Biography

Dutch pianist JAN WILLEM NELLEKE is a versatile pianist. He is an accompanist, chamber music player, orchestral musician, coach, composer and arranger. In addition he is experienced in playing harpsichord, harmonium, fortepiano, synthesizer and celesta.
Jan Willem's exceptional qualities as a duo partner have been widely recognised. His playing has been described as 'sparkling raindrops, rich chords and beautiful interludes' and an 'ever alert co-operation with the soloist'. He has given concerts throughout Europe.
Jan Willem is a member of Domestica Rotterdam and has played with London Winds (including their tour of Ireland), the Erasmus ensemble and many ad hoc ensembles at festivals.
As an orchestral musician he has played with the The Hague Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the Metropole Orchestra. Apart from playing keyboard parts in orchestral performances he has a vast experience in accompanying auditions and playing soloist rehearsals with these and other orchestras.
Jan Willem is coach-pianist at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. He regularly works with students at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London) and is also a teacher/artist in residence at the Franz Schubert Institut in Baden bei Wien (Austria), coaching duos in German lied repertoire.
Himself a noted composer of songs and chamber music, he has also produced a large number of arrangements that have regularly found their way into the repertoire. In 2022 his orchestral composition 'Arid' received a successful premiere.
Recordings include chamber music by Poulenc, works for cello and piano by Schumann, song cycles by Schubert and Fauré, as well as the Gershwin Piano Concerto following a critically lauded performance at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. Recently a new recording of songs by female composers with mezzo soprano Bettina Smith was released by LAWO Classics.
Lately Jan Willem has been working as an editor for Breitkopf & Härtel on publications of pieces by women composers.

Jan Willem Nelleke

Photos

photo 1: Annemieke Tonnaer

photo 2: Louis Haagman

photo 3: Anna-Julia Granberg (Blunderbuss)

Calendar

• 9-13 February 2026 - Recording a new CD for LAWO Classics in Oslo (Norway)
  Songs by Norwegian women composers, performed by Bettina Smith and Jan Willem Nelleke.

• 15 March 2026 - Osaka (Japan)
  Song recital by Atsuko Hirosawa and Jan Willem Nelleke.

• 5-12 July 2026 - Higham Hall near Bassenthwaite Lake in north Cumbria (UK)

  Woodwind course for advanced players, tutored by Philippa Davies, Colin Honour,
  Laurence Perkins and Jan Willem Nelleke.
  Includes a tutor concert.

• 19-25 July 2026 - Perth (UK)

  Playing and coaching at the Scottish International Flute Summer School - SIFSS
  Includes tutor concerts with Ian Clarke and Wissam Boustany.

• 22-29 August 2026 - Château du Pommoy, Roussilon en Morvan (France)

  A Flute Holiday, with Philippa Davies and Jan Willem Nelleke.

  Includes a tutor concert.