Rik Melissant (1999) received his first organ lessons from Paul Kieviet in Middelharnis. He studied organ at Codarts Rotterdam (NL) under Zuzana Ferjenčíková, Ben van Oosten and Bas de Vroome. He also took improvisation lessons with Hayo Boerema and Geerten Liefting and studied church music. He completed both his Bachelor of Music and his Master of Music summa cum laude, with his bachelor’s and master’s examination recitals at the Laurenskerk in Rotterdam (NL) and the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Bavo in Haarlem (NL).

Rik Melissant has won prizes at various national and international organ competitions. Among other achievements, he won the International Ambitus Organ Competition in 2017 and 2019 and was awarded first prize at the International César Franck Competition (2022) at St Bavo’s Cathedral Basilica in Haarlem (NL).

He attended masterclasses with, amongst others, Olivier Latry, Nathan Laube, Michel Bouvard and Matteo Imbruno. He also took private lessons from Adriaan Hoek, Thomas Ospital and Frédéric Blanc, with whom he explored the works of Maurice Duruflé in depth.

As well as his concert engagements, he works as a conductor and teaches the organ and piano.