biography
about rik
Rik Melissant (1999) studied organ with Paul Kieviet (Middelharnis, Netherlands) from the age of 12 until the summer of 2018.
Since September 2018 Rik studied at the Rotterdam Conservatoire (Codarts) with an Organ major and a Piano minor. The tutors for his major were Christian Schmitt, Zuzana Ferjencikova, Aart Bergwerff, Bas de Vroome and Ben van Oosten. For improvisation his tutor is Hayo Boerema and for his completed minor his tutors were Martin Lekkerkerk and Sara Gutiérrez Redondo. From September 2020 he is studying Church Music with Arie Hoek (hymnology and cantorate), Hanna Rijken (liturgy) and Hayo Boerema (ecclesiastical organ playing). He was as well following the minor Choir Direction with Wiecher Mandemaker, the minor Orchestra Direction (completed) with Joost Geevers and the minor Harpsichord with Bas de Vroome.
On the 29th of June 2022 he rounded off his Bachelor of Music with a summa cum laude (9,5) in the Laurenskerk, Rotterdam (NL).
Rik has also followed numerous masterclasses with Arjen Leistra, Reitze Smits, Matteo Imbruno, Michel Bouvard and Olivier Latry. Next to his study at the Rotterdam Conservatoire he has private lessons with Thomas Ospital and Adriaan Hoek.
Rik won vijf eerste prijzen op o.a. internationale orgelconcoursen, waaronder het eerste en tweede Internationale Ambitus Orgelconcours in 2017 en 2019. In oktober 2022 won Rik de 1e prijs op het Internationale César Franck Concours in de Kathedrale Basiliek St. Bavo te Haarlem.
As well as being a concert organist Rik is an accompanist of a number of choirs and ensembles. Also he is teaching organ and piano.
