My name is Jacobus den Herder. I am a pianist, arranger, and program producer and host at NPO Klassiek. For several years, I had the great pleasure of playing a 1929 Steinway grand piano. Before this grand piano came into the possession of Het Muziekinstrumentenfonds, it belonged to my grandmother. So, in a sense, my connection to the instrument goes back even further than my connection to Het Muziekinstrumentenfonds.
I come from a large family, where several of my brothers and sisters are professional musicians. Some of them also play instruments from the Music Instrument Fund.
These days, I play a different instrument—a beautiful Bechstein from 1911. On the outside, it’s an “old-timer,” but on the inside, it’s completely up to date. It has the charm and warm tone of days gone by—that’s what I love about it. It’s also nice that the grand piano has a rich history. For many years, it stood in the living room of conductor Anton Kersjes. So, in addition to piano repertoire, it has undoubtedly been played in many symphony performances as well.
