Christian Tan, cello

Christian Tan was born on the 27th of March in Walsrode, Germany, and moved to the Netherlands when he was 6 months old. His musical path started with recorderlessons with Guus Ang, and then pianolessons with him. After a few fruitless episodes of piano lessons he quit and bought a synthesizer. He then learned himself to play and started playing piano again. He had his first performances at christmas parties, on keyboards (with Ivan Andhyiswara, Ivo Kwee (keyboards) and Kristian Widjaja (drums)) and vocals (with Marcel Tan and Boen Liong Kam (guitar)).

While studying in Delft, he took keyboards improvisation lessons, a MIDI course, soulworkshop, singing lessons and became a member of the choir of Krashna Musika. Here he discovered his love for the orchestra and started cellolessons. He then had a period where he experimented with some borrowed instruments, like guitar, bass guitar, clarinet, flute and saxophone. In Delft he also had a few jam sessions, where he was influenced greatly by Peter Zoeteweij. It was during this time when he started making electronic music under the name The pigeonhole principle.

In Leiden he met up with Wouter de Vries (aka MUF) with whom he started the band "Was will das Weib" and performed with him several times.

In Amsterdam, his dream of playing in an orchestra came true when he joined the crea orchestra. It was during the tour when he got the idea to start a stringquartet for light music. The first person he asked was Maloe Klaasen, an extremely talented violist. When finally Heleen and Ines (two extremely talented violinists) joined, the quartet was complete.

Christian Tan is member of:
The Crea orchestra Amsterdam (Cello)
Was will das Weib (Cello, Piano, electronics, vocals, bass)
Streichfeinquartett (Cello)
Kaaskwartet (Cello)
Former member Krashna Musika (Bass/Baritone)

Respect:

Piano teachers: Guus Ang, Maja Neuman, Johannes Jacobs
Singing teachers: Joost van der Linden, Wilma Franchimon, Mickey Wagner, Krista Vincent
Cello teachers: Emile Visser, Suzanne Hulsen, Florien Hamer
MIDI: Nout Grupstra, Edwin Uytenbroek (aka comababy)
Conductors: Leo Rijkaart, Daan Admiraal (Krashna Musika), Bas Pollard (crea orchestra)
influence: Peter Zoeteweij, Ellen Suselo
Jam mates: Wouter de Vries, PMR, Moksha, Nikola, Rene, Axel, Johan, Robert, 
And of course: Maloe, Heleen and Ines..