Ever since I was twelve, I have been making eager use of the instruments provided by the Musical Instrument Fund. The various cellos I have had the privilege of playing thanks to the fund have always played a significant role in my musical development. My current instrument, a 1905 Gotti, was purchased especially for me thanks to the Music Instrument Fund. I had the opportunity to choose the instrument very carefully from among the other instruments in my ensemble, Fuse. A match made in heaven!
A match made in heaven!
Every musician knows that a career in music is a journey of discovery. In my case, it’s a journey that pushes boundaries, driven by an inexhaustible urge to continually discover new music and, through that music, to get to know myself a little better each time.
The first time I felt completely at home on stage was with Coosje Wijzenbeek’s Fancy Fiddlers, where, as a child, I got to play with peers—playing by heart—which was the best thing ever. At age 13, I won first prize at the Princess Christina Competition (2003) and went on tour with my string quartet. While studying at the conservatory under Quirine Viersen, I founded Fuse in 2011 together with fellow students Emma van der Schalie and Julia Philippens. Fuse became our musical playground. We wanted to “play all the music we love,” including music that fell outside the scope of our studies. We found our voice through a series of experimental club nights that we launched at Club 8: the “ConFuse” series. These were evenings where we took existing pieces and reimagined them around a theme (such as eroticism or confusion). We discovered that we weren’t just performers, but creative musicians. It was liberating to have our own space to chart our musical journey.
Since January 2015, Fuse has regularly appeared as the house band on the TV show *Podium Witteman* on NPO 2. There, too, the search for new music continues—music arranged or composed especially for us or by us. This also requires an instrument that can grow with me and inspires me to consistently bring out the very best in my live TV performances. Thanks to the Musical Instrument Fund, I found that instrument in a 1905 Ursulo Gotti.
Read a detailed resume at: maschavannieuwkerk.com/over-mij
