Dr. Gerzinus E. Hoekstra was born and raised in The Netherlands and received his early music education from his father, who was an accomplished organist and choir conductor.  At the age of 12, Gerzinus started his career as organist in his local congregation.  He completed his undergraduate studies in education before moving to Canada in 1965.

He worked in the field of education, teaching elementary through university levels and retired as an Arts Consultant in the year 2000.  He completed a Master of Arts degree in Theory and Composition (1972) and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Voice (1976) at the State University of New York in Buffalo.  He became an Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto in organ (1971) and voice (1974).  After his retirement he studied liturgy and worship and finished his Doctorate of Worship Studies at the Institute of Worship Studies, Florida, in 2006.

He has served as organist and choir director in several churches and came to St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in 1995.  As well as being an organist, Gerzinus is the conductor of the Cantata Singers and the Collegium Musicum Male Chorus of St. Catharines.  He is frequently asked by different denominations to speak on worship and liturgy, a subject close to his heart.  Dr. Hoekstra has played some of the great organs in Europe and Canada and is delighted by the sound and quality of the recently installed Keates-Geissler 24 rank pipe organ (2006).