The beginning of a lifelong passion

At age 13, Pien had her first defining musical experience when she played a child’s role in an opera at the Theater aan de Parade in Den Bosch. It was there she was first touched by the power of opera and theatre. “I fell in love with the stage and opera. It was amazing to work with director Vincent van den Elshout and to experience all the rehearsals and production days. That’s really where the seed was planted. He later also directed my bachelor’s graduation performance, which felt like a beautiful conclusion to something that had started with him,” she says enthusiastically.

Her musical foundation was further shaped in the children’s choir of the St. Matthew Passion. “I sang that every year in Eindhoven. It was such a powerful experience to sing five days a week around Easter, always in beautiful concert halls. One of my dreams is to someday sing the St. Matthew Passion as a soloist, ideally with the Schola Cantorum, the choir with which I used to sing those Matthäus performances.”

Before stepping on stage, Pien always takes a moment to set an intention for the audience, attuned to what she’s about to sing. “Sometimes it's to bring lightness and joy with a playful, humorous opera aria, and other times it’s to offer comfort with a moving aria or profound oratorio piece. I always hope to convey something that not only touches the story or the music, but also stirs something within the listener.”

Grateful for many masterclasses

Her training at Fontys Classical Music Theatre, the Meisner Theatre Academy, and more recently Codarts Rotterdam, has refined her talent and craftsmanship even further. “Dance, acting, and music strengthen each other enormously. When those three elements come together, magic happens on stage. My mission is truly to touch the audience and take them along in the story.”

Influential teachers such as répétiteur David Bollen and vocal coaches Charlotte Riedijk and Eva-Maria Westbroek have played a crucial role in her growth. “With Eva-Maria, I discovered a new, mature vocal color and technique. She’s guided me a lot in the steps I’m taking in my opera career,” Pien says with gratitude.

Ready for the next step after graduation

A recent highlight was singing Cleopatra’s aria in the Laurenskerk, accompanied by Domestica Rotterdam. “I was completely in character, carried by acting techniques and the orchestra. That was truly a musical high point,” she recalls vividly. Working with renowned ensembles such as Domestica Rotterdam and the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, she describes as “magical,” especially because of the shared energy and co-creation on stage.

Another unforgettable moment was her participation in Mahler’s Second Symphony as a choir member at Amare in The Hague. “That music is almost beyond words; during the final movement I saw several young people crying, and I really thought: ‘Yes, we’ve achieved our goal!’ I would recommend everyone to listen to the fifth movement of Mahler’s Second Symphony, Auferstehung.”

Finishing her master’s degree at Codarts was a special and moving milestone for Pien. “Graduation is something you do for yourself and your family. It was a celebration, a personal performance I shaped entirely myself. Right after that came the leap into entrepreneurship—a new phase full of challenges and opportunities!”

Now, she looks ahead with excitement. She has founded two song duos: one with pianist Adelina Gansvind and another with guitarist Glenn de Roo. “It’s wonderful to work with them and create programs in which we are completely free to shape our artistic vision,” she says enthusiastically.

In addition to these duos, many solo performances and auditions are lined up. Her goal is ultimately to be accepted into an opera studio abroad and to take on as many operatic roles as possible. The future looks bright for Pien, a young woman who continues to enchant audiences with her voice, her passion, and her story. “I want to move people and take them along in what I experience. That’s what lights me up,” she concludes, eyes shining.

And that feeling is mutual: when Pien sings, every heart opens.