Netherlands Student Orchestra: from lecture hall to concert hall
A month’s break from your studies, ten days of intensive rehearsals and then a concert tour: the Netherlands Student Orchestra is based on a simple formula. Leiden student Daphne Biron tells us about the orchestra and the concert in Leiden on 20 February.
Daphne has been playing the violin since she was four and has not put it down since. ‘As I never stopped playing, I’m now getting fantastic opportunities, including as chair of the Netherlands Student Orchestra (NSO)’, says Daphne. For this role, she has taken a break from her Bachelor’s degree in Law.
Students from across the Netherlands
The NSO is a project orchestra that recruits musicians each year. Students from across the Netherlands audition, and the board selects players for the orchestra. ‘It all comes together in February’, says Daphne. ‘Eighty-five of us students spend ten days rehearsing together, from early in the morning to late at night. And we party at night.’ The orchestra then gives ten concerts in the Netherlands and two abroad. The theme of NSO 2025 is ‘Waanzin’ (Delirium).
As chair, Daphne leads the meetings and supports the board. She also organises concerts. ‘I’m responsible for the logistics, from instrument transportation to free tickets. It’s a huge operation but great fun to do.’
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Leiden student Daphne Biron plays the violin at a concert. -
Netherlands Student Orchestra rehearsal weekend.
Leiden and its jubilee year
The NSO is playing at Stadsgehoorzaal in Leiden on 20 February – for Daphne, a special edition. ‘Leiden is a tradition for us. We’ve played here right from the start. And this year is a special edition because of the university’s 450th anniversary.’
Led by conductor Chloe Rooke, the orchestra is playing a composition by Karmit Fadael. The programme will also feature Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz. ‘Berlioz’s symphony is really unique, almost psychedelic. We’re hoping to surprise the audience. It’s my absolute favourite.’
To make the concert experience that bit more special, the orchestra uses the Wolfgang app, which gives the audience extra information during the concert. ‘It makes classical music more accessible to people who are less familiar with it, and that ties in perfectly with our goal of getting more students interested in music.’
Violin or law?
Daphne will not be resting on her laurels after the concert series. ‘I’m going to audition for Leiden’s Practicum Musicae minor at the conservatoire so I can further develop in music. But I’m missing studying law. I hope to combine the two for as long as possible.’
Come and see the NSO
Want to see Daphne and the NSO in action? Come to Stadsgehoorzaal on 20 February and be transported to a place of Delirium. Tickets can be purchased via Stadsgehoorzaal.