About the
Academy of Vocal Arts
We are the ACVA
The Academy of Vocal Arts (ACVA) is the singing school in The Hague where children and young adults of all cultural and economical backgrounds get the opportunity to discover and experience vocal art. The ACVA welcomes children between 4 and 16 years old, both nationally and internationally.
Our experienced and passionate teachers offer an extensive curriculum and individual coaching. We help students to discover and perfect their voice in a playful way, so they may enjoy singing at a high level all their life. 'Singing Together' is the most important qualification for our unique program of music education and choir performances.
At the ACVA we stand for quality and we therefore care about custom work. Our vision is focused on creating an inspiring and supporting environment where the development of children is the central point. Together we find the right balance between individuality and choral environment. Within our courses we highly value the development of self confidence through stage experience and the emotional and social wellbeing of the student.
Meet the team
Meet our experienced and passionate teachers and conductors.
Do you have a question for someone from our team? Send us a message via info@acva.nl.
Daniëlle van Lieshout
Director, conductor selection choir Musicanti, The Hague Children's Choir, Cantamare Vocal Ensemble, The Young Ensemble, Young Men's Chorus and ACVA VOCES, teacher solfège and singing
Janneke Klompenhouwer
Conductor Choir Class B and Choir Class D, teacher solfège and stage presentation, teacher Beginner's Classes
Lisa Korthals Altes
Teacher singing and solfège
Marijke van Klaveren
Conductor Choir Class A, Choir Class B and Choir Class C, teacher solfège and singing, main subject teacher children's choir conducting education
Silvère van Lieshout
Singing teacher Young Men’s Chorus, former director
Ellen van den Berg
Teacher solfège and singing, marketing & PR
OUR STORY
1990 – 1998
Already during the eighties Marijke van Klaveren – back in the day already nationally active as course leader –wanted to create a new children's choir. In 1990 she started her first singing school, named the Zangschool Zuid-Holland. It was a small singing school with only 12 children and she started with singing classes to develop the singing voice. In 1993 Marijke created a complete children's choir. With consent of pioneer Marius Borstlap the name The Hague Children's Choir was chosen.
1998 – 2010
Five years later a new phase of developments arrived. This was the appointment of Caro Kindt (now director of Nieuw Vocaal Amsterdam), the opening of a department in Zoetermeer and Gouda and the appointment of Silvère van Lieshout as director. After Zoetermeer and Gouda a new department was created in Amsterdam in 2005. Hence the name change to Kinderkoor Academie Nederland.
Because of the continuing growth a reorganization followed with a more flexible and compact organization as a result. New attention came for the contents and development of the educational offer and expansion of the choirs. Concert trips to festivals and befriended choirs were regularly on the program.
2011 – 2018
In 2011 a repositioning was started, with the goal to better go along trends in society, among others the growing individualisation and internationalisation. A new name was inevitable, so the Academy of Vocal Arts was born. Years filled with development in several areas followed. For example in 2014 the complete St Matthew Passion of J.S. Bach was performed for the first time by the ACVA. Also exchanges with international choirs took place, with as a highlight the win of the Overall-Prize of the International Children's Choir Festival in Komló (Hungary) in 2013.
2019 - now
In 2019 the director's tasks were divided by Silvère van Lieshout over Daniëlle van Lieshout as artistic director and Bas Goossens as business director. In 2020 Daniëlle was appointed general director. At the start of the covid pandemic, the ACVA was one of the first organizations to offer online classes for the choir members. In 2021 the St John Passion was performed at 1,5m distance in the New Church in The Hague. Silvère van Lieshout officially laid down all director's tasks in 2023 with a concert with the Requiem of Duruflé.
Our vision
Every child has the right to great music education taught by the best teachers. Great music education provides musical independence at a later stage. It has a big impact on the personal development through a positive effect to self-confidence and the fysical, emotional and social well-being.
THIS IS HOW WE DO IT
We offer all our students a continuous learning path in small groups for the development of the own sound, learning to sightread and singing together with others. Everyone is unique, with their own talents, passions and creative voice. At the Academy of Vocal Arts every child gets the personal attention and coaching they deserve. The acquired knowledge is put into practice at an early stage in the choirs and ensembles of the ACVA.
YOU CAN FIND US HERE
The Academy of Vocal Arts is located in The Hague, Scheveningen, in a historical building at the Haringstraat. Situated in a characteristic area with a rich maritime history, this is a place where the children and young adults feel right at home.