About the Expat Directory
I have met her some years ago here in Arnhem, through a common Italian friend, Giovanna Giorli. I was later on invited to her graduation performance in Nijmegen and since then I was enchanted by her voice, became her fan and asked her to give me singing classes!
Who is Simin Tander and what has been said and written about her?
”She distinguishes herself from every other singer from the Netherlands, because of her guts and initiative combined with her versatility and close to perfect control of her voice let her stand out way above the others.” Rinus van der Heijden – online magazine Jazzenzo
”Simin Tander's voice and singing are in one word: impressive.” Bas Bevers - VPRO/3voor12
"Simin Tander sang with so much emotion that the snow started to melt outside" Maartje Den Breejen of “Het Parool” review of concert at the Bimhuis jan. 2010
“A unique talent among young jazz vocalists.” Sheila Jordan, American jazz vocal icon
Simin Tander represents a new sound in the Dutch jazz landscape: mysterious, surprising, rhythmically varying, subtle and tenderly beautiful but at the same time strong and very
pointy. She sings ”stories without words”, purely using her voice and a very broad palette of sounds. Besides her richness in sounds, she also uses contemporary lyrics in different languages and sometimes even creates her very personal ”fantasy language”. Expressive, free improvisation united with delicate singer song writer elements and a hint of oriental mysticism are characteristics of Simin’s style (www.myspace.com/simintander).
Hello Simin, tell me about you. Where do you come from and how come you are here in Arnhem?
I am originally from Cologne/ Germany, my mother is German and my father was from Kabul/ Afghanistan (he died in 1985).
When I was about 7 years old I started singing, but only at home for myself or with my sister with whom I sang, danced and acted for fun all the time. My sister actually became an actress. Music became my safe place where I could just be. Now I feel it as an almost sacred place inside of me.It took me many years until I finally decided to take singing lessons, which was when I was 18 years old already. My first vocal teacher told me I should try to go to conservatory, something I had dreamed of but never actually thought about doing.
I graduated from the “Gymnasium, did my “Abitur” and then started to prepare for the entrance examinations for conservatories. Although my teacher was an opera singer I quickly knew I wanted to improvise in music. Improvisation has always been a part of my personality, a very natural thing for me. During my last year before I came to Holland I took piano lessons, singing lessons, started my first band and took lessons in music theory. Everything in order to go to the conservatory. That was my only aim. Holland had a very good reputation for jazz schools, many Germans go there, because they have another more school-oriented system than the conservatories in Germany.
I actually first dreamed of studying in Amsterdam but then heard of the high quality and diversity (in music style) of the vocal department in Arnhem. In 2002 I was accepted to the “jazz vocal department” of the Conservatory (Artez) of Arnhem.
I actually met you the year when you received your master degree in 2008. How was it for a foreign student to adjust to the region?
Although Germany and Holland do not differ too much from each other concerning culture and language I could definitely feel that I came to a foreign country. There are slight differences- but they exist! What made it easy for me in the beginning was that there were approx. 60 -70% Germans studying at the conservatory. The bigger challenge for me was to really learn the language- everybody spoke German at school, the lessons were held in kind of a mixed language between Dutch and German and during the individual singing classes my teacher spoke English with me during the first year. When you study music you actually hardly ever really have to write a text, the theory lessons are about music- a more or less universal language.
There are many Germans who choose for speaking a half Dutch with a strong German accent during their years at school. It has always been very important for me to know the language, the pronunciation in order to really be able to integrate to the Dutch culture and life. With that motivation it was not too hard for me to speak Dutch after the first 1 ½ years in Holland.
Since your graduation you have been very active in the Dutch Jazz scenery. Can you give us an overview of your most important concerts and artists you have been playing with?
Recently there have been some wonderful developments in my carrier- I have been awarded with the “Young VIP tour”. An award given to new Dutch jazz artists who, concerning the comite, deserve wider recognition. The tour consists of 12 concerts at Holland’s most important jazz venues. Furthermore I was chosen for the well recognized Jazzimpuls-theater tour of 2010 2011. But it all started while I was still at the conservatory in 2004. I was asked to join the Dutch group I Compani and their “Fellini” – project for a several concerts in theaters, the North Sea Jazz Festival and a cd recording...In 2003 I spent the whole summer in New York studying with jazz icon Sheila Jordan who awarded me with a scholarship to return to New York in 2004.In my last study years I started my own group, the quartet SIMIN, back then with another piano player, but already with Etienne Nillesen on drums and Cord Heineking on the doublebass. Pianist Jeroen Van Vliet joined the group in September 2009.
It became my most important project where I also started writing music for. We have been invited to play at several festivals and jazzstages, like e.g. the North Sea Jazz Festival (in 2009), Music Meeting (Nijmegen) the international Jazzahead! meeting (Bremen/ Germany), International Women In Jazz Festival (Halle/ Germany), the Bimhuis , the A-Trane (in Berlin) and many more. The most influential and important musical encounters and collaborations for me has been the one with trumpet player Eric Vloeimans.
Eric Vloeimans is an internationally well recognized and wonderful musician who has earned the title of being “Holland’s best trumpet player”. I was very honored when he invited me to play a concert with him in August 2008. Since then we have performed several concerts in a triosetting with pianist Jeroen Van Vliet or with him as special guest of my quartet.
Another important step in my musical carrier has been the work I did for the German TV.
I have recorded and partly developed the soundtrack for the German cult thriller “Tatort” and of two episodes of “Der Kriminalist”.
Where would you see yourself in the next future?
Singing and writing music! Touring through different countries and sharing my musical ideas with inspiring musicians…! I will be recording my debut CD this March and plan on releasing it in Oct/Nov of this year. Furthermore I will be probably moving to Paris for a couple of months. For inspiration and to dive into another music scene. New York is another city I will be returning to this year. I am involved in an interesting contemporary theater project which will be performed in New York and in Berlin.”
Thank you so much for your time Simin and..."success"!
Extracts translated by Jo Prinsen
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