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Dutch children's choir From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kinderen voor Kinderen (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌkɪnd(ə)rə(ɱ) voːr ˈkɪnd(ə)rə(n)]; lit. 'Children for Children') is a Dutch children's choir maintained by public broadcaster BNNVARA. Since 1980 the choir has released one album of new children's songs each year, and is probably the only act from the 1980s with consecutive albums in the top 40 chart (apart from two releases). The ideas for the songs generally come from children who write in. Well-known Dutch lyricists then turn submitted ideas into finished songs.
This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2020) |
Kinderen voor Kinderen | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | Hilversum, Netherlands |
Genres | Pop, rock, hiphop, Broadway |
Instrument | c. 30 voices |
Years active | 1980–present |
Labels | VARAgram |
Website | kvk |
The songs on each year's album are presented in a special TV broadcast, staged and recorded in advance (in the group's early years, these shows were broadcast live). Various Dutch celebrities often appear as cast members in these shows. In 2006, Kinderen voor Kinderen staged its first live pop concert as the basis of its annual broadcast. Kinderen voor Kinderen also holds an annual "Song Contest" known as the Kinderen voor Kinderen Songfestival that sees the winners of the regional pre-selection rounds (one each province) compete against each other as finalists.
In 1980 program director Flory Anstadt decided to start a children's choir as part of a VARA fund-raising campaign to provide toys to children in developing countries. The choir released an album of songs sung by children ranging in age from 8 to 12 years old. VARA subsequently broadcast performances of the songs on television. The choir was a success and a decision was made to release an album each year from then on. The toy donation campaign ended in 1991. The name of the choir is now the sole reminder of its original function.
Staying true to their main purpose, Kinderen voor Kinderen is still releasing charity-singles such as:
The ensemble has been conducted by Babette Labeij since 2005. She succeeded Majel Lustenhouwer, who led the group during its first 25 years. In recognition of Kinderen voor Kinderen's contribution to Dutch culture under his guidance, Lustenhouwer received a knighthood of the Order of Orange Nassau in 2006.
For the first 21 releases, the first song on each album was always the Kinderen voor Kinderen anthem. Only albums 5 and 15 were notable exceptions as on those album the anthem was the closing track. Starting with album 22 the custom was changed to make it the closing track instead. The melody has remained the same since 1980, though the lyrics were changed after album 3 to remove a verse about children starving and sleeping in the street. The chorus has stayed the same, while verses have changed over the years to be more celebratory and inclusive, suggesting that children are more open-minded and understanding. Some of the recent albums omit the anthem entirely.
The choir currently consists of around 30 children between 8 and 12 years of age (originally the age limit was 14 instead of 12). Originally the goal was to have participants from throughout the Netherlands. Over time, however, practical considerations intervened and the children recruited as singers are now required to live within close distance of the TV recording studios in Hilversum, southeast of Amsterdam. As a consequence the songs are sung with the characteristic accent of that area, the most noticeable feature of which is the so-called Gooise R: the retroflex pronunciation of the letter R at the end of words and after vowels before consonants in a manner similar to that of American English, although other Rs are realized as trills, either alveolar [r] or uvular [ʀ].
The ensemble operates on a yearly production cycle starting with auditions for new members in January. Songs are composed based on ideas from children's letters and go through a judging process, ultimately leaving 12 song choices for the year's CD. The first singing rehearsals begin in March, and dance rehearsals start in September after summer recess. The year's TV program is usually recorded during the autumn school recess. A viewing is held for the children and their families one week before the program is broadcast in November.
A 27-CD box set, released at the end of September 2007, gave the choir their first album top 10 entry in almost a decade.
