Gerben Houba

Gerben Houba has been a full-time classical singer since 2003, after a 12-year period combining his active singing life with a degree in economics and a job as an asset manager.

Since focusing fully on his professional singing career, he is a sought-after soloist in oratorio, opera and musical theater, as well as an active ensemble singer with several professional companies. Furthermore, he is co-founder of Vocal Quartet Quatre Bouches.

On the advice of his music teacher Cees Mobach, Gerben began taking singing lessons at the age of seventeen. The following persons have also been important for his development as a performing singer: conductor Daniel Reuss, vocal pedagogue Geert Berghs, breathing coach Paul Triepels and director Maarten Vonk. Gerben took master classes with Margreet Honig and Kurt Equiluz. His current coach is Marcel Reijans. In 2010 Gerben received the Honorary Award for outstanding musicianship at the Peter the Great festival in Groningen.

Gerben performed as a soloist in several productions in the field of opera and musical theater. For example, he sang the title role in Orfeo by Monteverdi, Ismaële in Nabucco by Verdi, Cinna in La Vestale by Spontini, the title role in the world premiere of Dichtertje by Harke Jan van der Meulen, Thyeste by Jan van Vlijmen and had a major double role in Cajanus, a gigantic opera by Egon Kracht.
In traditional oratorios, Gerben is a versatile soloist with a repertoire from Baroque to Modern. It is impossible to be exhaustive here, but regularly recurring works are Bach's St. Matthew and St. John Passion (in which he sings both the arias and the evangelist part), Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, Mozart's Requiem, Handel's Messiah and Haydn's Stabat Mater. Examples of more modern works in which Gerben performs the tenor solo include Strawinsky's Cantata, Canticum Simeonis by Barbe, The Volnich Cyphermanuscript by Kyburz and Sonnengesang by Gubaidoelina.

Gerben was part of the permanent cast of Cappella Amsterdam from 1995 to 2011. He is currently affiliated with the Groot Omroepkoor. As a remplaçant he sings on occasion with companies such as De Nationale Opera, the Nederlands Kamerkoor and Collegium Vocale Gent.

More information can be found at www.gerbenhouba.com