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The Dutch soprano, vocal coach, and speech therapist, Selma Harkink, completed her studies with distinction at the Utrechts Conservatorium under Henny Diemer (1995-2003). In addition to her studies in Utrecht, she simultaneously studied at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam (De Nieuwe Opera Academie) under Alexander Oliver, graduating with distinction, and at the Internationale Liedklas. During her studies, Selma won several awards. She was a prize winner from the Stichting Jong muziektalent Nederland. She also received a scholarship from the " Voorziening voor excellerende jonge musici." She also won 2nd prize in the Christina Deutekom Concours. To complete her studies, she participated in various master-classes with, among others, Sarah Walker, Henk Smit, Jard van Nes, Elly Ameling, Udo Reinemann, Rudolf Jansen, Helmut Deutsch, Roger Vignoles, Maarten Koningsberger, and Margreet Honig.
Selma Harkink participated in a large number of opera productions in Theater Dortmund (September 2004-September 2006), Gelsenkirchen, Bonn and De Nederlandse Reisopera, among others, where she sang the roles of Susanna in W.A. Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, Pamina in W.A. Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, Despina in W.A. Mozart's Così fan tutte, Nannetta in Falstaff, Nella in Gianni Schicchi, Frasquita in Georges Bizet's Carmen, Le Feu and Le Rossignol in L'enfant et les sortilèges, Marzelline in L.v. Beethoven's Fidelio, Woglinde in Das Rheingold, Olympia in Les contes d'Hoffmann and Blondchen in W.A. Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail. She made her debut at De Nationale Opera in the role of Folleville in Reimsreisje, an adaptation for children of Rossini's Il Viaggio a Reims (December 2014-January 2015).
Selma Harkink a also sang Le Feu in Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilèges with the Limburgs Symfonie Orkest, conducted by Ed Spanjaard. She toured the Netherlands with the Vienna Operetta Gala, performing with Marco Bakker under the direction of Jan Stulen. Selma also appeared as Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Bulgaria. She sang Alban Berg's Altenburg Lieder and Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 4 with the Limburgs Symfonie Orkest, conducted by Ed Spanjaard. Since September 2010, she has also been a freelancer with the Groot Omroepkoor (Netherlands Radio Choir).
Together with pianist Jan-Paul Grijpink, Selma Harkink forms a lieder duo with which she gives numerous concerts. Oratorio is also an important part of her professional practice. She regularly performs as a soloist in works such as the George Frideric Handel's Messiah, Die Schöpfung, Weihnachts-Oratorium BWV 248, Matthäus-Passion BWV 244, and Johannes-Passion BWV 245.
From January 2015 to September 2019, Selma Harkink taught voice methodology at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Since September 2016, she has been a principal vocal teacher at the Utrechts Conservatorium. She also studied Speech-Language Pathology at HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht (2010-2013); and since January 2014, in addition to her work as a singer and voice teacher, She has also worked at as a speech therapist, specializing in vocal problems in professional singers. |
