Huygens Quartet

The Huygens Quartet was founded, at the instigation of the Foundation, in 1989 with the explicit purpose of dedication to the performance of microtonal music. The quartet named itself after the 17th century Dutch physicist Christiaan Huygens (1629-1695), who also had an intensive musical interest and succeeded to give a mathematically elegant description of the tuning system of keyboard instruments at that time, meantone tuning, from the perspective of 31-tone equal temperament. Thus Huygens laid the foundation (without realising it himself) to expand the normal twelve tone system to microtonal systems.
The Huygens Quartet made their debut during a successful concert in the auditorium of Teylers Museum in Haarlem on 4 March 1990.

Eelco Beinema (1962) studied cello at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in Den Haag with René van Ast and Godfried Hoogeveen. After his graduation exam he studied chamber music and was solo cellist for two seasons at the Swedisch chamber orchestra Camerata. He is a member of the Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest since 1993.
Chris Duindam has studied successively at the conservatories of The Hague, Amsterdam and Utrecht with among others Philip Hirschorn, Victor Liberman and Emmy Verhey. In 1992 he completed his study of chamber music with Eli Goren and John Thot. Hij taught at the Utrecht- and Tilburg Conservatory and is concertmaster of the chamber orchestra Camerata Antonio Lucio.
Josje ter Haar (1961) studied violin at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague with Davina van Wely and Vera Beths and chamber music in Utrecht with Eli Goren. With her String Trio Holland she received a number of international awards. She is a regular member of the Ives Ensemble and she plays frequently in the Schönberg Ensemble and other emsembles.
Ruben Sanderse (1966) studied at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague with Gerard Hetema and Jaring Walta and viola and chamber music with Ferdinand Erblich. He plays in Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam and the Ives Ensemble and performs as free-lance violist in the Residentie Orkest and the Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest.