The conductor: Dion Ritten
Dion Ritten (16 June 1958) started his musical studies at the Conservatorium in Maastricht (the Maastricht Academy of Music), where he graduated in 1982 in his major specialisation Music in Education. After studying the main subject Choir Direction at the same institute for two years, he continued this study at the "Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Rheinland-Institut" in Aachen, graduating in 1986.
In addition, Dion Ritten studied Orchestra Direction with Professor Louis Weemaels, the renowned former conductor of Belgium's National Orchestra.
In 1987, he attended an orchestra direction Master Class in Vienna and, in that same year, he became a laureate in an orchestra direction course of the Limburg Symphony Orchestra.
Since that time, Dion Rutten has conducted numerous choral and orchestra productions and various other instrumental ensembles. He also works regularly with well-known soloists including Harry Peeters, Huub Claessens and Ernst Daniël Smid. During concert trips, he conducted in many European countries and the USA.
In addition, he participated in many symposiums and workshops in the field of choral singing and orchestra direction in countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, Japan and, regularly, in the USA.
Currently, Dion Ritten conducts the Weert Mixed Choir "Vivace", the Roermond Singing and Music Association, the Beek Male Choir Beeker Liedertafel, the Venlo Chamber Choir Cantate and the Royal Singing Association Nijmegen Male Choir.
Dion Ritten regularly acts as a jury member at choir festivals and lectures on various subjects.
In 2005, he reached the finals of the Dutch Choir festival with Chamber Choir Cantate Venlo and Male Choir Beeker Liedertafel.
Dion Ritten won the finals of the Dutch Choir festival with Chamber Choir Cantate Venlo and became a laureate at the International Choir Festival Maribor in Slovenia in 2008.
Dion Ritten regularly takes part in international symposiums including ACDA Convention USA, World Symposium and Europa Cantat. During the last festival, he performed with Chamber Choir Cantate in Mainz 2006 and in Utrecht 2009.
With Chamber Choir Cantate, he was selected for the Marktoberdorf International Choir Chamber Festival 2011.