It is with great sadness that we learned of the sudden passing of former teacher Bart Fermie on March 9. Bart was from 1996 until his retirement in 2023 active as a teacher of percussion and ensembles at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Additionally, he led student ensembles and taught educational subjects. Always looking for new ways to inspire and challenge students, he developed the course Patempa, which allowed students to improve their ensemble playing through a physical experience of grooves. He also developed his own innovative percussion instruments.

Bart was an enormously versatile musician, at home in many genres: pop, Brazilian, Cuban, jazz, flamenco, Portuguese, world music, jazz-rock and Latin jazz. His studies in Cuban and Brazilian percussion in New York, Havana and Amsterdam were the prelude to a career that took him all over the world. Among the renowned musicians with whom he shared the stage are artists such as Van Dyke Parks, Randy Crawford, Mory Kante, Toots Thielemans, Gino Vannelli, Branford Marsalis, Deborah Brown, Trijntje Oosterhuis, Denise Jannah, Cor Bakker, Chris Hinze, Jan Akkerman, Hennie Vrienten and, of course, Batida. He also held guest teaching positions at many other conservatories and gave percussion workshops throughout Europe. 

Bart was a beloved personality within the CvA community. We are very grateful for the involved and inspiring way in which he guided generations of young musicians on their way to professional practice. 

We wish family, friends, colleagues, (former) students and everyone who knew him much strength in coming to terms with this loss.

The Management
Okke Westdorp

Maartje Meijer

Joachim Junghanss