Kinderen voor Kinderen's songs deal with many different subjects. Some frequently recurring themes are:
Member | KvK season(s) |
Career |
---|---|---|
Iason Chronis | 8–12 | Part of music producer duo Mason |
Sarah Chronis | 17–18 | Actress, appeared in the Dutch soap-opera ONM (Onderweg naar Morgen) from 2006 to 2009 |
Meau Hewitt | 30–32 | Singer-songwriter known as MEAU |
Elise van der Horst | 12–17 | Singer known as EliZe |
Mandy Huydts | 2–3 | Part of Dutch girl group Frizzle Sizzle |
Marjon Keller | 2–4 | Part of Dutch girl group Frizzle Sizzle |
Iris van Kempen | 17–19 | Part of the British-Dutch pop group XYP |
Levi van Kempen | 20 | Actor appearing in Dutch soap ONM (Onderweg naar Morgen) from 2005 to 2010 |
Stefania Liberakakis | 35–36 | Represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 |
Elvira Out | 1 | Actress, appeared in the Dutch soap opera Goede Tijden, Slechte Tijden from 2006 to 2007 |
Daniël Samkalden | 8–12 | Singer-songwriter |
Kelly van der Veer | 12–15 | Transgender singer and television personality |
Laura Vlasblom | 2 | Part of Dutch girl group Frizzle Sizzle |
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications |
---|---|---|---|
NED [1] | |||
Kinderen voor Kinderen | 1981 | 1 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 2 | 1981 | 1 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 3 | 1982 | 1 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 4 | 1983 | 1 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 5 | 1984 | 1 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 6 | 1985 | 3 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 7 | 1986 | 1 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 8 | 1987 | 1 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 9 | 1988 | 1 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 10 | 1989 | 1 | |
Het beste uit... (compilation) |
1990 | 29 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 11 | 1990 | 3 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 12 | 1991 | 4 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 13 | 1992 | 1 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 14 | 1993 | 1 | |
De allerbeste! (compilation) |
1994 | 10 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 15 | 1994 | 10 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 16 | 1995 | 7 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 17 | 1996 | 17 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 18 | 1997 | 11 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 19 | 1998 | 7 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 20 | 1999 | 23 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 21 | 2000 | 16 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 22 | 2001 | 29 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 23 | 2002 | 21 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 24 | 2003 | 15 | |
Kinderen voor Kinderen 25 | 2004 | 14 | |
2005 (Deel 26) | 2005 | 28 | |
De Coolste DJ – 27 | 2006 | 25 | |
Alle Liedjes van 1980 t/m 2006 (Het complete overzicht deel 1-27) (compilation) |
2007 | 9 | |
De Gamer – 28 | 2007 | 27 | |
Buiten spelen – 29 | 2008 | 18 | |
Lachen is gezond – 30 | 2009 | 14 | |
30 jaar (compilation) |
2009 | 52 | |
Hé jullie! – 31 | 2010 | 23 | |
Zo bijzonder! – 32 | 2011 | 11 | |
Hallo wereld – 33 | 2012 | 1 | |
Klaar voor de start – 34 | 2013 | 1 | |
De allergrootste hits van Kinderen voor Kinderen – Waanzinnig gedroomd | 2014 | 1 | |
Feest – 35 | 2014 | 2 | |
Raar maar waar – 36 | 2015 | 1 | |
De allergrootste hits van Kinderen voor Kinderen – Waanzinnig gedroomd – Editie 2016 | 2016 | 10 | |
Voor altijd jong! – 37 | 2016 | 1 | |
Gruwelijk eng – 38 | 2017 | 1 | |
Kom erbij! – 39 | 2018 | 2 |
|
Reis mee! – 40 | 2019 | 2 | |
En toen? – 41 | 2020 | 3 | |
Worden wat je wil – 42 | 2021 | 2 | |
Gi-ga-groen – 43 | 2022 | 4 | |
Bij mij thuis – 44 | 2023 | 11 | |
Lekker eigenwijs – 45 | 2024 | 25 |
Title | Year | Peak chart positions NED [1] |
Album |
---|---|---|---|
"Ik heb zo wa-wa-wa-waanzinnig gedroomd" | 1981 | 8 | Kinderen voor Kinderen |
"Op een onbewoond eiland" | 1981 | 16 | Kinderen voor Kinderen 2 |
"Ha, ha, ha, je vader" | 1982 | 27 | Kinderen voor Kinderen 3 |
"Meidengroep" | 1983 | 8 | Kinderen voor Kinderen 4 |
"Als ik de baas zou zijn van het journaal" | 1984 | 20 | Kinderen voor Kinderen 5 |
"Eeuwige kerst" (Anny Schilder, Kinderen voor Kinderen & Het Goede Doel) |
1984 | 5 | Single only |
"Ik ben toch zeker Sinterklaas niet" | 1986 | 22 | Kinderen voor Kinderen 7 |
"Moeders wil is wet" | 1987 | 51 | Kinderen voor Kinderen 8 |
"Astronaut" | 1988 | 70 | Kinderen voor Kinderen 9 |
"Zomaar..." | 1990 | 84 | Kinderen voor Kinderen 11 |
"Vuur en vlam" | 1992 | 49 | Kinderen voor Kinderen 13 |
"Voor Azië" | 2005 | 41 | Single only |
"Hallo wereld" | 2012 | 8 | 33 – Hallo wereld |
"Bewegen is gezond" | 2013 | 5 | 34 – Klaar voor de start |
"Klaar voor de start" | 2013 | 14 | |
"Doe de Kanga" | 2014 | 27 | 35 – Feest! |
"Feest!" | 2014 | 89 | |
"Energie" | 2015 | 52 | 36– Raar maar waar |
"Raar maar waar" | 2015 | 64 | |
"Hupsakee!" | 2016 | 50 | 37 – Voor altijd jong! |
"Okido" | 2017 | 83 | 38 – Gruwelijk eng |
"Pasapas" | 2019 | 82 | 40 – Reis mee! |
"Worden wat je wil" | 2021 | 45 | 42 – Worden wat je wil |
"FitTop10" | 2022 | 36 | 43 – Gi-ga-groen |
"Gi-ga-groen" | 36 | ||
"ZiggZagg" | 2023 | 27 | |
"Daba die daba daa" | 2024 | 39 | 45 – Lekker eigenwijs |
"Lekker eigenwijs" | 19 |
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