Donemus Webshop — Ven, Dick van der

When he was six years old Dick van der Ven started his piano studies and at twelve he entered The Royal Conservatoire in The Hague (the oldest conservatoire in the Netherlands). When he graduated in 1950, he received the designation “best student of 1950”.
Three years later he received the designation “solist cum laude” and his exceptional musicality and virtuosity deserved a special mention. He received the prestigious Fock-medal for his extraordinary artistic achievements and the Elisabeth Everts Prize of the Amsterdam Conservatory.
After his studies at The Royal Conservatoire in The Hague he studied in Hannover and Basel with Paul Baumgartner and Klaus Linder.
For several years Dick van der Ven gave concerts and recitals, among which a concert with the Residentie Orchestra directed by Willem van Otterloo in 1954. At this concert he performed the Second Piano Concerto by Camille Saint-Saëns.
Gradually he devoted himself more to teaching and composing. Until his retirement in 1997 he was employed as a teacher by the Municipal School of Music The Hague and the School of Music Hengelo.
He composed several works for piano as well as several works for oboe and piano, works for clarinet and piano and works for trumpet and piano. Many of these works were inspired by musicians with whom he was closely befriended.
Some of these works for piano were performed by himself or by others in public. Frequently he performed his works in private. Some works were published under the name of “Carl Richard Linder”, a probable tribute to his teacher Klaus Linder.
Dick van der Ven’s relation with England was the result of his friendship with Johannes van Emst, teacher of English at The Royal Conservatoire in The Hague in the period that Dick was a student. Johannes van Emst was married to Paddy Back from Norwich.
Dick and Paddy’s relationship grew into a very special friendship. When Johannes and Paddy lived in the Mancroft Towers Mansion, Dick frequently visited them. It was presumably during these visits that Dick van der Ven was introduced to the Music Department of the University of East Anglia. It is yet unclear what kind of relationship this was. Paddy died in 2002 and the house is occupied by Edward Back, Paddy’ nephew. Charlotte, Paddy’s daughter, lives close to Norwich.