Skip to content

Meet
pianist Jana Schell

Jana Schell grew up in Germany, near the Dutch border. In 2011, she joined the Young Talent Group at the Maastricht Conservatory. She later went on to study in Amsterdam. She began her bachelor’s program under the guidance of Joop Cellis, and in her third year, Naum Grubert became her teacher. She now has a Steinway grand piano on loan from Het Muziekinstrumentenfonds. In this interview, she speaks beautifully about her relationship with the instrument and her ambitions.

News
20 January 2026 by Indy de Vries

Why did you reach out to the Musical Instrument Fund?

“I didn’t really play my own instrument. At home, where I grew up, we had three pianos. Two upright pianos and one grand piano—my father had bought that one. They worked just fine, but once I moved out, I could only practice at school. While I was studying in Maastricht, I could still go home on the weekends to play the piano, but now that I live in Amsterdam, that’s no longer possible. Now I have to book practice rooms. On top of that, there’s the challenge of booking a room with a good piano. I didn’t realize how much having my own instrument really meant until I no longer had one.

The way you play really changes when you have to play a different instrument all the time. All those pianos sound different. I noticed that I was slowly losing my artistic voice. I no longer knew what *I* sounded like. I was so busy studying and figuring out my life in Amsterdam. It wasn’t until I had fully mastered the grand piano from the Musical Instrument Fund and played it regularly that I realized again: “Wow, this is who I am.”

Which instrument from our collection did you choose?

“After I moved within Amsterdam and got more living space, I immediately submitted an application to the Musical Instrument Fund. Two weeks later, I was able to visit, and not long after that, the foundation had provided me with an instrument: a Steinway & Sons grand piano, built in 1919. I tried out the instrument, and three days later it was in my home!”

What makes this Steinway (1919) such a good match?

“What’s special is that this grand piano felt right to me right away. I didn’t have to try out any other instruments during my search. This Steinway really invites you to play. You can play it as poorly as you like, but the instrument will always have a rich and warm tone. I especially love the history of this grand piano. You can hear that it has been played well for 106 years. You can, as it were, hear the age, wisdom, and experience of the instrument.”

You have to understand the grand piano to make it sound good. A modern instrument that has never had a player before—I would probably, after playing it for a while, give it my own sound. That’s a big responsibility. But with this 1919 grand piano, it’s different: it already has its own sound. I feel like the sound suits me well, but it still belongs to the piano. So it’s like combining two personalities. How can the grand piano and I reach a compromise? How can I work to meet the instrument’s “demands,” and how does the instrument give something back to me? It’s just like a relationship!”

Did you know that this grand piano was played by Georges van Renesse?
The Musical Instrument Fund acquired this grand piano in 2007 from the estate of Mrs. Renesse-Drukker, widow of George van Renesse (1909–1994). He was a Dutch conductor and pianist who performed with Willem Mengelberg in Rome and toured extensively with the Budapest Trio (1930–1945).

What are you looking forward to now that you have this piano on loan?

“I don’t think I’ve fully discovered the instrument yet, but I can already say that it’s wonderful. And the fact that I have an instrument in my home that ‘belongs to me’ is really nice. I’d never thought about that before. I’m truly very happy with the grand piano. Everything I need to work on is up to me, not the instrument. I’m looking forward to working on my own skills and talent so I can get the most out of the grand piano. And I hope to build inner confidence so I can easily translate my own sound to any other instrument I play, for example during a concert. Of course, I’m used to playing on different grand pianos by now, but I’m really looking forward to going somewhere with that confidence in my back pocket. How will my concerts sound then?”

And after you finish your bachelor's degree?

“I would like to earn a master’s degree in Repetiteur (piano accompaniment), because I’m very eager to continue my work as a song pianist. I love coaching and collaborating with others. Working in operas and performing in productions are areas I’m already focusing on as part of my musical journey.”

Our Talents

The Musical Instrument Fund currently provides 435 talented young musicians with suitable instruments. We couldn't do this without the support of music lovers like you. We are extremely grateful to you!

Discover more talents