Maassen studied at the Netherlands Carillon School with Leen 't Hart and Peter Bakker, graduating in 1970. In 1972 he was awarded the Prix d' Excellence, the highest degree in music performance in The Netherlands. A year later he gained his doctoral degree in Musicology from the University of Utrecht.
Maassen is the author of numerous articles on carillons and carillon music. His carillon compositions and his playing have been awarded first prizes and can be heard on phonograph records & CDs. Four CDs were made in Japan, featuring Jacques Maassen in combination with American jazz orchestras.
Prior to his appointment as Director of the Netherlands Carillon School in 1984, Jacques Maassen was President of the Netherlands Carillon Guild. As a member of the Executive Committee of the World Carillon Federation he served this organization as Vice President from 1982 until 1990. From 1980 to 1986 he was professor of Music Education at the Royal Conservatory at The Hague.
Jacques Maassen is a frequent guest recitalist on the major carillons of Europe and North America. He played dedication recitals of carillons in Spain (at the Royal Palace, The Escorial, in Madrid, 1988) and Yugoslavia (Medjugorje, the first carillon in this nation, 1990), Germany (Hamburg, 1993) and Amersfoort (1996, the new and second carillon in the Our Lady's Tower).
In recent years he has made five recital tours to Japan (in 1991 as the first Dutch carillonneur) and also was artist in residence at the National University of Australia (Canberra).
At present at the Netherlands Carillon School, Amersfoort, he is in charge of a major campanological research project focusing on Dutch Automatical Carillon Music in the 19th Century.
Dr. Maassen's most recent recital occurred: