I'm incredibly happy with the violin and bow on loan from the Musical Instrument Fund!
My name is Per Benjamin Torjuul, and I’m 21 years old.
In 2024, I began studying violin with Frederieke Saeijs at the Codarts Conservatory in Rotterdam. Before that, I was part of the Young Talent program at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. My teacher there was Jenna Sherry. I’ve also taken lessons from Chris Duindam at the Academy for Musical Talent in Utrecht. My very first violin teacher was Leontien Akkerman.
Since early 2025, I have been playing the Gand & Bernadel violin, which offers me an incredible range of possibilities for expressing a wide variety of nuances. The sound is elegant and very rich in color, allowing me to achieve greater refinement and depth in my playing. The Roger Lotte bow is a very fine, well-balanced bow that complements this violin perfectly and brings out its best sound.
In 2022, I borrowed a Baroque violin from the Musical Instrument Fund for a project at the Jong KC; it was built by Sebastian Kloz. It was fantastic to be able to play Baroque music on an authentic instrument. This experience has been a wonderful enrichment for my playing.
The first violin I borrowed from the Musical Instrument Fund was a beautiful Jan van der Elst.
I enjoy performing and participating in festivals and masterclasses, including those led by Lisa Jacobs, Philippe Graffin, Marc Danel, and Gordan Nikolic.
Together with fellow students at Codarts Rotterdam, I am delighted to be a member of the Ricciolo String Quartet. We perform regularly and participate in masterclasses and competitions.
I am very grateful to the Musical Instrument Fund for allowing me to gain these experiences with this beautiful instrument!
