Fotografie: © Mel Boas
International Masterclass for Lied Duos • 17 – 24 May 2026
Joining our International Masterclass for Lied Duos means seizing the opportunity to work on your artistic development in a stimulating environment with the world’s greatest masters of art song.
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Masters in 2026
Our patron Robert Holl will again teach for two days, focussing on songs by Schubert. In addition, your teachers will be Simon Keenlyside, Pauliina Tukiainen and Hans Eijsackers, who will also perform during the festival. Performance coach Waltraud Österreicher will complete the 2026 teaching team.
Robert Holl
Over the years, Robert Holl has become one of the most renowned interpreters of Lied of our time. He is well-known for the expressivity of his interpretations and the intimacy he invokes. Always putting the text first during a recital is distinctive in his performances. Robert Holl’s vision of the art of song is rooted deeply in his extensive knowledge of poets and the philosophy of the time they lived in. Since 1998 Robert Holl is a professor at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna. Robert Holl was the first artistic leader of International Lied Festival Zeist in 2015 and serves as its patron, together with Elly Ameling.
Simon Keenlyside
Renowned British baritone Simon Keenlyside is highly sought after as a recitalist, captivating audiences with his renditions of Lieder and songs. His recitals have resonated in well-known venues all over the world. A frequent guest on the concert stage, he collaborates with leading conductors and performs with esteemed orchestras. His discography is a testament to his musical prowess, featuring recordings with among others Graham Johnson and Malcolm Martineau. A frequent guest on the concert stage, he collaborates with leading conductors and performs with esteemed orchestras. His discography is a testament to his musical prowess, featuring recordings with musicians as Graham Johnson and Malcolm Martineau.
Sir Simon’s contributions to the world of music have garnered prestigious honors. He received the title of Austrian Kammersänger at the Vienna State Opera, and in 2018 Queen Elizabeth II bestowed a knighthood upon him.
Pauliina Tukiainen
Pauliina Tukiainen has gained a reputation as a wide-ranging interpreter and professor for Lied interpretation. She studied piano in Finland and Germany, won numerous prizes and scholarships during her Art Song studies and received further artistic impulses from distinguished musicians as Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Christoph Prégardien and Wolfgang Rihm. As an accompanist she has given recitals worldwide in renowned concert halls and international festivals.
Tukiainen is artistic advisor of the Bonner Schumannfest where she created a podium for younger Liedduos. Furthermore, she has taught at the music universities of Frankfurt am Main and Freiburg and is an internationally sought-after jury member and lecturer for masterclasses and workshops. Since October 2017 she holds a professorship for Art Song at the Mozarteum University Salzburg.
Hans Eijsackers
Hans Eijsackers is a renowned pianist who regularly appears on stage as a soloist, chamber musician and collaborative pianist. As such, he has worked with numerous singers and instrumentalists worldwide. With baritone Henk Neven, he has formed a longstanding collaboration as a lied duo. Since 2013 he has worked as a professor of Liedgestaltung at the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf and teaches chamber music at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. In addition, he regularly is a member of national and international juries, teaches masterclasses and is the artistic leader of the International Student LiedDuo Competition in Groningen. In 2022, Eijsackers and Henk Neven took over the festival’s artistic direction from Robert Holl. Hans Eijsackers will appear in concert at opening night with Christoph Prégardien and on Friday 23 May with Henk Neven and Dutch writer Arthur Japin.
Waltraud Österreicher
Austrian actress Waltraud Österreicher is a versatile person. She graduated as a musician and actor and made several films and theatre performances at home and abroad. Her passion for people and her broad background in music, theatre, and psychology mean she is now a sought-after musician coach.
She gained significant knowledge on vocalisation and text delivery, diction, pantomime, posture and movement, and group dynamics. Her expertise and experience enable her to analyse a musician’s unique gifts and personal barriers quickly. With all her diverse training and coaching, extensive experience, and strong intuition, she loves to accompany musicians into a happy, fulfilling, and successful life, both professionally and personally.
Masterclass 2026: 17 – 24 May
Our 8-day International Masterclass lasts from Sunday to Sunday and consists of a unique series of both public and private lessons on interpretation, poetry, language, cultural history and performance coaching. All sessions take place in the historic and green surroundings of the Moravian Church nearby Slot Zeist (Zeist Castle).
- Welcome, getting acquainted, informal get-together with masters, attending recitals: Sunday, 17 May
- Masterclass sessions and attending recitals: Monday, 18 May – Friday, 22 May
- Presentation recital and closing lunch: Saturday, 23 May
- Recitals by masterclass students at locations in (the vicinity of) Zeist: Sunday, 24 May
Festival theme 2026: Back to Nature
There’s a strong connection between Internationaal Lied Festival Zeist, the green ambiance of Zeist and art song. Nature has inspired countless poets and composers to write the most beautiful poems and music to honour her and to shed light on our relationship with the world we live in. This year we celebrate nature itself by giving her a voice of her own. And what better way to do so than by listening to songs that so often celebrate her and tell stories that resonate with our own?
By choosing Back to Nature as the 2026 festival theme, artistic directors bass-baritone Henk Neven and pianist Hans Eijsackers invite us to explore our relationship with nature: how do we relate to ourselves and to our origins? Because even though we seek refuge in nature from our hectic existence, she is not merely an amusement park meant for entertainment and relaxation; we are part of it and can both ‘make’ it or ruin it. A quick glance at the news already reveals that climate challenges are facing us head on. Can we pause to truly listen, we can hear the beauty and wisdom that nature has to offer? From 15 May to 23 May, 2026, International Song Festival Zeist will delve into our intricate bond with nature, emphasizing that it is not just a place for pleasure but a vital part of our existence. Join us in this exploration!
Repertoire requirements
Please take note of the following conditions concerning your choice of songs. We invite you to send us a proposal for a recital consisting of a minimum of 8 songs considering this year’s festival theme. Your programme is required to feature the following:
- at least 3 songs in German, two of them by Schubert
- 2 songs in French
- 2 songs in English
- and one or two in another language fitting your program proposal
Also, include a short motivation for your programme proposal in your application.
During the master class, you will have the opportunity to work on parts of your proposed programme. The masters will choose in consultation with you which songs will be worked on; we do not allow duplications during the sessions. All songs must be sung by heart. However, participants are advised to take notes, so keep your scores on stage.