Cor Steyn born 22 December 1906

Cornelis Gerardus Hendricus Steijn (better known as Cor Steyn ) ( Leiden , 22 December 1906 - Hilversum , 17 November 1965 ) was a Dutch organist, composer and arranger, best known as an employee of the VARA Broadcasting Association.

Cor Steyn was a musical child prodigy: from the age of five he received piano and violin lessons and at the age of twelve he did an early entrance exam in 1918 at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague . In 1920 he accompanied silent films on the piano and performed as a concert pianist for the first time. When his father became incapacitated by an accident, young Cor broke off his studies to earn a living for the family as a bar-pianist.

He was a very versatile musician: from 1932 he led various ensembles at the VARA, including his popular Steyn's Accordion Orchestra, he was orchestra leader in the Amsterdam City Theatre for a long time, he composed many popular songs and was a virtuoso player of the City Theatre organ, with which he also made many recordings. He also led Community Singing meetings in that theatre, in which up to 1,800 singers participated. During the war he was the orchestra conductor of the Snip & Snap-revue in the City-Theatre. He  also composed  music for radio and films (including Boefje, 1939). His repertoire varied from Viennese operetta melodies to the American musical, from French chansons to Dutch material. 

                          

After a short stay in Denmark, Steyn again joined the VARA in 1949. He played more of the Hammond organ and led no less than twelve ensembles, including the Rhythmic String Orchestra and 'Seven Men and a Girl'. His Hammond organ recordings also partly determined his reputation. He made hundreds of recordings, 

including many medleys, on the”Magic Organ”.He had over 5500 radio and TV appearances to his name.

On Monday, October 25, 1965, Steyn officially opened the radio concert organ of the Dutch Radio Union (bought from the BBC). It was also the last concert he would give on this special organ. (The VARA released it on LP.) More than three weeks later, on 17 November 1965, organist-composer-arranger orchestra leader Cor Steyn died at the age of 59 of a heart attack in his home in Hilversum.

In 2015 the municipality of Hilversum decided to name one of the streets in the new residential area on the east side of the city named after him.

(Edited from Wikipedia &.spreekbuis.nl)