Dutch baritone Jan Willem Baljet studied with the famous German baritone Udo Reinemann at the Utrecht Conservatory and the Conservatoire Régional de Metz from which he both graduated with high honors. 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. Currently he is being coached by Margreet Honig.
Jan Willem operatic appearances took him all over Europe, from France to the Czech Republic where he performed ao the title role of Don Giovanni, Figaro ( Le nozze di Figaro), Papageno ( Zauberflöte), the title role of Don Pasquale - Donizetti, Gefängnisdirektor Frank (Die Fledermaus- J.Strauß), Cavaliere Ripafratta (Mirandolina - B.Martinu), Peter Besenbinder (Hänsel und Gretel - E.Humperdinck), der Lautsprecher ( der Kaiser von Atlantis- V.Ullmann) and Uberto (La Serva Padrona- G.Pergolesi).
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, St. Francois d´Asisse (O. Messiaen) in the role of frère Sylvestre and sang in the well received production of Billy Budd ( B.Britten) in the staging of Richard Jones.
Jan Willem has sung various solo parts in cantatas and oratoria such as Johannes- and Mattheuspassion (Bach), requiems of Fauré, Weill and Dvorak, Canticum Sacrum (Stravinsky) and regularly sings with orchestras lieder cycles such as 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.
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.
He has collaborated with orchestras such as Camerata Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, 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, Tan Dun, Nicolas MacGegan, Jan Willem de Vriend, Lawrence Renes, Martin Brabbins and Ivor Bolton.
Jan Willem sings with vocal ensemble Frommermann, praised for their exceptional musical qualities, completely unique style and infections flair (NRC Handelsblad), who performs music of the Comedian Harmonists, nostalgic tunes and classical songs from the golden era of vocal jazz. He is member of Amsterdams newest and coolest musicians-collective Splendor, with foundation Diva Dichtbij he sings on a regularly basis for elderly people with dementia and he is well respected for his versatility, his theatrical and comical talent and his heartfelt interpretations.
