Conducting
Tienstra studied conducting privately with Dick Verhoef and at Amsterdam Conservatoire with Lucas Vis a.o. An experienced conductor in the classical and contempory repertoire, Tienstra's current practice encompasses choirs, orchestra's, chant groups, chamber ensembles and the occassional music theatre project.
Always eager for the performance of new music, he has premiered works by Daan Manneke, Wim Henderickx, Bob Zimmerman, Ad Wammes, Geerten Liefting, Valentin Villard, Job Greuter, REINDIER, Wilma Pistorius, Andys Skordis, Ji Youn Kang and his own compositions.
Choral conductor
- Toonkunstkoor Leiden
- Schola Cantorum Amsterdam
- Gregoriaanse Kring Amsterdam
- Schola Gregoriana Noordwijk
Previous directorships include the seven choirs of St. Bavo Cathedral Choir Haarlem, chamber choir Cappella pro Cantibus and Schola Cantorum Oegstgeest.
Orchestral/Ensemble conductor
Tienstra works as freelance ensemble and orchestral director. He has worked with Nederlands Symfonisch Kamerorkest, Nederlands Begeleidingsorkest, Ars Musica, L'Estro Armonico, Wild Blossom Ensemble, UNI Katwijk, student orchestra's of the Amsterdam conservatoire, The Hague conservatoire and Birmingham and Essen universities amongst others.
Workshop leader
Tienstra regularly gives workshops with all his ensembles and as a freelance choir and ensemble conductor. In this, he has worked with ensembles such as VU-Kamerkoor (Amsterdam), KunstKlank (Noordwijk), La Voix (Haarlem), Pieterskerk-concerten (Utrecht), Illustere Figuren (Leeuwarden) and Amici Cantus Gregoriani (The Hague, Utrecht, Den Bosch, Franeker).
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Church musician
Tienstra studied Church Music at Amsterdam Conservatory. His extensive work experience as a church musician includes:
- the seven choirs of RC St Bavo Cathedral (concurrently teaching at Cathedral School Haarlem);
- ecumenical Iona choir;
- Schola Gregoriana Noordwijk;
- RC parish choir 'Maria ter Zee';
- Schola Cantorum Oegstgeest;
- Schola Cantorum Amsterdam (Co-Cathedral Basilica of St. Nicolas);
- evensong tradition with Cappella pro Cantibus;
- ecumenical Schola Cantorum of Ekklesia Leiden (Hooglandse Kerk).
The video shows an interview (in Dutch) on church music at St Peter's Square in Rome, at the end of a concert tour of St. Bavo's cathedral choir.