Katja Dirven - Didychenko - cello

Katja Dirven-Didychenko
Katja is a Dutch-Ukrainian cellist. She received her classical education at the conservatory in
her hometown Kiev (Ukraine), where she graduated cum laude from Prof. Е. Chervovа
Katja has participated in various competitions; she is a prizewinner at the International
Lysenko Music Competition for young musicians in Kiev.
Katja continued her studies in the Netherlands with Marien van Staalen, Dmitri Ferschtman
and
Herre-Jan Stegenga.
Katja obtained her Master's degree in the category Chamber Music and Solo Performance at
the Rotterdam Conservatory (current CODARTS).
As an orchestral musician, Katja plays with many Dutch and foreign professional orchestras
in The Netherlands and abroad such as:
Philharmonie Zuid-Nederland, Sinfonia Rotterdam, Camerata Amsterdam and she regularly
performs at various festivals in Germany such as Musik: Landschaft Westfalen and
Dordrecht Cellofestival.
She developed her love for orchestral playing at a young age and already played with
various professional orchestras during her studies, such as the Lyatoshinsky Ensemble, Kiev
Soloist Ensemble and the Lysenko Youth Orchestra. With the latter orchestra she made
several tours through Europe, and performed as a soloist. A CD has also been released.
She often performs as a soloist and chamber musician in various compositions with top
musicians from the Netherlands and abroad.
Recent solo performances with orchestra as a soloist:
-A.Vivaldi, concerto for two violins and cello L'estro armonico, Op. 3 (No. 11)
Kammerphilharmonie Musik: Landschaft Westfalen - August 2015
-P.I. Tchaikovsky, Variations on a Rococo Theme, with Philharmonie Musik: Landschaft
Westfalen, conductor M. Panteleev - August 2019
Chamber music is a big part of Katja’s life and she is always looking for new opportunities
and challenges in this area. She has formed a cello-violin duo called Bravura with Marina
Meerson and she regularly performs with musicians such as Vera Laporeva, József
Lendvay, Mikhail Zemtsov, Igor and Vesna Gruppman and the Daniel Quartet.
Katja can also be heard regularly in the chamber music series of Muzikc in Kralingen,
Rotterdam. At the concert series Van Cappellenhuis In the 2020-2021 season, Katja has
been appointed “The Artist in the Residence”.
As a versatile cellist, Katja does not limit herself to classical music. Together with other
colleagues she provided musical support for the shows and recordings of the well-known
singer Wende Snijders. Wende's debut CD "Quand tu dors", on which Katja also
participated, has been awarded an Edison Award.
In Rotterdam, Katja has an extensive teaching practice and is a cello teacher and conductor
affiliated with the Rotterdam Hellendaal Music Institute. Since 2016, Katja, together with
colleague Marina Meerson, is the Artistic Director of the Rotterdam Hellendaal Music
Institute.
Katja is an active teacher at the famous Dordrecht Cello Festival

Katja is a Dutch-Ukrainian cellist. She received her classical education at the conservatory in
her hometown Kiev (Ukraine), where she graduated cum laude from Prof. Е. Chervovа
Katja has participated in various competitions; she is a prizewinner at the International
Lysenko Music Competition for young musicians in Kiev.
Katja continued her studies in the Netherlands with Marien van Staalen, Dmitri Ferschtman
and Herre-Jan Stegenga.
Katja obtained her Master's degree in the category Chamber Music and Solo Performance at
the Rotterdam Conservatory (current CODARTS).
As an orchestral musician, Katja plays with many Dutch and foreign professional orchestras
in The Netherlands and abroad such as: 
Philharmonie Zuid-Nederland, Sinfonia Rotterdam, Camerata Amsterdam and she regularly
performs at various festivals in Germany such as Musik: Landschaft Westfalen and
Dordrecht Cellofestival.
She developed her love for orchestral playing at a young age and already played with
various professional orchestras during her studies, such as the Lyatoshinsky Ensemble, Kiev
Soloist Ensemble and the Lysenko Youth Orchestra. With the latter orchestra she made
several tours through Europe, and performed as a soloist. A CD has also been released.
She often performs as a soloist and chamber musician in various compositions with top
musicians from the Netherlands and abroad.
Recent solo performances with orchestra as a soloist:
-A.Vivaldi, concerto for two violins and cello L'estro armonico, Op. 3 (No. 11)
Kammerphilharmonie Musik: Landschaft Westfalen - August 2015
-P.I. Tchaikovsky, Variations on a Rococo Theme, with Philharmonie Musik: Landschaft
Westfalen, conductor M. Panteleev - August 2019
Chamber music is a big part of Katja’s life and she is always looking for new opportunities
and challenges in this area. She has formed a cello-violin duo called Bravura with Marina
Meerson and she regularly performs with musicians such as Vera Laporeva, József
Lendvay, Mikhail Zemtsov, Igor and Vesna Gruppman and the Daniel Quartet.
Katja can also be heard regularly in the chamber music series of Muzikc in Kralingen,
Rotterdam. At the concert series Van Cappellenhuis In the 2020-2021 season, Katja has
been appointed “The Artist in the Residence”.
As a versatile cellist, Katja does not limit herself to classical music. Together with other
colleagues she provided musical support for the shows and recordings of the well-known
singer Wende Snijders. Wende's debut CD "Quand tu dors", on which Katja also
participated, has been awarded an Edison Award.
In Rotterdam, Katja has an extensive teaching practice and is a cello teacher and conductor
affiliated with the Rotterdam Hellendaal Music Institute. Since 2016, Katja, together with
colleague Marina Meerson, is the Artistic Director of the Rotterdam Hellendaal Music
Institute.
Katja is an active teacher at the famous Dordrecht Cello Festival