The Dutch Student Orchestra (Nederlands Studenten Orkest or NSO for short) is a group of students from various cities, which tours through the whole country and beyond to show their talents in playing classical music. Leeftink, who studies Mechanical Engineering at the UT, plays the cello. ‘My first year was in 2022, so two years ago. The year before, my cousin played in the orchestra and I was quite jealous of his experience. He made music for a whole month, and I wanted that too.’
A way of relaxing
So, with some encouragement from his cousin, he auditioned the next year: ‘I was very nervous for that. It was the first audition I really had in a few years. And then I passed and I got to participate.’ However, that did not mean his place as a cellist was secured for the following years. ‘Every year the whole orchestra has to do audition. It’s not that if you get in you can do it next year again.’
'It’s not only practicing, it’s also a way of relaxing. Playing makes my mind empty'
This year, however, Leeftink had to organize the auditions himself as a board member. About two hundred people came to the auditions, of which ninety were selected. ‘It’s hard to get in, but that’s the nice part as well. I think everyone here is playing their instrument for at least ten years’, says Leeftink, who has been playing cello for about fifteen years now. ‘Normally I play about one hour a day, apart from all the rehearsals I have in a week. It’s not only practicing, it’s also a way of relaxing. Playing makes my mind empty.’
Logistical challenge
For this series of concerts, Leeftink has been rehearsing since December. There was only one weekend to get to know the other musicians and see the music. After that, all musicians had to practice by themselves. At the beginning of February, they gathered everyone in Someren to have some time to rehearse together. The tour started earlier this month, with seven concerts before arriving in Enschede.
This was not only a musical challenge, but also a logistical one, explains Leeftink. ‘You have ninety people for a month and a lot goes wrong with that. Keeping them all together and getting them where they need to be, especially when we go on tour with the bus and the whole logistic aspect of it, that’s very challenging.’
‘Give a voice to female composers’
The orchestra plays a program that consists of two pieces: the Symphony No. 5 by Gustav Mahler and a new composition by Sílvia Lanao, based on the music of Alma Mahler, the wife of Gustav. The theme of the program is ‘Laat je horen’, which translates to ‘Make yourself heard’. Leeftink explains the meaning behind this theme: ‘We want to give a voice to female composers and musicians in classical music, because they are not yet as well represented as male composers. So, we asked a female composer to make a piece for us and it is based on the pieces written by the wife of Gustav Mahler.’
He explains how her husband forced her to stop composing when they married, so through this concert they can finally let her be heard again. ‘So, from the symphony, we have a nice contrast; Before the break, we listen to the music of Alma Mahler and after the break we listen to the music of Gustav Mahler.’
'We are developing it together. Whereas normally the composer is already dead for a hundred years'
Having a say
Leeftink says that playing an original piece is more challenging than playing a well-known piece. ‘No one knows the music, so you have to play it from your sheet music and from that you get the feedback.’ The composer herself also came by during rehearsals to listen and make adjustments. That can be challenging, as the parts they have to learn keep changing, but also beautiful according to the UT student. ‘You’re not just playing a piece, but you also have something to say in it, because the composer is there. We are developing it together. Whereas normally the composer is already dead for a hundred years.’
Leeftink hopes the audience will understand the theme and message of the program, but also that many fellow students will visit: ‘I want to enthuse them to make music themselves, and I hope they get to see the beauty of classical music and culture.’
The concert in Enschede takes place this Wednesday at 20:00 in the Muziekcentrum Enschede. Tickets can be bought via the website of the NSO: www.nso.nl.
