A new

challenge for

double bassist

Sasha Witteveen

Making Musical Dreams Come True

Sasha: “Since 2016, the Musical Instrument Fund has contributed immensely to the realization of my musical dreams. In 2016, I had the opportunity to play an instrument from the fund for the first time—a double bass built by Harry Jansen. From that moment on, I was incredibly motivated and inspired to practice hard, because I was able to play such a beautiful instrument that allowed me to discover so much and grow.”

Why did you start looking for another double bass?

"In 2019, the fund offered me the opportunity to switch to a Scaramelli bass, because I had outgrown my previous instrument and was ready for a new challenge and source of inspiration. For the same reason, I submitted a new application to the Musical Instrument Fund to search for my dream instrument—one that would give me a boost of inspiration and present new technical challenges. In this way, the fund has supported me tremendously so far in pursuing my musical dreams as far as possible, and I am very grateful for that!”

Which instrument did you end up choosing, and why?

“After a long search and several sound tests with the help of double bass teachers and soloists (including Rick Stotijn, Olivier Thiery, and Luis Cabrera), I was very fortunate to come across a double bass that was most likely built by Piattellini in Florence around 1825. It is a magnificent instrument for solo, chamber, and orchestral repertoire alike! It projects like the best of them and has the most brilliant overtones. Double bass maker Melle Wondergem has just built a fantastic extension (an extension of the fingerboard, ed.) on this bass, making its range even deeper. Moreover, it’s a fairly small instrument, which makes traveling just a little easier."

An instant click

For Sasha, the choice was a no-brainer, because playing the double bass feels like a wonderful gift to her. “Compared to my previous instrument, it’s a huge upgrade,” she says. “I’d be crazy to say no to this instrument!”

Was it hard to say goodbye to the Scaramellis?

“Yes, that certainly wasn’t easy. I had a special connection with that instrument from the very first note I played on it, because it was built especially for me, and because I’m the first person to play it. Because of that, the instrument grew to be my best friend.”

Dive Deeper into Music

Sasha: “Playing the Piattellini has made me look forward even more to all the upcoming concerts, because I know I can dive a hundred times deeper into the music thanks to the endless possibilities of this double bass. I get to discover all these possibilities, and that’s a really fun challenge! Every day, I get to know this beautiful, mysterious bass a little better.”

Did you know that Sasha also has a double-bass bow, made by Roger Lotte in Mirecourt, on loan from the Musical Instrument Fund?

Expansion of the high-end segment

Sasha isn’t the only musician who longed for a versatile double bass. The waiting list is slowly filling up with conservatory students and top soloists, but unfortunately, a top-quality double bass is almost impossible to find—not even in our collection. Head of Collections Frits Schutte says: “Sasha is an enormous talent who works incredibly hard and is developing at lightning speed. It’s therefore extremely important that her instrument keeps pace with her progress and doesn’t hinder her development. We’re incredibly happy that we were able to help Sasha with this beautiful double bass.”

Thank you very much

We would like to express our gratitude to everyone who contributed to this search. Thanks to your support, Sasha is now playing an instrument that will help her advance in her musical career. The double bass from our collection that Sasha previously had on loan—a 2018 Scaramelli—will bring joy to a new player once it has been serviced. We’ll keep you posted!

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