Biography

From a young age, singing seemed simply inevitable; as a 7 year old - or so rumor has it - Gijsbert already sang along to a recording of Handel's 'Every Valley' from The Messiah. Growing up with the music of Handel, Bach and other composers, it soon became clear that this music would become an integral part of Gijsbert's life.

For more information about his singing career, please continue to read...​  

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Dutch tenor Gijsbert Westland began his academic path studying English and Linguistics at the universities of Leiden, Utrecht and Florida (USA). He eventually chose to follow his true passion and devoted himself fully to singing. In 2024, he completed his Bachelor of Classical Voice at the ArtEZ Conservatory, where he studied with tenor Harry van Berne, tenor Marcel Beekman and soprano Marjan Kuiper. He has continued his studies at ArtEZ in the Master’s program with Marjan Kuiper since 2025.   

 

Westland is an active ensemble singer in several leading professional choirs. He performs regularly with Capella Amsterdam, the Laurens Collegium Rotterdam, and the Nederlands Bach Consort, and has previously taken part in projects with Meesters & Gezellen, Cantoris Martini, Nikolaas Consort and the Laurenscantorij. In these settings, he worked with leading choral conductors such as Daniel Reuss, Peter Dijkstra and Wiecher Mandemaker. Gijsbert's broad experience spans both large- and small-scale repertoire, ranging from symphonic orchestral projects to solo-ensemble work. In this capacity, Gijsbert has been part of several recordings that received critical acclaim: Solennelle (2019), by Laurenscantorij, Jeanne d'Arc au Bucher (2019), by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Laurens Symphonic, Mahler Symphony 8 (2025), by Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Laurens Collegium. 

 

As a soloist, Westland is frequently heard in oratorios and Bach cantatas. His performances include arias from the Johannes-Passion and Matthäus-Passion, Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem and Coronation Mass, and Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle. In 2025 he made his debut as the Evangelist in the Matthäus-Passion, a role that highlights his passion for storytelling.​ Westland has participated in masterclasses with renowned soprano Emma Kirkby in a Monteverdi Program in Venice, with bariton Lisandro Abadie in Basel, with mezzo-soprano Sasja Hunnego in Amsterdam and with lutenist Mike Fentross in The Hague, experiences that further shaped his artistic approach. His musical profile is marked by a light, haute-contre-like voice timbre, refined text expression and a strong affinity for Early Music.