The year 2023 was one of extraordinary success for the young Dutch violinist Hawijch Elders. The 1st prize at the International Henri Marteau Competition was followed by the 4th prize at one of the most prestigious and highly competitive violin competitions worldwide, the Paganini Competition. Hawijch Elders recently gave a recital at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam. […]

When I arrived in Winterthur the day before my first rehearsal for Alma Mahler’s “Fünf Lieder”, I took a small walk around the city, popped my head into the hall to listen to the incredible Kalena Bovell and the Musikkollegium Winterthur orchestra rehearse, and then sat outside at a cafe with a cup of coffee. […]

When I was 7 years old and visiting my grandparents, I found my mother’s violin in the attic. I was fascinated by this little wooden box and asked my mother to tell me everything about it. It was immediately clear to me that I wanted to learn to play the violin and become a musician. […]

It was the morning of May 6th, 2019, and I was sitting on my bed in my hotel room. It was the day of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra audition and I was exhausted. The night before, the Music Director had taken me and the other candidate out for food and drinks. The food was delicious […]

The moment I heard the piano music of Florence Price and Margaret Bonds, an awe-inspiring world of women in classical music opened up to me. As I heard their compositions, which were a blend of late Romantic virtuosity and African American folk expressivity, I knew that these composers and more would be a part of […]

Women in leadership are one of my focus areas at Pedeva, a human resources management consultancy that I have helped to build over the past few years. I am particularly proud of our programs that support women in their presence and visibility. In the corporate context, however, I see time and again that topics such […]