Biography
LEO VAN DOESELAAR studied organ with Albert de Klerk and piano with Jan Wijn at the Amsterdam Conservatory. Besides his soloist’s diploma in both instruments he gained the Prix d'Excellence for organ. Thereafter he explored historical performance practice, studied French organ music with André Isoir and took fortepiano lessons with Malcolm Bilson and Jos van Immerseel.
Leo van Doeselaar frequently appears in concert throughout Europe, Asia and the United States.
From 1995 till 2019 he was professor of organ at the ‘Universität der Künste’ in Berlin.
He also teaches frequently in international organ academies, u.a. the International Organ Academy in Haarlem and is a regular jury member of international organ competitions.
Recordings on a number of labels by Leo van Doeselaar with Wyneke Jordans feature piano duet repertoire by composers including Schubert, Beethoven, Dvořák, Ravel, Stravinsky and Satie. Among his many organ CDs are recordings on historical organs of music by J.S. Bach. W.F. Bach, Handel, Van Noordt, Krebs, Mendelssohn, Franck, Liszt and Reger.
As organist of the Baroque orchestra of the Netherlands Bach Society, Van Doeselaar is intensively involved in the prestigious video and audio project All of Bach. As titular organist of the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam he frequently appears with renowned orchestras, ensembles and soloists. He performed world premieres with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of works for organ and orchestra by Tristan Keuris, Sofia Gubaidulina and Wolfgang Rihm and worked as an organ soloist together with conductors such as Chailly, Janssons, Zinman, Dutoit, Flor, Bour, Krevine, Luisi and Metzmacher.
The recording of the complete keyboard works of Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, in which Van Doeselaar collaborated as organist of the Van Hagerbeer organ in the Pieterskerk in Leiden, was awarded an Edison and the Prize of the ‘Deutsche Schallplattenkritik’. His CD with organ works by Heinrich Scheidemann (MDG) on the same instrument gained both the Prize of the ‘Deutsche Schallplattenkritik’ and the ‘ECHO Klassik’ Prize. In the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam he was awarded the Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck Prize in 2007 for his services to organ culture. Together with Erwin Wiersinga, Leo van Doeselaar was appointed titular organist of the Martinikerk in Groningen in 2014.