Hebe de Champeaux is a Dutch conductor, mezzo-soprano, and violinist, and serves as the artistic director of Ensemble42 and Vox42. She has performed in some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, including the Concertgebouw, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Konzerthaus Wien, and Elbphilharmonie.
De Champeaux was awarded the Jury Prize at the second edition of the Béla Bartók International Opera Conducting Competition and was selected to participate in the third edition of the La Maestra International Competition for Women Conductors in Paris in March 2024. In 2009, she received an Honorable Mention from the Taki Concordia Conducting Fellowship. She served as Graduate Assistant for the 2004–2005 season of the IU Opera Theater, assisting with productions of Tosca, Dialogues des Carmélites, Die Zauberflöte, La Bohème, and La Cenerentola. During her studies, she worked alongside distinguished conductors including James DePreist, Cliff Colnot, and Imre Palló.
She has participated extensively in international conducting masterclasses and workshops with renowned pedagogues and conductors, including Kurt Masur in Bonn, Jorma Panula in Amsterdam, Budapest, and Helsinki, Boris Hinchev in Bulgaria, and Colin Metters in St. Petersburg. Her early music and vocal studies include workshops with Rebecca Stewart, Adrian van der Spoel, and Gabriel Garrido. In 2023, she participated in the inaugural International Ferenc Fricsay Conducting Competition.
As a guest conductor and violinist, de Champeaux appeared with the Romanian National Opera Cluj-Napoca in a production of Piazzolla’s María de Buenos Aires in 2008, following earlier performances of the work in Bloomington with her ensemble ExArt. In the Netherlands, she has conducted ensembles including the Promenade Orchestra, Continuo Rotterdam, and Florilegium Musicum in collaboration with major oratorio choirs. Internationally, she has conducted the St. Petersburg State Academic Orchestra in performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 and the Bulgarian State Opera in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. She has also led multiple projects with the contemporary music ensemble Orkest de Ereprijs and conducted the MÁV Symphony Orchestra during a masterclass and concert with Jorma Panula in 2022.
De Champeaux earned her Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance, cum laude, from San Francisco State University, where she studied chamber music with the Alexander String Quartet. She subsequently completed a Master of Music in orchestral conducting at Indiana University Bloomington and a Bachelor of Music in choral conducting at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Her final conducting studies featured major orchestral and choral repertoire, including Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps and Symphony of Psalms, as well as Bach’s Singet dem Herrn. She studied orchestral conducting with Imre Palló, Thomas Baldner, and Yair Samet, and choral conducting with Jos Vermunt and Jos van Veldhoven. Her vocal studies included work with Hein Meens, Pierre Mak, James McCray, Esther Linssen, Capucine Chiaudani, and Ira Siff.
Since 2009, de Champeaux has worked extensively as a freelance conductor in the Netherlands, presenting hundreds of concerts across a broad spectrum of repertoire and ensemble formats, ranging from chamber choirs to large-scale symphonic and multi-choral productions. She is particularly recognized for fostering artistic collaborations between ensembles and organizations. Her conducting engagements have included long-term and project-based collaborations with ensembles such as the Ad Hoc Orchestra in Utrecht, the Apeldoorns Symfonie Orkest, Audite Nova Kamerkoor, Ensemble TIEN, the Leiden English Choir, Decamerone Kamerkoor, Sonante Symfonisch Orkest van de Gelders Vallei, Leeuwarder Kamerkoor, VU Kamerkoor, Toonkunstkoor Amsterdam, Haarlems Gemengd Koor, COV IJmuiden, the Schütz Ensemble, Cantiamo Vrouwenkoor, and Vocaal Ensemble Boxmeer. As a singer, she has performed with distinguished professional ensembles including the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, the Netherlands Chamber Choir, Studium Chorale, and Hollands Collectief.
