In memoriam Arie J.  Keijzer (1932-2023)

In the night of 4/5 August, 2023, the organist/composer Arie J. Keijzer passed away at the age of 91.  He had his first organ lessons from his father, Simon Keijzer, and studied later with Piet van den Kerkhoff (organ), George Stam (improvisation), Adriaan Engels (performance practice and counterpoint), and Siegfried Reda (organ and composition).  He won the Nationaal Orgelimprovisatieconcours in Bolsward in 1963.  A year later he was awarded the Prix d’excellence by het Rotterdams Conservatorium and won also the International Improvisatieconcours for Organists in Haarlem.

He was organist of the reformed churches of Ooltgensplaat, Middelharnis, and from 1976 the Grote Kerk and the Augustijnenkerk in Dordrecht.  He became organist of concert hall ‘De Doelen’ in Rotterdam, which has a Flentrop organ built in 1968.  He held this position until 1989.  From 1965 to 1997 he was the principal teacher of organ and improvisation at Rotterdam Conservatorium.

He was also active as a composer.  He composed among other works 6 organ symphonies.