Hailed as “Chicago’s first lady of the cello” by Timeout Chicago
Magazine, Dutch cellist Katinka Kleijn defies today’s traditional
definition of a cellist, transitioning comfortably through the styles of
classical, experimental, contemporary, improvisatory, folk and
progressive rock, as well as across the traditional fields of solo,
chamber and orchestral performance.

Most recently, she appeared as soloist in the World Premiere of Dai
Fujikura's cello concerto at Lincoln Center, New York, where The New
York Times described her as "a player of formidable expressive gifts".

A member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Kleijn is in frequent demand
as soloist, performing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the
baton of Charles Dutoit in Penderecki’s Triple Cello Concerto, as well
as with the The Hague Philharmonic, the Chicago Sinfonietta , the
Illinois Philharmonic, the Symphony Orchestras of Elmhurst, DuPage and
Sheboygan, and as a soloist in Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Kai on the CSO’s
MusicNOW Series.

Known for her innovative individual projects, Kleijn presented
multi-media solo shows at the Library of Congress, Washington DC, the
Chicago Humanities Festival and the Chicago Cultural Center. A
collaboration with the Chicago-based performance art duo Industry of the
Ordinary resulted in the highly-acclaimed and publicized work
“Intelligence in the Human-Machine” by Daniel Dehaan, which Time
Magazine called “a balancing act for Kleijn’s whole body,” and where
Kleijn performs a duet with her own brainwaves.

In Kleijn’s extensive work as a member of the prolific International
Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), named Ensemble of the Year 2014 by Musical
America, she has given numerous premieres, including the US premiere of
Zona for solo cello and ensemble by Magnus Lindberg at the Lincoln
Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival, and Eternal Escape for solo cello by
Dai Fujikura, described by the Chicago Tribune’s John von Rhein as “a
five-minute tour de force, played with wonderfully incisive bravado.”

An avid chamber musician, Kleijn has collaborated with Yo-Yo Ma,
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Christoph Eschenbach, Richard Goode, and Lynn
Harrell; and appeared in the Symphony Center Presents Chamber Music
Series with pianist Jeremy Denk and violinist Stefan Jackiw. She has
performed at the Marlboro Music Festival and Ravinia Festival’s Rising
Star Series. Kleijn was a member of the Chicago Chamber Musicians from
2006-2010.

Kleijn recorded for the Naxos, Boston Record and Cedille labels. Her
2003 recording of David Baker’s Cello Concerto with the Chicago
Sinfonietta received rave reviews: The Strad Magazine wrote “Kleijn
gives infectious energy to the performance” and Fanfare Magazine
commented that “Kleijn brings plenty of temperament and gorgeous tone.”

Non-classical recordings include CD's with the progrock metal band
District 97, the ambient-folk duo Relax Your Ears, singer-song writer
David Sylvian, and for the newest single “Valkyrie” by Asia with John
Wetton. She is part of a working improvised music duo with Chicago-based
guitarist Bill MacKay, and performs on the Chicago free jazz scene.

http://www.katinkakleijn.com/