Henri C.G. Kooreneef profile

Han Kooreneef (1963) is producer and songwriter and is born into an artistic and intellectual family. He takes violin lessons for a couple of years and is a bass vocalist in one of the choirs that his mother conducts. After graduating from high school (6 languages and history degrees), he attends law school. The day he graduates University with a Master degree in Law, he chooses to follow his heart and chooses for an artistic profession. For a while, Han works as a freelance copywriter, radio promoter and as a television editor. But his big love is writing songs.

When he writes a smash hit single for Marco Borsato in 1994, “Dromen Zijn Bedrog”, new doors immediately open for him. After having written more than 40 successful lyrics for Borsato, he starts to feel the need to broaden his horizon and develop his composing skills as well. Therefore, he decides to leave the Borsato team after the release of the album “Zien”.

It turns out to be a good decision as many artists immediately approach Han to write for them or with them. He develops himself in a huge differentiation of genres: he writes for artists like Within Temptation, Di-Rect, Alain Clark, Armin van Buuren, Giovanca and Moke. Han is also still passionate about writing songs in Dutch: Liesbeth List, Sjors van der Panne, Brace, Ruth Jacott, Guus Meeuwis, Jeroen Van Der Boom, Kinderen Voor Kinderen, Trijntje Oosterhuis and many, many others lend their voices to Han’s songs. A more complete overview can be found on Han's Wiki page.

In 2000, Han Kooreneef receives a “Golden Harp” for his work, and in 2014 he is the very first songwriter to ever be rewarded with the “Lennaert Nijgh Award” for his complete repertoire and outstanding contribution to Dutch song writing in general.

When Han is producing an album for Dutch artist Jeroen Van Der Boom, Jeroen asks him to be his sidekick as a coach during the very first “Voice of Holland” in 2010. Together with a close friend, Han creates the TV-format for Dutch television show “The Best Singer-Songwriter”. He produces a classical album for baritone Sef Thissen and he writes the complete score for the musical about Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. Han also co-writes the leader for the very first “Big Brother” TV-series worldwide.

Han often writes alone and very regularly and with great joy, he also co-writes with others.