Peter Bree

He received his first oboe lessons from [[John Schreuder]]. He made his debut when he was 15. He studied English language and literature at the [[University of Groningen]]; as undergraduate he edited a magazine for students of English. Subsequently from 1973 he studied [[oboe]] at the [[Amsterdams Muzieklyceum]] (the present [[Amsterdam Conservatoire]]) with [[Han de Vries]] and later, with a scholarship from the Dutch Cultural Ministry, in London with [[Neil Black]].

He received his first oboe lessons from [[John Schreuder]]. He made his debut when he was 15. He studied English language and literature at the [[University of Groningen]]; as undergraduate he edited a magazine for students of English. Subsequently from 1973 he studied [[oboe]] at the [[Amsterdams Muzieklyceum]] (the present [[Amsterdam Conservatoire]]) with [[Han de Vries]] and later, with a scholarship from the Dutch Cultural Ministry, in London with [[Neil Black]].

Peter Bree initially worked for some years as a teacher of English at secondary schools in Amsterdam, before being appointed oboist with Dutch radio ([[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|NOS]]), where he played in the [[Metropole Orkest]]. He later concentrated mostly on concert and chamber music, making many radio and CD recordings: compositions dedicated to him of, among others, [[Edmund Rubbra]], [[Abel Ehrlich]], [[Jan Koetsier]], [[Leo Samama]] and [[Ruud Bos]], and the complete oboe sonatas of [[François Devienne]] that he edited and published together with Dr [[Bernard Rose (musician)|Bernard Rose]] ([[Magdalen College, Oxford]]) [http://www.magd.ox.ac.uk/libraries-and-archives/archives/online-catalogues/bernard-rose-papers/arrangements-and-editions/]. UK debut: May 1976 at [[Pembroke College, Oxford|Pembroke College]] chapel, Oxford (with organist/harpsichordist [[Jonathan Katz]], followed by recitals in Oxford ([[Holywell Music Room]], October 1980, with Jonathan Katz, harpsichord) and London ([[Purcell Room]], April 1979, with pianist [[John Alley]]; [[Wigmore Hall]], November 1981, with pianist [Paul Komen]). He also performed in Amsterdam (Kleine Zaal, [[Concertgebouw, Amsterdam|Concertgebouw]]) and in France ([[Institut Néerlandais]], Paris, 1979; Festival de Palluau-sur-Indre, 1984). He performed in Belgium with the Brussels Chamber Orchestra. In 1981 he and pianist Paul Komen had the honour and privilege of being granted a private audience with [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]] at [[Royal Lodge]], [[Windsor Great Park]] to present Her Majesty with their LP with works by Rubbra, Britten and others. Also in 1981 he received the Silver 'Vriendenkrans' award of the Friends of the [[Concertgebouw (Amsterdam)]] and the [[Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra]]. In 1988 he was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Music (DMus Hon.) from the [[Marquis Giuseppe Scicluna International University Foundation]] in Malta and Delaware. He gave the first performance in the Netherlands of [[Grace Williams]]' Carillons (1980, with Dutch Radio's Promenade Orchestra under [[Jan Stulen]]) and of [[Michael Berkeley]]'s Oboe Concerto (1984, with the Radio Chamber Orchestra under [[Richard Hickox]]), Both performances were recorded for Dutch radio. In 1994 he stopped playing the oboe professionally. Dr Bree suffered a [[stroke]] in mid-2017, and after the sudden and unexpected death of his best friend and companion Jur Zandbergen on Christmas Eve 2017 he more or less retired from public and musical life.

Peter Bree initially worked for some years as a teacher of English at secondary schools in Amsterdam, before being appointed oboist with Dutch radio ([[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|NOS]]), where he played in the [[Metropole Orkest]]. He later concentrated mostly on concert and chamber music, making many radio and CD recordings, always insisting on inluding music by a Dutch composer in his concerts: compositions dedicated to him of, among others, [[Edmund Rubbra]], [[Abel Ehrlich]], [[Jan Koetsier]], [[Leo Samama]] and [[Ruud Bos]], and the complete oboe sonatas of [[François Devienne]] that he edited and published together with Dr [[Bernard Rose (musician)|Bernard Rose]] ([[Magdalen College, Oxford]]) [http://www.magd.ox.ac.uk/libraries-and-archives/archives/online-catalogues/bernard-rose-papers/arrangements-and-editions/]. UK debut: May 1976 at [[Pembroke College, Oxford|Pembroke College]] chapel, Oxford (with organist/harpsichordist [[Jonathan Katz]], followed by recitals in Oxford ([[Holywell Music Room]], October 1980, with Jonathan Katz, harpsichord) and London ([[Purcell Room]], April 1979, with pianist [[John Alley]]; [[Wigmore Hall]], November 1981, with pianist [Paul Komen]). He also performed in Amsterdam (Kleine Zaal, [[Concertgebouw, Amsterdam|Concertgebouw]]) and in France ([[Institut Néerlandais]], Paris, 1979; Festival de Palluau-sur-Indre, 1984). He performed in Belgium with the Brussels Chamber Orchestra. In 1981 he and pianist Paul Komen had the honour and privilege of being granted a private audience with [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]] at [[Royal Lodge]], [[Windsor Great Park]] to present Her Majesty with their LP with works by Rubbra, Britten and others. Also in 1981 he received the Silver 'Vriendenkrans' award of the Friends of the [[Concertgebouw (Amsterdam)]] and the [[Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra]]. In 1988 he was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Music (DMus Hon.) from the [[Marquis Giuseppe Scicluna International University Foundation]] in Malta and Delaware. He gave the first performance in the Netherlands of [[Grace Williams]]' Carillons (1980, with Dutch Radio's Promenade Orchestra under [[Jan Stulen]]) and of [[Michael Berkeley]]'s Oboe Concerto (1984, with the Radio Chamber Orchestra under [[Richard Hickox]]), Both performances were recorded for Dutch radio. In 1994 he stopped playing the oboe professionally. Dr Bree suffered a [[stroke]] in mid-2017, and after the sudden and unexpected death of his best friend and companion Jur Zandbergen on Christmas Eve 2017 he more or less retired from public and musical life.

