My name is Floor Kes (August 13, 2009), and I’ve been playing the violin with great joy since I was five years old.
Making music with others is what I enjoy most of all. I started out with the 040 String Orchestra in Eindhoven, and I’ve continued doing so ever since I began studying at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague in 2019—first with the AKO Junior and now with the Atheneum Chamber Orchestra. The AKO’s Christmas concerts at the Nieuwe Kerk are truly a highlight of the year for me.
In The Hague, Liesbeth Ackermans was my first violin teacher, and since 2024 I’ve been studying with Ilona Sie Dhian Ho. Together with my teachers, I prepare for concerts, and we also work toward solo performances. For example, in 2019 I won second prize at the Archipel Music Competition, in 2020 third prize at the Britten Competition, and the Encouragement Prize in the Iordens A category at the Dutch Violin Competition. In 2022, in that same category, I received the prize for the best performance of the required piece, “Unsingable” by Anthony Fiumara. Throughout all of this, I was guided by my coach, pianist Natasja Douma. A highlight for me in 2023 was performing as a soloist with the Philips Harmonie. In 2024, at the Dutch Violin Competition, I received third prize and the prize for the best performance of the set piece “Petit Morceau” by Mathilde Wandelaar in the Iordens B category.
In recent years, in addition to my lessons with Liesbeth and Ilona, I have also taken lessons and masterclasses with Lisa Jacobs, Liza Ferschtman, Shunske Sato, and SongHa Choi.
With Liesbeth, I selected my violin from the Musical Instrument Fund. We traveled to Amsterdam together, where we were given a choice of six wonderful instruments. I could hardly believe I was allowed to choose one of them. When I played the Hijman for the first time, the instrument immediately felt familiar. I fell in love with the beautiful E string right away. Ever since I’ve been able to play this violin, I’ve been able to convey my expression much better, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.
