Originally from the Netherlands, van Lierop immigrated to Canada at the age of seven. He attended McGill University, motivated initially by Montreal’s vibrant indie rock scene—he even had an Arcade Fire cover band! It was Michael McMahon’s Song Interpretation class and van Lierop’s first performance that redirected his focus entirely to classical music. He also mentions the positive impact of Patrick Hansen’s Insights into Music Theatre and Opera class, and the meaningful collaborations he’s had with colleagues like pianist Jennifer Szeto and conductor Jordan de Souza.
