Masterclasses, In-Depth Sessions & Side-by-Sides
Dec 14 | Masterclass with the Goldmund String Quartet
Praised for their “exquisite playing” and “multi-layered homogeneity” by the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the Goldmund Quartet inspires audiences worldwide. They perform on the Paganini Quartet, a set of Stradivari instruments once owned by Niccolò Paganini. Founded in 2009, the quartet's members have remained unchanged. They have worked with world renowned artists such as Alfred Brendel and also organize their own chamber music festival: the Goldmund Festival, held each year at Kloster Irsee.
The Quartet’s 2025/26 season highlights include a substantial U.S. tour with performances in Boston, Houston and Miami, as well as masterclasses in collaboration with the Tokyo University of the Arts. The Quartet returns to celebrated festivals including Schubertiade Hohenems, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival and Rheingau Musik Festival, where they will perform alongside Martynas Levickis. Further engagements feature appearances at Alte Oper Frankfurt with Raphaela Gromes, Liederhalle Stuttgart, and concerts in Leiden and Warsaw. They will also join forces with Sabine Meyer for performances in Grünwald and Bamberg, and collaborate with Fazil Say at Musikfestspiele Potsdam Sanssouci. In June 2026, the Quartet curates the second edition of their own chamber music festival at Kloster Irsee, continuing their commitment to artistic collaboration and musical exploration.
Join the quartet for an afternoon of masterclasses at the Davidsbündler Academy directly after their matinee performance of Haydn, Schubert en Bacewicz at the Stadsgehoorzaal, Leiden at 11:30AM. Participation in the program includes reduced priced tickets to their concert.
11:30: Goldmund Quartet Concert at the Stadsgehoorzaal Leiden
15-18h: Masterclasses by the Goldmund Quartet, at the DBA
18:30: Dinner and In-Depth Session
Dec 20 | Day with Alexander Warenberg
In demand as a soloist and chamber musician, Alexander Warenberg was the first prize winner of the Dutch national cello competition. He was awarded the Grachten Festival prize and was a prize winner of the ARD competition in Munich, Alexander has performed as soloist with several orchestras in the Netherlands and abroad. As a chamber musician, he has performed with some of the legendary musicians of our time, such as Janine Jansen, András Schiff, Menahem Pressler and Nobuko Imai.
Apply to participate in a1h one-on-one lesson with Alexander, a mini side-by-side chamber music experience together and a student concert where you will have the chance to perform with piano as well as side by side with Alexander.
Participation includes a ticket to Alexander's performance at the Davidsbündler Academy together with Anna Fedorova and Nicholas Schwartz the next evening, Dec 21st.
Application Deadline: Dec 1st, 2025
Dec 20, one-on-one lessons, chamber music, dinner and discussion, student concert including side-by-side element
Dec 21, cello recital by Alexander Warenberg
Jan 5-8 | The Voice of Ukraine | Side-by-Side
Get to know and love some of the great music from Ukrainian classical composers over the last century together with top Ukrainian musicians Diana Tishchenko and Anna Fedorova. This event will include performances at the DBA Salon as well as a presentation concerts conservatories in the NL.
Artists:
Diana Tishchenko, violin
Anna Fedorova, piano
Nicholas Schwartz, cello & double bass
Repertoire:
Borys Lyatoshynsky, String Quartet on Ukrainian Themes
Mykola Lysenko, Elegia for piano and cello
Victoria Poleva, "Simurgh-Quintet" for Piano Quintet
Borys Fedorov, Selections from the Pierre Richard Suite
Maxim Shalygin, "Drop by Drop"
Participants will receive 2h of on-one-one lessons during the project, as well as chamber music coachings, a dinner/Q&A session and two concerts together.
Accepting applications for individual strings (piano, violin, viola, cello and double bass)
Application Deadline: Dec 12, 2025
Jan 5, one-on-one lessons, chamber music coaching
Jan 6, one-on-one lessons, chamber music coaching
Jan 7, Lessons, coachings, dinner Q&A, Salon Concert
Jan 8, late afternoon sound check and concert at Codarts, Rotterdam
Feb 2 | A Day with the Engegård Quartet
Formed 20 years ago under the midnight sun in Lofoten, the Engegård Quartet has rapidly become one of Norway’s most sought after ensembles. Their bold, fresh interpretations of the classical repertoire combined with a deep attachment to their Scandinavian roots has attracted international acclaim, and inspired some innovative partnerships and programming. The Engegård Quartet has had the honour to work with Sir András Schiff, Leif Ove Andsnes, Christian Ihle Hadland, Paul Lewis, Dènes Várion, Nabuko Imai, and Kim Kashkashian among others. Members of the quartet are in pivotal roles at the renowned Lofoten International Chamber Music Festival, Oslo Quartet Series and 1-2-3 Festival.
The Engegård Quartet is performing at this year's String Quartet Biennale with pianist Olli Mustonen on January 30th.
Includes entry to the Engegard String Quartet concert on January 31st at the Davidsbündler Music Academy Salon
Application Deadline: Jan 2nd, 2025
Feb 1st: 19:30: Engegård Quartet Concert in the Davidsbündler Salon
Feb 2nd: 10-13h Lessons and chamber music coachings
14-17:30, Side-by-Side Chamber Music Reading
17:30, Dinner and In-Depth Session
19:00 Student Concert with Side-by-Side element
Feb 11-15 | Valentines Day Très Français | Side-by-Side
What is more romantic than French inspired Valentines Day? Spending it with these lovely musicians and an program unbearably Français!
