Hello, dear reader! My name is Tessel Hersbach, and through the NMF, I play a beautiful Cuijpers violin (“Johannes”).
Ever since my time in the Young Talents Class at the Royal Conservatory under Coosje Wijzenbeek, I’ve had the privilege of playing beautiful instruments from the Music Instrument Fund. Johannes and I have been working together since my major studies at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and my part-time studies at the Dutch String Quartet Academy. He has often accompanied me on tour, including as associate concertmaster and soloist with the European Union Youth Orchestra, with the World Symphony Orchestra in Miami, with the String Soloists, and with many other orchestras and ensembles.
I’ve been working as a freelance violinist for years now, and while Johannes is someone I know very well, he never gets boring!
My work is very varied: I have my own ensemble, Ikarai, which blends classical music with jazz; I fill in with various orchestras and ensembles; and I frequently and happily perform in theater productions, etc., etc.
Since I switch so often between different ensemble sizes (from solo performances to ensemble work to large orchestras) and styles (classical, jazz, pop, theater), it’s very important to me that an instrument is versatile and responds quickly to different ways of playing and producing sound—and Johannes does that like no other!
I’ve also been playing an Andreas Grutter bow for years, which I received through the Music Instrument Fund. The bow pairs exceptionally well with Johannes, and in 2020, the fund offered me the opportunity to purchase the bow, for which I’m very grateful!
