The fact that Jorrick graduated from ArtEZ with piano as his main subject is remarkable, to say the least. After playing the violin for years, he decided to step out of his comfort zone shortly before attending university to focus on piano. What drove this sudden change? “Funnily enough, there was no one lightbulb moment,” he reflects. “One day, I just found that I was a lot happier at the piano than at the violin. Crazy that I only found that out later, but I think the instrument suits my character better.” With musical parents who are both active as classical musicians, it was almost inevitable that he would follow that same passion as a child.
Discovering his own talent
Since the piano was relatively new to him, he often compared himself to other classmates, especially in the first year. “I would advise against that,” he says. “Now I know – everyone is at their own, unique stage of development, but I found that quite difficult to accept at the time.” However, it can also be motivating to look up to someone else, he says. “I can find it motivating, especially if I’ve just come back from seeing a famous pianist perform. But in general, constantly comparing yourself to others doesn’t get you anywhere.” Although there were other pianists in Jorrick’s class with a stronger technical background than his, he was soon able to discover where his own strengths lay: in accompanying and playing with others.
As opposed to a career in the spotlight, Jorrick took to being behind the scenes like a duck to water. Currently, he teaches piano two days a week. Outside of that, he mostly focuses on collaboration and accompanying other young, talented musicians. “The musicians I accompany almost always play another instrument and usually need correpetition for auditions, competitions and other performances,” says Jorrick. “It’s a very fun, special experience to accompany them.”

Making his dreams come true
As to why he didn’t choose a path as a soloist, that’s partially because there is too much stress involved, on top of everything else, Jorrick says. “I don’t like it when all eyes are on me. I prefer making music with other people, so I only occasionally perform solo, such as around the Easter, 4-5 May and Christmas holidays. For that, I like to form an ensemble where I’m in the soloist role and give several performances around the country.” He also occasionally plays with the Orkest de Ereprijs and accompanies choirs. Considering his life now, he says, “I have already made my biggest dream come true: making my living through music.”
However, it hasn’t always been easy. “It was quite difficult at first to make the shift to entrepreneur after so many years of being a student. I wanted to have my own teaching studio so badly, but first you have to find students and a suitable space to teach in Zwolle, which isn’t easy to do. It was all hard work in the beginning.” It helped that he had already gathered lots of contacts from his course. “That is something I’d like to advise others to do as well: begin networking at school early and accept everything that comes your way. The transition to being a full-time entrepreneur will be less intense that way. At the time I was starting out, I said yes to everything. I don’t do that anymore, but doing so helped me immensely after I graduated to find out what worked best for me.”

You have to work hard for it, and it definitely won’t always be simple or easy, but if you put your heart and soul into your music, it will work out wonderfully for you.”
Reflecting on his course, he wrote about his time at ArtEZ as remarkably fun and multifaceted. “I even found my theory subjects interesting,” Jorrick remembers. “The Academy of Music in Zwolle is a very warm and supportive environment, truly a musical community. You collaborate often with the other students and it was also quite easy to get guidance from my teachers, many of whom I’m still in contact with.” He still uses the examples he encountered in his own theory classes at ArtEZ often in his own lessons. “I love that I get to be the one to impart that knowledge onto others now.”
Distinguish yourself online
He would like to pass on the following advice to other students with musical ambitions: “You have to work hard and it definitely won’t always be simple or easy, but if you put your heart and soul into your music, it will work out wonderfully for you,” says Jorrick. “I truly believe that if you fully want something, it will work out. I think it would have done me well to have had that perspective a little more whilst studying. Oh, and distinguish yourself. Have a profile, also online, that highlights what makes you distinctive. I’ve been lucky that up to this point, I’ve somehow managed to find enough work without my own website or social media, but I also want to focus on that more, going forward.”
As the cherry on top, Jorrick would love to play with even more young talent in the future at an even higher level. Although, he says, that will come with time, as he is “completely happy with how [his] life is now.” “I don’t have a specific stage that comes to mind where I’d like to perform,” Jorrick says. “I’m quite content with things as they are now.” He ends with this: “If you elevate others to a higher level, you also elevate yourself.”
Learn more about the bachelor Classical Music