About

Welcome to my website. My name is Jaap Cramer and I am a pastor and composer.
This place is about the music I have written.

Biography

Jaap Cramer (*1984, Amersfoort, Netherlands) showed interest in music at an early age by playing the piano along side classical CDs and recordings. He began piano lessons at the age of five and started altering the piano pieces he learned. Not much later, he scribbled down his first compositions.
At age eleven Jaap took his first composition lessons with Nico Ph. Hovius, who taught him the basics of harmony, counterpoint, form, orchestration, and solfege. Jaap studied the oboe and organ for two years and used his skills as an organist, playing for several different churches before beginning University studies.

In 2002 Jaap started to study Molecular Sciences at the University of Wageningen. It was during that period, all private musical studies stopped. However, despite having no professional guidance, Jaap continued to study music on his own, exploring more contemporary techniques.
In 2004 Jaap discontinued his studies in Wageningen to focus on Theology. He received his Masters degree in Theology from the Theological University of the Reformed Churches, Kampen, in February 2013. Currently he works as a part-time minister in Heerde, combining his work in church with writing music.

Awards and Festivals

Jaap’s music has twice been selected and performed as finalist pieces in the Hinsz Composition Concours in Kampen; in 2011 his Fuga for organ, and in 2013 miBavel, a motet for choir (SATB) and organ.
In June 2013 Jaap attended the first Applause Music Festival in Arlington, TX, where his Introduction, Toccatas and Hymns was selected from a call for scores and then premiered.
In December 2014 the work Wanneer Hij komt (for triple choir, strings and organ) won the first ArsMusica competition contest.
Several works for piano have been published by Editions Musica Ferrum, including Puddle for the project Beauty & Hope, in collaboration with visual artists.
Works have been performed in the Netherlands, Germany, USA and Greece.