In Memoriam:

Coosje Wijzenbeek

For music lovers across the Netherlands, Coosje was the driving force behind countless violinists with thriving careers, such as Janine Jansen, Noa Wildschut, Carla Leurs, Amarins Wierdsma, Nadia Wijzenbeek, the sisters Rosanne and Julia Philippens, and many others. To her (former) students, she was the devoted “violin mom” with an endless toolbox from which she pulled out a different drawer for each student—a metaphor she herself liked to use. For generations of young talent, she was the founder and leader of the Fancy Fiddlers, the ensemble in which her students, together with cello students from fellow teachers, learned how important interaction with other musicians is for playing together at a high level—always from memory. Coosje’s students had an exceptional foundation upon which to build careers as professional musicians, often at the highest international level. For the Musical Instrument Fund, Coosje was one of the pillars upon which our organization was built.

“I don’t specialize in amateurs” was one of Coosje’s famous sayings. Her sense of humor, her directness, her down-to-earth outlook, and her aversion to amateurism—it’s all reflected in that statement. This is very recognizable to people who have worked closely with Coosje. Coosje was a member of our Instrument Committee for 26 years; she has been associated with the Musical Instrument Fund longer than any of the current staff members or committee members. For 26 years, she selflessly made time in her packed schedule to read all the applications (over 1,500 in total) and policy documents, as well as to attend the quarterly meetings of the Instrument Committee at our office. And with the Fancy Fiddlers, Coosje regularly provided the joyful highlight of our events, such as during our 25th-anniversary celebration in the Ridderzaal. It speaks volumes about how important it was to her to dedicate herself to an organization that supports talented musicians in their development by lending them a suitable instrument. The fact that we do this—and the way we do it—is largely thanks to Coosje’s dedication.

Coosje was one of a kind—anyone who knew her would agree. We’ll miss her strong opinions, because she never forced them on us. We’ll miss her razor-sharp criticism, because it always helped us grow. We’ll miss her sense of humor, because it put things into perspective when needed. We’ll miss Coosje.

Personal note

In 1999, I was playing the violin in my studio in Spain when the phone rang. It was Coosje calling from the Netherlands. She told me there was a job opening at Het Muziekinstrumentenfonds and thought I might be interested. She had sensed that perfectly—typical Coosje. Our lives crossed paths at various times, and I always felt a strong connection with her. Our conversations often went far beyond just music and instruments, and I cherish the deep trust she placed in me—and that I was able to place in her. Dear Coosje, it was a privilege to have known you. I’m going to miss you!