In addition to her performing career, de Champeaux is deeply committed to music education and the development of young musicians. She teaches at Leerorkest, the Amsterdam Music School, and Diemen Music School, and has also collaborated closely with Jonge Strijkers Nederland.
De Champeaux was awarded the Jury Prize at the second edition of the Béla Bartók International Opera Conducting Competition and was selected to participate in the third edition of the La Maestra International Competition for Women Conductors in Paris in March 2024. In 2009, she received an Honorable Mention from the Taki Concordia Conducting Fellowship. She served as Graduate Assistant for the 2004–2005 season of the IU Opera Theater, assisting with productions of Tosca, Dialogues des Carmélites, Die Zauberflöte, La Bohème, and La Cenerentola. During her studies, she worked alongside distinguished conductors including James DePreist, Cliff Colnot, and Imre Palló.
She has participated extensively in international conducting masterclasses and workshops with renowned pedagogues and conductors, including Kurt Masur in Bonn, Jorma Panula in Amsterdam, Budapest, and Helsinki, Boris Hinchev in Bulgaria, and Colin Metters in St. Petersburg. Her early music and vocal studies include workshops with Rebecca Stewart, Adrian van der Spoel, and Gabriel Garrido. In 2023, she participated in the inaugural International Ferenc Fricsay Conducting Competition.
As a guest conductor and violinist, de Champeaux appeared with the Romanian National Opera Cluj-Napoca in a production of Piazzolla’s María de Buenos Aires in 2008, following earlier performances of the work in Bloomington with her ensemble ExArt. In the Netherlands, she has conducted ensembles including the Promenade Orchestra, Continuo Rotterdam, and Florilegium Musicum in collaboration with major oratorio choirs. Internationally, she has conducted the St. Petersburg State Academic Orchestra in performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 and the Bulgarian State Opera in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. She has also led multiple projects with the contemporary music ensemble Orkest de Ereprijs and conducted the MÁV Symphony Orchestra during a masterclass and concert with Jorma Panula in 2022.
De Champeaux earned her Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance, cum laude, from San Francisco State University, where she studied chamber music with the Alexander String Quartet. She subsequently completed a Master of Music in orchestral conducting at Indiana University Bloomington and a Bachelor of Music in choral conducting at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Her final conducting studies featured major orchestral and choral repertoire, including Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps and Symphony of Psalms, as well as Bach’s Singet dem Herrn. She studied orchestral conducting with Imre Palló, Thomas Baldner, and Yair Samet, and choral conducting with Jos Vermunt and Jos van Veldhoven. Her vocal studies included work with Hein Meens, Pierre Mak, James McCray, Esther Linssen, Capucine Chiaudani, and Ira Siff.
Since 2009, de Champeaux has worked extensively as a freelance conductor in the Netherlands, presenting hundreds of concerts across a broad spectrum of repertoire and ensemble formats, ranging from chamber choirs to large-scale symphonic and multi-choral productions. She is particularly recognized for fostering artistic collaborations between ensembles and organizations. Her conducting engagements have included long-term and project-based collaborations with ensembles such as the Ad Hoc Orchestra in Utrecht, the Apeldoorns Symfonie Orkest, Audite Nova Kamerkoor, Ensemble TIEN, the Leiden English Choir, Decamerone Kamerkoor, Sonante Symfonisch Orkest van de Gelders Vallei, Leeuwarder Kamerkoor, VU Kamerkoor, Toonkunstkoor Amsterdam, Haarlems Gemengd Koor, COV IJmuiden, the Schütz Ensemble, Cantiamo Vrouwenkoor, and Vocaal Ensemble Boxmeer. As a singer, she has performed with distinguished professional ensembles including the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, the Netherlands Chamber Choir, Studium Chorale, and Hollands Collectief.
In addition to her performing career, de Champeaux is deeply committed to music education and the development of young musicians. She teaches at Leerorkest, the Amsterdam Music School, and Diemen Music School, and has also collaborated closely with Jonge Strijkers Nederland.