Joke Kegel

As a musician, poet, and artist, I inherited these talents from my parents and ancestors. I feel blessed and humble with ears, eyes, and all my other senses to observe the world and serve humanity, making it a better place.  I started studying piano from  1966 with Nora Rijkers. From 1975 I studied in the class of the artist Rinus Duin (1918-1996). I developed my skills in drawing models and still-lifes. I studied in different Art Academies, discovered my own path and developed my skills in music and theatre, as conductor, singer, actrice and composer.

With the musicologist Edgard Vreuls I studied 10 years composition and music theory in his institute MIEV and  did my states exames for Piano Teacher, Music History and Music Theory. With composer Rafael Reina & Jos Zwaanenburg I studied six years at the Conservatory of Amsterdam at the department  Contemporary Music Through non Western Techniques, CMTnWT.

In the pandemic episode I loved to draw and paint again. Qigong and Yoga helped me to stay strong and healthy.
After the pandemic I painted  for some years in Art studios of the painters Gerbrig Seidel, Clare van Stolk & Bouch.

ENSEMBLE SCALA played a new version of my work in 24 tones in an octave, transposed in 31 tones in an octave. The première was december 2022 in the Muziekgebouw aan`t IJ organized by Foundation Huygens-Fokker, centre for microtonal music.

Pianist/organist Ere Lievonen and me as soprano are DUO KURKUMA and we came up with new concerts.
CD ‘Whispers of my secret Garden’ came out in 2025.

Alexander Techniques of Stephan van Dijk inspired me to  become a better musician and a helpful masseuse for my friends  and family. Body Body Body classes of Katie Duck integrated Alexander techniques  in her studies for artists, singers, dancers, actors and musicians who have interest to do multidisciplinary compositions for performances.

My contemporary compositions are for solos, duos, large and small ensembles. Instrumental and multimedia events, as well as theater and film.  Check and click on Music for more details about my compositions.
Over the years I have organized many concerts with my own compositions and works by other composers.
Some of my works are published by Donemus.

• 5 tracks of the cd and the link for the streaming by Donemus.
  See also the photo of the CD at the bottom of this page.
  https://donemus.nl/release/dcv-566-joke-kegel-whispers-of-my-secret-garden/

1-Thank you for everything, I have no complaints whatsoever. Diantoreedquintet
2-Imagine we are sea weeds. Duo Kurkuma, piano and soprano.
3-We grow accustomed to the Dark. Duo Kurkuma, piano and soprano.
4-Flow and Glow. Duo Kurkuma, piano and soprano.
5-Whispers of my secret Garden. Duo Kurkuma, organ and soprano

2025 Improvisation with the violinist Dr. Mysore Manjunath and  Soprano Joke Kegel in the Postwijck Church in Baambrugge   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1D0yZy5EM
This beautiful collaboration  gave me the  idea to recycle the reedquintet ‘Thank you for everything, I have no complaints whatsoever’ to my new piano trio and soprano ‘Whispers of my Secret Garden’ This work has an extra couplet of poetry, dedicated to my dear father (1933-2010)

Whispers of my secret Garden.

His ashes were scattered, and in a dayflow
The garden was covered with snow.
When it thawed the next night
The grass stayed ash white
Birds sang softly, deep in the shadow:

In my secret garden, behold the sight,
A table adorned with birch leaves, pure and bright.
The plant saucer, a haven for birds to bathe and drink,
While the clean gutter pours water, a sustainable link.

In this moment, tranquility embraces the scene
A peaceful oasis where serenity convenes.

As the rain barrel reached its limit, not a drop to spare,
I swiftly emptied it, preventing any overflow scare.
With a twist of the tap, water began to flow
Through the garden hose, it danced, a vibrant show.

SHORT CV

• Born September 10th, 1960 in Amsterdam.
• Studied at the Art academies and the Actorsstudio in Amsterdam, playing in different theatre-productions:

-Molly – ‘In the Summerhouse’ of Jane Bowles. Director Nouschka van Brakel –  Actorsstudio Production Amsterdam.
-Marie –  ‘Woyzeck’ of Georg Buchner – Director Maureen Birney – Smederij Production Amsterdam
-Micaela – ‘Carmen’ of Georges Bizet – Director George Isherwood – Music-Theatre Amsterdam.
-Queen of the Antartics/ Pinguin – ‘R.F.Scott to the Antartics – Director George Isherwood – European Music Theatre Tour.

• 1990-1995 Worked as guest lecturer at the Leidse Hoge School  in cooperation with Dick Bloem, lecturer at the department of healthcare Conflict Management training. Within that period she also was a permanent employee of the Boddaert Centre in Amsterdam and set up childcare for mothers who wanted to master the Dutch language.
  
  
• 1992-1997  Active in ZIMIHC Cooperative, Utrecht.
  Actress and singer in the performance: ‘Poetry, Seeing, Smelling and Tasting’ in the poetry and music-theater traveling  to highschools in the Netherlands.
  
  Active as Artistic director of the followingproductions:
• Alternative Faces Multi media production.
  
  
• Incorporea 2006 featuring dance, live music, visual arts and video.
  
  Bare feet, ‘Breath and bare Hands for live bass clarinet solo and video.
  
  
• Van een leien dak with the recording ensemble work: Who is counting on a pure symmetric triad within a perfect fourth? 2003, for Flute, Sopranosaxophone, Trumpet, Bass-clarinet, Bassoon, Vibraphone and Timpani, all tuned in the 24 tone-system and a slide show with visual art made by Gerbrig Seidel.
  
  Qualified to teach private lessons for piano, singing, composition, analysis and music history, and rhythm for children as well as adults, beginners and advanced students.  Works as guest voice-teacher with with poetry and prose to develop the rhythms and vocal colors in the speaking voice in acting-classes
   
  Encourage singers in private lessons to use their own lyrics and poetry for new music compositions. Check and click on Studio Jokegel for more information about my teaching.