Cello

Fontys Conservatory offers the following majors from the string instrument family: violin, viola, cello, and double bass. The strings department focuses on intensive training to help students develop in the realms of solo performance, chamber music and orchestral and ensemble playing. The department also aims to help string players find their way in a changing musical world through exciting multidisciplinary collaborations with other music and arts faculties at Fontys. The program has a strong focus on chamber and ensemble playing, with weekly chamber music lessons throughout the Bachelor and yearly examinations and opportunities to perform in the community. The department presents a monthly Strings on Stage concert, allowing our students the opportunity to grow and develop as performers. Other important points of focus are the yearly technical and orchestral parts exams, which including the opportunity to audition for the orchestra academy at the Philharmonie Zuidnederland. This helps students prepare for future orchestral auditions. The program is directed towards helping young string players turn into dedicated and versatile professional musicians.

Teachers

Paul Uyterlinde

Paul Uyterlinde received his performance diploma from the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. Since 1991, Paul Uyterlinde has been solo cellist of the Brabant Philharmonic Orchestra. Several concerts are planned in the Netherlands and abroad with the Ayur trio, which comprises Paul Uyterlinde, Adelina Hasani and Hülya Keser, Paul Uyterlinde is Professor of Cello at the Fontys Conservatory in the Netherlands and gives masterclasses on a regular basis at other music academies such as those of Brno, Lodz, Biel, Gent, and Wroczlaw. He plays a rare cello made in 1742 by Lorenzo Guadagnini.

Monique Heidema

Monique Heidema is a highly regarded Dutch cellist and educator. Combining a deep expressiveness with thoughtful musicality, she is well known in particular for her chamber music performances in a wide variety of styles and performs regularly with other outstanding Dutch and international musicians. She has performed in recital not only in the Netherlands, but also in France, Spain, Taiwan, Sweden, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Liechtenstein, Hungary, United States of America and Russia. She recently made a successful tour to Taiwan and she has performed to sold-out audiences in St. Petersburg at the Philharmonie and the Hermitage.

Audition

Candidates living in the Netherlands/ Belgium/ Western Germany will do a live audition. Candidates from other countries will do an online audition.
Duration of the live audition is 15/20 minutes.
Please bring your own pianist or accompaniment. If this is really not possible, please contact us.

The audition program should include:

• 2 etudes, including at least one with thumb position: Franchomme Caprices
• 1 movement from a Bach-solo suite
• 1 (pre)classical composition
• 1 concert piece from the Romantic Era