When the soloist and the composer come from the same town in Flanders, there are bound to be sparks on the stage! PETA STEWART catches up with Belgian violinist Jolente De Maeyer:
Jolente De Maeyer (pictured left) is coming to Cape Town for one concert – with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra on Thursday, 15 September 2022 – to present the Violin Concerto of August De Boeck. Her trip has been made possible by the Government of Flanders.
“August De Boeck and I are both from the same small town of Merchtem in Flanders, Belgium,” she says. “Without knowing his music I already felt some sort of connection. Over the past few years, I have performed his violin sonata several times and last year I gave my first two performances of his Violin Concerto. It’s a wonderful big romantic work, which isn’t nearly enough played as it should be.” The CPO is being conducted by fellow Flemming, Rik Ghesquière, in a collaboration she is also looking forward to.
“I performed this concerto last year with Rik. We had a great time exploring the score of this work, which wasn’t so easily available and I know Rik put a lot of work into a new edition of the score, a very welcome addition to the library of violin music!” she says.
Soloist and teacher
Jolente is not only a soloist but a teacher too, teaching in the conservatoires of both Antwerp and Tilburg. She spends one day with each, and the rest of her time gets spent practising, performing or planning concerts. She established a string orchestra, BRYGGEN, and that takes up a lot of her time. She also has a duo with her pianist husband, Nikolaas Kende, and has toured both the US and South Africa with him (and in South Africa’s case in 2018 with their one-year old, who is now five and staying at home with her brother).
Although no one in her family is a musician, she was enchanted when she accompanied her elder sister Karolien to violin lessons. “The teacher noticed me, mentioned it to my parents, and on my fourth birthday I was given a tiny violin of my own. Karolien is now an eye specialist and I am the musician!” Jolente says.
“I started participating in competitions and after winning one at the age of eight Yehudi Menuhin invited me to attend his school in England, but my parents thought me too young to go on my own. At 14 I was ready and auditioned for the school and went to the UK for eight years. I guess I never really made a conscious decision to become a musician, but I just followed my instincts each step of the way,” she says.
Many highlights
One of the first highlights of her life was the Queen Elisabeth competition in Brussels. “It was a very important moment. To participate as a Belgian creates a lot of attention, which is quite nerve wracking, but rewarding later. The competition was broadcast on TV and radio and it opened some doors for me,” says Jolente.
Other highlights include playing the Beethoven Concerto with Philippe Herreweghe, tours of the US and South Africa with Nikolaas, her debut in America with the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, becoming artistic leader of BRYGGEN, a Christmas concert in the Palace of the Royal Belgian family, and making recordings of the Vieuxtemps and Saint-Saëns Violin Concertos with the Liège Philharmonic.
Jolente is in a great place, and loving what her life offers. “Playing music, teaching music, discovering new music, time alone in a room with my violin, rehearsing, traveling and of course time with my family with two children, Mona (6) and Oscar (2),” she says.
Looking forward to Cape Town
While she is happy to continue all the things she is doing right now, she would also like to “give even more concerts and tour with Nikolaas, my duo partner of nearly 20 years, build my classes in Antwerp and Tilburg further and continue making a path for BRYGGEN, my string orchestra. Maybe I also want to become the ambassador of the De Boeck violin concerto!”
She is looking forward to being in Cape Town. “I have fond memories from the 2018 tour – it’s a beautiful country and the people are so friendly and welcoming. I am also looking forward very much to meeting the orchestra and performing this Belgian work together!”
What: Violinist Jolente de Maeyer with the CPO
Where an when: Cape Town City Hall on 15 September 2022
Bookings: Dial-A-Seat 021 421 7695 and Computicket
WS
