I’ve been playing this instrument for several years now, and I’m still discovering new timbres
I started playing the cello at age twelve, after taking recorder lessons for five years. At fifteen, I enrolled in the School for Young Talent at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, where I took cello lessons from Wiesje van Eersel and Lucia Swarts. In 2021, I completed my bachelor’s degree at Codarts Rotterdam under Jeroen den Herder and Joachim Eijlander, after which I studied for a year with the French cellist Sébastien Hurtaud. In 2025, I completed my master’s degree under Jeroen Reuling at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels.
I really enjoy playing with others, and over the years I have performed in many chamber music ensembles. In addition, I’ve played in orchestras since I was young, including the Atheneum Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Arjan Tien. I was also a member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra for two years.
Before I received this cello on loan from the Musical Instrument Fund, I had played virtually my entire cello career on a single instrument. I found it quite exciting to switch to a different cello, because your instrument shapes your musical personality. You have to “click” with an instrument—after all, you spend a lot of hours together!
I needn’t have worried, because I was given the opportunity to play a beautiful cello by Guust François. I’ve been playing this instrument for several years now, and I’m still discovering new timbres. I’m incredibly grateful that the Musical Instrument Fund gave me the chance to enter into a dialogue with this cello.
