Sometimes, toddler photos can reveal a glimpse of the future. This is certainly true for Kirsten Jeurissen. As a young child, she was often photographed playing with her father’s horn. After trying the violin and piano in her early years, she switched to her “favorite instrument” at the age of ten. “My first horn was an unsightly, unpolished silver one. But it wasn’t long before I was scouring all the amateur orchestras in The Hague with it.”

Jeurissen is eager to learn—and that’s putting it mildly. Alongside her studies at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, she pursued a law degree at Leiden University. Both specialties came together in her thesis: the rights and obligations of performing artists. “From the moment I graduated, the path was clear for me to play the horn full-time. It was wonderful.”

After enjoying 17 years of the grand symphonic repertoire with Phion (formerly Het Gelders Orkest), she left this stable position to focus on guiding young talents in their artistic development at the Prinses Christina Concours. She is the project leader for the Composition Competition and the prize packages of various competitions. Additionally, she organizes “Academy weekends” for all prize winners, packed with workshops that provide young musicians with essential tools to find their unique path within (or outside) the cultural sector. But the passion for performing still runs deep: with the Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, she continues to satisfy her curiosity and need for stimulation on stage. “It feels like a gift to be engaged with music in all its forms seven days a week. Let’s continue to offer love, attention, and support to the newest generations of musicians. They are the future and can make society a little bit better.”