Peter de Groot (Dutch *1957) is a pupil of the Dutch alto Aafje Heynis. He was a member of the Collegium Vocale Gent (Philippe Herreweghe) and sang for many years in Harry van der Kamp’s Gesualdo Consort. At the same time he was a member of the soloist ensemble of the Dutch Bach Society lead by Jos van Veldhoven. As a soloist he worked with Camerata Trajectina, Combattimento Consort, Brisk Recorder Quartett Amsterdam, The Northern Consort, The Spirit of Gambo and Weser-Renaissance. The Flemish composer Walter Hus dedicated a song cycle to him: Francesco's Paradox, on a cycle of poems by the Flemish poet Stefan Hertmans.
Since its founding and to this very day Peter de Groot is a member of Ton Koopman’s Amsterdam Baroque Choir. Regularly he sang as a soloist in concerts and on cd’s with this ensemble and conductor as well. In April 2016 he became choirmaster of the Amsterdam Baroque Choir. De Groot works as conducting assistant to Ton Koopman in the Bach-workshops in Paris and is invited almost every other year as guest conductor at the festival 'Itinéraire Baroque', a festival Ton Koopman founded in the Dordogne.
Singing with the Dutch Chamber Choir he met Paul Van Nevel who invited him to join the Huelgas Ensemble. It turned out to be a turning point in the career of Peter de Groot. Touched by the kiss of the Muse of the Renaissance, he decided to dedicate the rest of his musical career mainly to the polyphonic heritage of the Low Countries. He considers himself as a pupil of the great Belgian maestro.
Peter de Groot was artistic leader of the Egidius Kwartet. This male vocal quartet was founded in 1995 with the aim of performing Renaissance and contemporary music from the Low Countries (in the broadest possible sense). In 2009 De Groot took the initiative to revive a unique Dutch 16th century collection of the choir books of the city of Leiden. To do so the Egidius College was founded; an ensemble of highly qualified and specialized singers in Renaissance music. Due to subsidy cuts the ensemble was forced to end its existence in 2018.
Since its founding and to this very day Peter de Groot is a member of Ton Koopman’s Amsterdam Baroque Choir. Regularly he sang as a soloist in concerts and on cd’s with this ensemble and conductor as well. In April 2016 he became choirmaster of the Amsterdam Baroque Choir. De Groot works as conducting assistant to Ton Koopman in the Bach-workshops in Paris and is invited almost every other year as guest conductor at the festival 'Itinéraire Baroque', a festival Ton Koopman founded in the Dordogne.
Singing with the Dutch Chamber Choir he met Paul Van Nevel who invited him to join the Huelgas Ensemble. It turned out to be a turning point in the career of Peter de Groot. Touched by the kiss of the Muse of the Renaissance, he decided to dedicate the rest of his musical career mainly to the polyphonic heritage of the Low Countries. He considers himself as a pupil of the great Belgian maestro.
Peter de Groot was artistic leader of the Egidius Kwartet. This male vocal quartet was founded in 1995 with the aim of performing Renaissance and contemporary music from the Low Countries (in the broadest possible sense). In 2009 De Groot took the initiative to revive a unique Dutch 16th century collection of the choir books of the city of Leiden. To do so the Egidius College was founded; an ensemble of highly qualified and specialized singers in Renaissance music. Due to subsidy cuts the ensemble was forced to end its existence in 2018.