Huug Verschuijl
Music affected me ever since I was a little boy, and I consider it as one of the great contributions to human life. At home classical music prevailed; my mother loved Schubert and Mozart, and my father often played piano pieces of Chopin, Brahms and Ravel. Popmusic certainly had an enormous impact, although it was only at the age of 16 that I began to listen to it seriously. In the meanwhile, I took piano lessons and Bach was by far my favorite composer.
In my twenties, while living in Amsterdam, I discovered my voice and I began to sing. Having an old piano at my disposal, I began to write songs. My first performance in public was in the Polanen Theatre, providing a musical intermezzo between two plays. On the piano however, I felt restricted by the size of the instrument. I started to play the accordeon, and ever since it became my well-beloved instrument to accompany myself. My songs are in written in Dutch, my native language. They show different aspects of life, such as everyday situations and contemplations, often in an ironical way. My style is influenced by a variety of singers, of whom I would like to mention the French chansonnier Georges Brassens.
In the early '90s, while studying musicology in Amsterdam, my friend, composer and singer-songwriter Martijn Voorvelt recorded my songs. About 150 tapes were sold, a personal success. After a few years I settled down in Amersfoort and I applied myself to the study of the two row diatonic melodeon, due to my admiration for Irish music. The simplicity as well as sweetness of the instrument had conquered my heart and I wrote down all the melodies that came to my mind. At that time I also started acting for a few theatre companies. Among them was 'De Kleine Kaart' under the direction of Jos Schievelt.
In the next period I retreated from the theatre scene and it was only in 2010 that I, as an accordeonist, joined the choir 'Rozen en Gladiolen' under the direction of Bert Weijdema. I found again the love for my instrument and it’s a pleasure to accompany their singing of Dutch popular music. At the same time, I resumed writing songs and melodies. I believe in a world in which making music is considered as essential as mathematics and grammar. Hopefully, my music will make a contribution to this, how small ever.