From 1980 to 1983, Peter Bree worked as a radio producer with Dutch broadcasting company [[AVRO]], and later as radio presenter and producer with [[Veronica (media)|Veronica broadcasting company]] from 1984 to 1992, from 1994 to 1998 with [[Concert Radio]], and from 1998 again with AVRO. In 1986/87 he was a member of the panel of adjudicators (representing the Dutch public radio companies) of the Bratislava International Music Festival. From 1984 till the end of 2010 he could be heard as presenter of classical music programmes and concert broadcasts on the Dutch classical music channel [[NPO Radio 4|Radio 4]]. In 2003 he presented The Last Night of the Proms for Dutch radio live from the Royal Albert Hall in London. Much to his chagrin Dutch public broadcasters did not renew contracts with their radio presenters who were older than 60. In 2011 he compiled a CD box to mark the 70th birthday of [[Han de Vries]], entitled "Han de Vries – The Radio Recordings" (Oboe Classics CC 2024).{{Cite web|title = Oboe Classics – Han de Vries, the Radio Recordings – CD box details|url = http://www.oboeclassics.com/Hanbox.htm|website = www.oboeclassics.com|accessdate = 2015-11-15}} This was followed in 2017 by a second CD box to mark Han de Vries's 75th birthday, with the title "Han de Vries – The almost last recordings" (Attacca Productions ATT 2016.148).{{Cite web|title = Attacca Productions – Han de Vries, the almost last recordings – CD box details|url = http://www.attaccaproductions.com/product/han-de-vries-the-almost-last-recordings-2016-148/|website = www.attaccaproductions.com|accessdate = 2017-01-08|archive-date = 12 January 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170112044800/http://www.attaccaproductions.com/product/han-de-vries-the-almost-last-recordings-2016-148/|url-status = dead}}

From 1980 to 1983, Peter Bree worked as a radio producer with Dutch broadcasting company [[AVRO]], and later as radio presenter and producer with [[Veronica (media)|Veronica broadcasting company]] from 1984 to 1992, from 1994 to 1998 with [[Concert Radio]], and from 1998 again with AVRO. In 1986/87 he was a member of the panel of adjudicators (representing the Dutch public radio companies) of the Bratislava International Music Festival. From 1984 till the end of 2010 he could be heard as presenter of classical music programmes and concert broadcasts on the Dutch classical music channel [[NPO Radio 4|Radio 4]]. In 2003 he presented The Last Night of the Proms for Dutch radio live from the Royal Albert Hall in London. Much to his chagrin Dutch public broadcasters did not renew contracts with their radio presenters who were older than 60. In 2011 he compiled a CD box to mark the 70th birthday of [[Han de Vries]], entitled "Han de Vries – The Radio Recordings" (Oboe Classics CC 2024).{{Cite web|title = Oboe Classics – Han de Vries, the Radio Recordings – CD box details|url = http://www.oboeclassics.com/Hanbox.htm|website = www.oboeclassics.com|accessdate = 2015-11-15}} This was followed in 2017 by a second CD box to mark Han de Vries's 75th birthday, with the title "Han de Vries – The almost last recordings" (Attacca Productions ATT 2016.148).{{Cite web|title = Attacca Productions – Han de Vries, the almost last recordings – CD box details|url = http://www.attaccaproductions.com/product/han-de-vries-the-almost-last-recordings-2016-148/|website = www.attaccaproductions.com|accessdate = 2017-01-08|archive-date = 12 January 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170112044800/http://www.attaccaproductions.com/product/han-de-vries-the-almost-last-recordings-2016-148/|url-status = dead}}