Edward Potjes

Edward Potjes (born Eduard Adriaan Nicolaas; in French Edouard-Adrien-Nicolas) was a Dutch-born composer and piano virtuoso. Born in Nijmegen (the Netherlands) on 13 August 1860, Potjes began his music studies at the age of 7. He received the rudiments of piano from P. Van Merkestein, and learned harmony and counterpoint from Grégoire Van Dyck in Boxmeer. From 1878 to 1880 he attended composition classes by Richard Hol. After that, at Cologne, he was pupil of Ferdinand Hiller (composition) and of Jacob Kwast (piano). He graduated from the University of Belgium in 1887. After completing his studies, Potjes established in Antwerp as a music teacher and in 1885 he had the opportunity to be heard by Liszt; following his advice he applied for the position of piano teacher at the Strasbourg Pādagogium and was accepted. Potjes was regarded as a virtuoso, receiving positive reception for his concert performances. it can be cited his recital in Liège dedicated to the members of the Legia in January 1896; the one he presented in January 1897 at the Salle Pleyel in Paris, where his performances of a varied repertoire (Bach, Tausig, Liszt, Chopin, Saint-Saëns, Rachmaninoff, Schumann, Beethoven