Music For The Universe

Sint Joriskerk, or St. George's Church, stands on the Hof, the largest square in Amersfoort, and traces its origins to 1248 when a parish church was established on the site of an earlier chapel dedicated to Saint George. In 1337 the building was elevated to a collegiate church, and it is today the oldest heritage monument in Amersfoort. Architecturally, the church is a three aisled hall church distinguished by a unique stone doxal, a screen like structure rare among Dutch churches, and large windows that keep the interior visually connected to the city outside. The building is also the burial place of Jacob van Campen, the architect who died in Amersfoort in 1657 and whose contributions shaped Dutch Golden Age architecture. For music, the church's acoustic character is shaped by three organs. Alongside the main historic organ, two instruments built by Metzler and Söhne were installed in 1967: a choir organ with 18 stops across two manuals and pedal, and a smaller continuo organ with three stops on a single manual. This combination makes the church a natural fit for organ recitals, baroque repertoire and early music ensembles, and organist Rien Donkersloot has undertaken an ongoing complete cycle of Buxtehude works here. The spacious nave also lends itself to candlelight concert series, which have brought in programmes ranging from Vivaldi's Four Seasons to orchestral tributes to artists such as Queen, ABBA and Hans Zimmer. Beyond music, the Sint Joriskerk regularly hosts art exhibitions and open day events, particularly during the summer months from May through September. The interplay of the medieval stone interior and evening lighting gives performances and exhibitions a distinct atmosphere that purpose built concert halls cannot replicate.