Musici

Dutch baritone Jan Willem Baljet studied at the Utrecht Conservatory with the famous German baritone Udo Reinemann and in 1996 received his diploma with high honours. The previous year he finished the ‘classe de perfectionnement’ at the 'Conservatoire régional de Metz’ in France and was was awarded ‘premier prix’. He was also selected for the Erasmus exchange program to study at the ‘Hochschule für Darstellende Kunst Mozarteum’ in Salzburg, Austria with Breda Zakotnik, Mitsuko Shirai and Hartmut Höll.

Jan Willem regularly sings in opera productions and has performed the role of Papageno, the title roles in Don Giovanni and Le nozze di Figaro, Don Carlo (La Forza del Destino), Gefangnisdirector Frank (Die Fledermaus), Il Conte Robinson (Matrimonio Segreto), L´Horloge Comtoise and Le Chat (L´Enfant et les Sortilèges) and Presto (Les Mammelles de Tirésias). With the Netherlands Opera he performed in the world premiere of Tan Dun´s opera Tea in Tokyo and Amsterdam, Die Soldaten ( A. Zimmermann) under the baton of Hartmut Haenchen and St. Francois d´Asisse (O. Messiaen) in the role of frère Sylvestre.

Jan Willem has sung various solo parts in oratoria such as Johannes- andMattheuspassion, requiems of Fauré, Weill, Bruckner and Dvorak and regularly sings with orchestras lieder cycles such as Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen and Kindertotenlieder(Mahler), The Bells (Rachmaninoff) and Don Quichotte á Dulcinée (Ravel). He was invited by Het Gelders Festival to sing under the baton of Maurizio Kagel his 24-XII-1931, verstummelte Nachrichten fur Bariton und Orchester. 

He has collaborated with orchestras such as Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest, Nieuw Ensemble, Residentie Orkest, Tokyo Chamber Orchestra, Orkest van het Oosten and the Ictusensemble and worked with conductors such as Ed Spanjaard, Ingo Metzmacher, Maurizio Kagel, Nicolas McKegan, Lawrence Renes, Martin Brabbins and Rudolf Werthen. Jan Willem has been guest at the Holland Festival, the BBC Proms, Het Gelders Festival, Festival de Auvers- sur- Oise, Festival de Périgord Pourpre, Les Heures Romantique and the Grachtenfestival. 

Jan Willem sings with vocal ensemble Frommermann, praised for their exceptional musical qualities, completely unique style and infections flair (NRC Handelsblad). Frommermann performs music of the Comedian Harmonists, nostalgic tunes and classical songs. In 2011-12 Frommermann tours in the Netherlands with 'Pak Aan!' and 'FrommerFranz, ode to Schubert'.