Board

Eveline Nikkels was born in 1944 and studied musicology and philosophy at Utrecht University. She obtained her PhD in 1984 on a subject of her own: the influence of Nietzsche's philosophy on Gustav Mahler's music. After this, she became a much sought-after speaker at conferences at home and abroad. She has written many books focusing on the Fin de Siècle with Gustav Mahler in the lead role. In her spare time, Eveline Nikkels leads tours to the most important music festivals in Europe. Together with Matthijs Boumans, she edited Briefwechsel Alma Mahler - Allert de Lange Verlag (The Hague, 2020).

In his first thirty years of life, Floris got to know - among other musical styles - the classical repertoire, but Gustav Mahler was not among them. Until Mahler came to him unexpectedly with 'the ninth' and never let go. Since then, he has studied Mahler's music, texts and life. Floris grew up in Amersfoort and now lives, with his wife, in the country of Groningen for decades. From there, he visits concerts in Dutch and European cities. His career has included healthcare, management positions, entrepreneurship, mediation and law. He brings the knowledge and experience he gained in this way to his position as director of our foundation.

Deeply moved by Mahler's "Der Abschied" (with muse Janet Baker). For that matter, also by literary works by Simon Vestdijk and the lucid philosophy of Spinoza. But Mahler knows how to play deep emotional registers. Rene is married and has four grown-up children and a granddaughter. Studied Humanistics and in daily life works as a Humanist Counsellor at the Ministry of Defence, parts of the Royal Navy and the Marine Corps, and in the past also as a Humanist Counsellor at the Ministry of Justice in various prisons (PI Haaglanden, PI Noord-Holland Noord). Was a municipal councillor for D66 in Alkmaar from 2010 to 2018.
Soon to be living in Rotterdam, currently posted to Aruba for the Marine Corps (from 2021 to July 2025).

Frank Hagemans has been a long-time donor to the Gustav Mahler Stichting Nederland and joined the board as secretary in 2023.

Freddy van Maurik graduated as a musicologist at Utrecht University in 2003 with Prof Paul Op de Coul with a thesis on Mahler's early manuscripts, namely the Klavierquartettsatz, the scherzo fragment for piano quartet, some two song fragments and an early sketch of the Kräftig, bewegt from the First Symphony. He has been on the editorial board since 2006, and has been a member of the GMSN board since 2009.