NKK NXT

NKK NXT - started in 2017 - is a traineeship in which each year we offer a new group of eight young professional singers a job. The young professionals work together to answer the question of what the choral concert of the future will look like. NKK NXT encourages their development as broadly oriented ensemble singers, who develop mastery, vision and entrepreneurship in addition to the craft of singing together. Participanwe offer a new group of eight young professional singers a job each yearts not only learn more about their voice, consonance and ensemble singing, but also about issues that will prepare them to become ensemble singers of the future.

NKK NXT is sponsored by Dioraphte, Zabawas and Janivo Stichting.

This years' group

NKK NXT is a bridge between the newly graduated singer or maker and the professional field: an opportunity to gain experience in the cultural sector, but also to experiment, make new connections and develop their own artistic vision.

Ensemble singing of the future

The members of NKK NXT experiment, research and create around the question 'what is ensemble singing of the future?' In this process, they are helped by experts in the field including members and employees of the Netherlands Chamber Choir and experienced coaches in dance, theatre and performing arts. Cultural entrepreneurship is also an important part of the traineeship.

Within the NKK NXT programme, participants not only learn more about their voice, consonance and ensemble singing, but also about issues that will prepare them to become ensemble singers of the future, such as stage presentation, artistic and theatrical development, and artistry in the 21st century. The participants thus balance between the profession of ensemble singer and theatre maker, between tradition and innovation, and between co-creation and personal leadership.

Developing performances

The NKK NXT trajectory consists of developing a performance that trainees create themselves from A to Z. Further down the track, trainees work on a performance developed in collaboration with a prestigious cultural partner.

"Young choral talent proves: Live and online can go very well together."

★★★★ – NRC

"Breathtakingly beautiful vision of the future ... phenomenal is an understatement."

The Theaterkrant on NKK NXT 18/19: I want to be like you.

NKK NXT 24-25

After an intensive audition process, the eight new trainees of NKK NXT met in early October. They will work this season to develop their own programme in which choral music, theatre and other arts disciplines meet. The new trainees are:

Brecht Coppers (Belgium)
Yao Kouakou Landry Assokoly (Côte d'Ivoire)
Femke van Essen (Netherlands)
Lisa Defeyter (Belgium)
Özgür Selim Gülder (Turkey)
Rosalyn Stürzer (Germany)
Bernet Wilms (Netherlands)
Taylor Burgess (United States)

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Performances by NKK NXT

Nachtwacht

10 February t/m 21 May

A family tragedy in which everyone tries to break free from the role assigned to them so that they can define a role for themselves that they truly believe in. Info & tickets

"NKK NXT gave me the opportunity to investigate what I can do as a singer to contribute to my vision of a better society."

Merel Wentink (NKK NXT 20/21)

NKK NXT Archives

The 2017/2018 season saw the start of the NKK NXT programme, and since then it has had many highlights. In 2021/2022, for instance, two year-old trainees of NKK NXT found their place: NKK NXT 20/21, who presented their own performance: BLOOM to the public in spring 2021, and a tour with Wende in her new performance WILDERNIS. The trainees of NKK NXT 21/22 presented their performance: Re:quiem in April. NKK NXT 22/23 collaborated with the Utrecht-based Rosa Ensemble in a new co-production Minaminotori, and in 2023/2024 NKK NXT collaborated on Aïda Gabriëls' residency project at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp

Previous editions of NKK NXT