Jolente de Maeyer
Violin
"All the talent to become one of the leading violinists of her time" De Morgen
Born in Brussels in 1984, Jolente began playing both the violin and piano at the age of four. At the age of six, Jolente took part in several national and international competitions, becoming the youngest ever laureate of the Jong Tenuto Competition. Before she had reached her teens, Jolente had also twice won first prize in the Charles de Bériot Competition in Brussels. In 1995, she became a finalist in the international Herman Krebbers Competition in Maastricht and was also invited to take part in a CD recording following her success in the EPTA Piano Competition.
When she was fourteen, Jolente came to England to the Yehudi Menuhin School and, during her four years there, learned with Simon Fischer and Natasha Boyarsky. In April 2003 Jolente won Second Prize in the Jeunesses Musicales Julio Cardona International Competition in Portugal, later that year winning Fourth Prize in the International Violin Competition Liana Issakadze in St. Petersburg, Russia. More recently, she received the Special Prize in the Benjamin Britten International Violin competition in London. Jolente is currently continuing her studies with Ms Boyarsky at the Royal College of Music in London and she has also participated in masterclasses given by top teachers, including Yehudi Menuhin.
Jolente has appeared as soloist with many orchestras, including the Kempisch Youth Orchestra, the Flemish Radio Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic of Flanders and the St. Petersburg State Academic Capella Symphony Orchestra. Jolente performed at a New Year's Concert with the Royal Flemish Philharmonic in the Queen Elizabeth Hall in Belgium and recently played two concertos in deSingel in Antwerp. Jolente regularly gives concerts in Belgium and has also performed in prestigious venues throughout Europe including London's Wigmore Hall and at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival in Switzerland. Future engagements include concertos with the Royal Flemish Philharmonic conducted by Philippe Herreweghe.
Information correct at time of performance with the NSO (March 2006).