Louis Andriessen - Life and Career

Life and Career

Andriessen was born in Utrecht into a musical family, the son of the composer Hendrik Andriessen (1892–1981), brother of composers Jurriaan Andriessen (1925–1996) and Caecilia Andriessen (1931-), and nephew of Willem Andriessen (1887–1964).

Andriessen originally studied with his father and Kees van Baaren at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, before embarking upon two years of study with Italian composer Luciano Berio in Milan and Berlin. He later joined the faculty of the Royal Conservatory where his notable students included Michel van der Aa, Richard Ayres, Richard Baker, Michael Fiday, Jeff Hamburg, Michael Zev Gordon, Rozalie Hirs, Ivana Kiš, Yannis Kyriakides, Juan Sebastian Lach, Steve Martland, Nathan Michel, Koji Nakano, Damien Ricketson, Patrick Saint-Denis, Víctor Varela, Jasna Veličković, and Sinta Wullur.

In 1969 Andriessen co-founded STEIM in Amsterdam. He also helped found the instrumental groups Orkest de Volharding and Hoketus, both of which performed compositions of the same names. He later became closely involved in the ongoing Schonberg and Asko ensembles and inspired the formation of the British ensemble Icebreaker.

Andriessen, a widower, was married to guitarist Jeanette Yanikian (1935–2008). They were a couple for over 40 years and were married in 1996.