NSO: "Every note
was a
gift"
This year, the Musical Instrument Fund once again supported members of the Netherlands Student Orchestra (NSO) by providing them with high-quality instruments. This collaboration offered a unique opportunity for several students to take their sound and playing to the next level during their tour in February. Here, you can read about the experiences of three orchestra members. What was it like to play an instrument from our collection?
Timo Moll played a violin built by Johann Stüber in The Hague in 1936.
"I think it's really cool that I got to participate in NSO 2024. It’s given me so much, both socially and musically, and for that I’m grateful to everyone at NSO. I’m also grateful for the beautiful piece of wood that I was able to hold in my hands during all the rehearsals and all 13 concerts. This was a violin from the Musical Instrument Fund that let me hear and feel things I’d never experienced with a violin before. What a gem! It’s a shame to have to return the violin. The ease and power with which I was able to play throughout the entire month brought me so much joy that every concert felt like a wonderful experience. Every note was a gift."
Karlijn van Heese played a viola built by Serge Stam in Utrecht in 2004.
"I thought the tour with the Netherlands Student Orchestra was truly fantastic: a whole month without classes, exams, or worrying about groceries—just music and great people. The tour was especially special because I got to play a viola on loan from the Musical Instrument Fund, built by Serge Stam. This viola allowed me to find even more depth in my playing and to explore timbres that only a high-quality instrument can provide. Getting to share that with the audience thirteen times was a real treat!"
Jozefine Vasse played a violin built by Lodewich Wilhelm Roumen in Amsterdam in 1820.
“The NSO tour was amazing! I’ve performed with the NSO before, but that time it was cut short because of COVID. It’s a completely different experience than playing together with about 80 students for four whole weeks. Plus, of course, this time I had an instrument from the Musical Instrument Fund. It’s so incredibly special to have the chance to play such a great instrument for an entire month—one that really suits you, too. For me, that was a violin by the Dutch maker Lodewich Wilhelm Roumen—we clicked right away. At first, I was actually a little afraid I’d drop it and break it into a hundred pieces, because it’s a much more valuable and older instrument than my own violin. Fortunately, it all turned out fine in the end, and nothing happened to it. At some point, the violin really started to feel like a part of me. So it actually hurt a little when I had to turn it in, but of course, the memories of the tour more than make up for it."
More experiences
The instruments are currently waiting for their next player. Read about the experiences of all the other musicians we support. Here, more than 425 musicians introduce themselves to you! The Musical Instrument Fund provides instruments on long-term loan to professional musicians and music students. The partnership with the NSO is unique because students who are not enrolled in a conservatory are still able to play a high-quality instrument for two months and shine with it on all the major Dutch stages.
Get to know our talented team