular album is Salut d’Amour (1989), a solo album with pieces by Elgar, Debussy, Schubert, and others. Oudenaarden recorded several albums and cd’s, six of which attained gold status. Special mention deserves his live recording of Beethoven’s First Piano Concerto (1993). On this cd one can also find a composition by Dutch composer Thijs Dercksen, Reminiscenses of Amsterdam, dedicated to Oudenaarden.

Nowadays his recitals are rare, but talented young pianists know how to find him for musical and professional advice.