Dutch-Indonesian cellist Jan van der Plas (1997) is constantly searching for new ways to bring people together through music. During his time with the Ricciotti Ensemble (2016–2019), he discovered how music can touch all kinds of people and is relevant to everyone. With the Ricciotti Ensemble, he regularly performed outside of concert halls.
Jan is studying at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with Jelena Ocic. During the first phase of his studies, he studied with Gideon den Herder. He has also taken lessons with Dmitri Ferschtman and Monique Bartels. In the past, Jan has won several prizes at the Princess Christina Competition and the Herman Krebbers Competition. He also served as concertmaster of the Netherlands Youth String Orchestra and the Ricciotti Ensemble.
Together with pianist Stephanus Harsono (1996), he forms DUO MULTATULI. With this duo, they strive to bring music to people in new ways, blurring the line between audience and performer. In doing so, they make the abstract nature of music more tangible, allowing it to speak even more deeply to its audience. Their Indonesian background is what connects them to one another and to Multatuli.
Photo: Foppe Schut
