Discovery Concerts

Concert I

19 April 2024

An important part of the Naarden International Piano Festival is to support a number of young (international) master students at the start of their career. Unlike the Naarden International Piano Festival Masterclass, which takes place in odd years and in which young talent gets the opportunity to follow master classes in BIJ ANDREAS, the so-called Young Masters have already graduated or are about to complete their training. And not infrequently they have also won competitions. They get to know the master pianists, follow them during the festival and receive various workshops. And of course they also play during the Discovery Concerts.

Meet the master pianists of the future here!
Damiën Heemskerk (Netherlands) and Magdalene Ho (Malaysia).

Program

Damiën Heemskerk, piano

W.A. Mozart – Piano Sonata K 332 in F major: 1st movement Allegro
L. Godowsky – from Java suite: 1st part Gamelan
M. Ravel – Jeux d’eau
F. Chopin/L. Godowsky – Etude op.10 no.1, first version
F. Chopin Ballade – op. 52 no.4 in f minor

Magdalene Ho, piano

R. Schumann
Davidsbündlertänze op. 6

Information
Date	19 April 2024
Location	BIJ ANDREAS
Start	18:00
Doors open	17:30
End	19:15
Regular ticket price	€ 17,50

Both concerts for

€ 25

Passe-partout price

€ 99

Student/CJP ticket price

€ 7,50

Student/CJP both concerts for

€ 15

Conservatory student ticket price

€ 7,50

Conservatory student both concerts for

€ 10

As a little girl I walked with my mother in Naarden Vesting, on the way to the Turfpoortstraat, on the way to my grandmother. I can’t remember much about my visit to grandma, but what I still remember clearly are the high sidewalks and the buildings! The Spanish House, the Andreas Church! The former church building that was built by the Robert F.W. Bruinsma foundation was converted into a concert hall. How did that happen?

In my youth I listened to the St Matthew Passion many times in the Grote Kerk in Naarden. My parents were both organizationally involved in these beautiful performances by the Netherlands Bach Society. At that time, the seeds were sown for my development in and love for music. After my childhood and schooling, my husband and I have done a lot of work abroad and have lived in France for 25 years. The music then came into the background a bit, but it never really left my head. My husband passed away in 2005.

During that period I started organizing piano concerts on our estate in France. It was a success! And it gave me the energy and the idea to take up that also in the Netherlands after I sold the estate. To ensure that everything runs smoothly, the Robert F.W. Bruinsma set up. The main objective of our foundation is to support young musicians, especially piano students, on their way to their future.

The Andreaskerk in the Turfpoortstraat in Naarden Vesting has been purchased with the aim of creating a home base for the activities of our foundation. After three years of renovation, we have transformed the former church into a small-scale concert hall. In the initial phase of the renovation I met the pianist Nino Gvetadze. She was introduced to me by Jan Wijn, a well-known piano pedagogue in the Netherlands. Nino and I had a few conversations and it soon became clear that we are on the same page regarding thoughts about music and youth. So Nino presented her plan to me. An idea to bring young top talent from the piano master’s program at the conservatories into contact with people who are important for their development on the way to their career. And this was the starting signal for the ‘Naarden International Piano Festival’. We are both very proud that it has come to this.

You have a dream but you have to dare to stick your neck out to make it come true. Persevere, don’t hesitate, go after your goal!
Music connects people!
We hope to connect students with master pianists!
With a small team of employees, we are doing our best to put this festival on the map for the future.
We hope to offer you as an audience a few days of beautiful music!

Hankie Bruinsma Verbrugh (December 14, 1946 – October 23, 2023)
Co-founder of the Naarden International Piano Festival
Founder and former chairman of the Robert F.W. Bruinsma Foundation