Harpist Joost Willemze Wins Dutch Classical Talent Competition with “Harp Next Level” Performance

For its “vast dynamic and emotional range from subtle to rock” and its “no mercy” harpist Joost Willemze (27) won the final of the Dutch Classical Talent competition on Sunday afternoon. “Harp next level”, the professional jury praised Willemze at the presentation of the 10,000 euro prize money in TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht. The Dianto Reed Quintet won the audience award and with it a concert in TivoliVredenburg in the ’24/’25 season.

Dutch Classical Talent (until 2012 known as ‘Het Debuut’) is a trajectory for young, successful musicians. They receive coaching in compiling and designing their own concert program and the opportunity to try it out in fifteen concert halls. At the end of a trajectory, a jury decides in a final who the Dutch Classical Talent of that year is. This season, in addition to Willemze and the Dianto Reed Quintet, double bassist Sasha Witteveen (20) and the saxophone bassoon duo Dulfer & Witteveen (Thomas Dulfer, 29 and Deborah Witteveen, 27) also presented themselves. Previous winners include the Berlage Saxophone Quartet, accordionist Vincent van Amsterdam and cellist Maya Fridman. The talents in the trajectory next season are Mattias Spee (piano), Gerbrich Meijer (clarinet), Shane van Neringen (piano) and Georgia Burashko (vocals, mezzo-soprano).