Bio

Great musical artistry and originality’, the distinction given to Yvonne Smeets as she graduated the Royal conservatory summa cum laude in 2006, a year earlier she won the ‘Public’s award’ and second prize in the Dutch Vocal Jazz Competition. “Timing, improvisation and originality” the report from the jury read.

After a brief career in architecture Yvonne chose music. A former rocksinger fell in love with jazz, she blends this with sounds from Brazilian and classical music, preferably in her own words.

Yvonne sang at the North Sea Jazz Festival 2004 with Kenny Wheeler and the Big Band of the Royal Conservatory. In 2005 the North Sea jazz festival with the Big Band and Frank Tiberi. Projects with the Asko ensemble, Werner Herbers, Kevin Edusei and M.use and the ensemble Royal have led to concerts in the Muziekgebouw aan het IJ, Bimhuis, Philharmonie and the Dr. Anton Philipszaal, where she made a live recording.

Her repertoire consists of jazz standards and jazz originals with her own lyrics. But also songs she wrote herself and Brazilian music. Besides jazz music, Yvonne enjoys singing in contemporary music, an interest ignited by singing Louis Andriessen’s “M is for Man, Music and Mozart” at the Steve Reich festival in 200?

Yvonne studied, amongst others, with Anette von Eichel, Rachel Gould, Tilmar Junius, Fay Claassen, Sasja Hunnego, Ineke Heiliger, Josee Koning, Mark Murphy, Deborah Brown, Barry Harris, Lydia van Dam, Peter Nieuwerf and Guuske Kotte, and she attended technique workshops by EVTS and Cathrine Sadolin.

Yvonne is also an educator, she teaches jazz-voice at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague, gives workshops and private lessons.