Artists:
Daniel Rowland, violin
Dana Zemtsov, viola
Maja Bogdanovic, cello
Nicholas Schwartz, double bass
Anna Fedorova, piano
Repertoire:
G. Fauré, Piano Quartet No 1
Debussy, String Quartet, Andantino, doucement expressif
B. Fedorov, mvts from the Suite Hommage á Pierre Richard
French Popular Songs, arr. Anna Fedorova (La Bohème, Sous le ciel de Paris, etc)
Participants will receive 3h of on-one-one lessons during the project, as well as chamber music coachings, a dinner/Q&A session and two concerts together, one at the Davidsbündler Academy Salon and another at the Stoomfabriek, Dalfsen.
Accepting applications for individual strings (piano, violin, viola, cello and double bass)
Application Deadline: Jan 14, 2026
Feb 11, one-on-one lessons, chamber music coaching
Feb 12, one-on-one lessons, chamber music coaching
Feb 13, one-on-one lessons, chamber music coaching, Dinner & Discussion, Salon Concert
Feb 14, free day
Feb 15, late afternoon Sound Check and evening Concert at the Stoomfabriek, Dalfsen (Dalfsen Klassiek)
Feb 25 & 26 | Masterclass with Eldbjørd Hemsing and Benedict Kloeckner
Participate in masterclasses with Norwegian concert violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing and German concert cellist Benedict Kloeckner. Participants will also participate in a small side-by-side chamber music element to be performed together at the student concert on the evening of Feb 26.
Over the course of 2 days, participants will receive 3h of on-one-one lessons, chamber music, a Q&A dinner and a student concert where participants can perform with piano as well as together with the professors in the mini chamber music pieces. Pieces will be determined closer to the start of the masterclass.
Application Deadline: Jan 25, 2026
Feb 25, one-on-one lessons, mini-side by side chamber music
Feb 26, one-on-one lessons, chamber music, Dinner & Discussion, Student Concert with Side-by-Side element
Feb 27, one-on-one lessons
Feb 28, Professor's Salon Concert
Mar 7 | Day with the Maisky Trio
Pianist Lily Maisky, violinist Sascha Maisky, and cellist Aleksey Shadrin are internationally acclaimed artists who have appeared at major festivals such as Verbier and Lugano and performed in renowned venues including the Berlin Philharmonie, Vienna’s Musikverein, London’s Royal Festival Hall, Zurich’s Tonhalle, and Wigmore Hall. Lily, a Steinway Artist celebrated for her virtuosity and breadth, has toured worldwide, released recordings for Deutsche Grammophon and EMI, and collaborated with leading musicians including Martha Argerich and Mischa Maisky. Sascha, known for his refined musicianship, performs widely as a soloist and chamber musician and frequently appears in trio formation with his father Mischa and sister Lily. Ukrainian cellist Aleksey Shadrin—winner of top prizes at the Lysenko, Prague Spring, and Queen Elisabeth competitions—has performed across Europe’s foremost stages, collaborated with artists such as Quatuor Ébène and Renaud Capuçon, and remains a committed advocate for Ukrainian culture through his artistic and humanitarian work.
Accepting applications for individual strings (piano, violin, cello), piano trios, piano/cello duos, piano/violin duos and violin/cello duos.
Application Deadline: Feb 7, 2026
Mar 7, one-on-one lessons, dinner and in-depth session, student concert with side by side element.
Mar 8, Professor's Salon Concert
Mar 14-15 | Double Bass Extravaganza
Rick Stotijn, Olivier Thiery, and Nicholas Santangelo Schwartz rank among the most accomplished double bassists of their generation, each holding major positions in Europe’s leading orchestras while maintaining active international solo and chamber careers. Stotijn, a recipient of the Dutch Music Prize, serves as principal bass of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, frequently leads world-class ensembles and is known for championing new repertoire and acclaimed recordings. Thiery has been a key member of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra since 2008, is a prizewinner of the ARD International Music Competition, performs widely with Camerata RCO, and teaches at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Schwartz—also a member of the Concertgebouw Orchestra since 2013 and a former Karajan Academy fellow—has earned top international prizes including the Stulberg Competition and International Society of Bassists Competition, performs globally as a soloist and chamber musician, and is notable for his rare dual performance career on both double bass and cello. Together, they represent three distinct yet equally dynamic profiles at the forefront of the modern double bass world.
Application Deadline: Feb 14, 2026
Mar 14, one-on-one lessons, professor's salon concert.
Mar 15, one-on-one lessons, chamber music coaching, dinner and in-depth session, student concert.
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June 4-6 | Masterclasses with Norma Fisher
We are delighted to offer open masterclasses with Norma Fisher, piano professor at the Royal College of Music in London and legendary performer from the UK.
Norma Fisher was the student of legendary Greek pianist Gina Bachauer and was the winner of Ferruccio Busoni piano competition after which her career and international reputation flourished. She was regularly performing with all the leading orchestras of the UK such as London Symphony orchestra, Philharmonia orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra and many others, was regularly performing at Royal Albert Hall at BBC Proms. Her reputation as a teacher is widely established and many of her prize-winning students are well known on the international concert circuit. She is regularly invited as a jury member to such competitions as Gina Bachauer (USA), Sydney Piano Competition (Australia), Young Musicians (Enschede), Newport (Wales) and many others. Norma is also the founder and artistic director of the London Master Classes which were held in London for 30 consecutive years.
Masterclass includes 3h one-on-one lessons with Norma.
Application Deadline: May 4, 2026
Jun 4, one-on-one lessons
Jun 5, one-on-one lessons
Jun 6, one-on-one lessons, In-Depth Session, Dinner, evening Student Concert
