November 12 - Anniversary Concert - 45 Years of Craftsmanship

About the musicians

Gerwin van der Plaats (1977) is an organist, conductor, and producer. From a young age, he accompanied church services and studied with, among others, Jaap Zwart Sr., Herman van Vliet, and Geert Bierling. Since 2023, he has been the titular organist of the Bovenkerk in Kampen. He also serves as a regular organist in Nunspeet, Zwolle, and IJsselmuiden. As a conductor, he leads several choirs, including the Christelijk Kamper Mannenkoor Door Eendracht Verbonden and the Urker Mannenkwartet. His style is characterized by enthusiasm, craftsmanship, and versatility. Through his company GA-studioworks, he produces audio and video productions, including the TV programme Kom zing mee for Family7.

Gert van Hoef (1994) from Barneveld discovered the organ at the age of 13, inspired by his grandfather. After lessons with, among others, Evert van de Veen and Herman van Vliet, he studied organ at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague under Jos van der Kooy, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in Early Music in 2017. He has won several competitions, including the Feike Asma and Govert van Wijn organ competitions. Since 2010, he has been active as a concert organist and gained great fame through YouTube, where his performances attract millions of viewers. Gert gives numerous concerts every year, both in the Netherlands and abroad.

Sofia Korsakova is a concert organist based in Switzerland. She studied organ and piano at the State Conservatory of Kazan, where she discovered her true passion for the organ and chose it as her main instrument. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in organ at the Hochschule Luzern (HSLU). Sofia performs throughout Europe and sees her mission as promoting appreciation for the concert organ and the role of women in this field. In addition, she works as a church organist in the canton of Lucerne. Since 2024, she has been collaborating with Content Organs.

Hans-Dieter Karras (1959, Jena) studied organ in Dresden, Herford, Detmold, Paris, and York, with teachers such as Gaston Litaize, Odile Pierre, and Jean Gillou. From 1982 to 2001, he served as cantor-organist at St. Ulrici-Brüdern Church in Braunschweig and, until this year, as organist at the Klosterkirche St. Maria Riddagshausen. He founded the International Riddagshäuser Orgelsommer and performs worldwide. Karras has regularly visited Content Organs to test instruments for OKEY Magazine. His discography includes more than twenty CDs, among them award-winning recordings of Rheinberger and Dubois. He has composed numerous works, including six symphonies, and also plays the portative organ.

André Knevel

Organist André Knevel was born in Bussum, the Netherlands. From a very young age, he felt drawn to the organ. At the age of 8, he began taking organ and piano lessons. His teachers included Dr. J.A.M. van Stokkum, Rutger van Mazijk, and Willem Hendrik Zwart. André Knevel gave his first official organ concert at the age of 19. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed organist of the Reformed Congregation in Hilversum.

In 1975, André Knevel emigrated to Canada, where he settled in St. Catharines, Ontario. There, he is affiliated with several Christian schools as a music teacher and also serves as a church organist. He continued his organ studies with Dr. John Tuttle, an organ instructor at the Royal Conservatory in Toronto, who prepared André for Organ Diploma B.

André Knevel regularly tours in Canada, the United States, Europe, and South Africa. A highly sought-after organist, he returns to the Netherlands and Germany each summer for a concert tour of 30 to 40 performances. He has released a large number of CDs. Through his music, he hopes to share his gifts and talents with his audience, but above all, it is his desire that it may serve to the glory and honor of God. In 2010, he celebrated his 40th anniversary as an organist.