Johan Wiersma comes first in National Finals of Prinses Christina Concours

Johan Wiersma’s reputation as talented youngster has been further demonstrated through his winning of the first prize at the National Finals of the Prinses Christina Concours. The 13-year-old accordionist is a member of Rik Cornellissen’s ArtEZ Young Talent Class in Arnhem.

Leading up to the finals, Johan featured on the Jeugdjournaal (television news programme for youth).

Here he won one of the most prestigious classical music youth prizes and, in addition to a concert recording for the MAX broadcasting company to be broadcast on Radio 4, he was also awarded a scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to finalists who can communicate great stage presence to the audience and is awarded by the Stichting Lieve foundation along with a one-year membership to Entrée, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra youth organisation.

Eight young music talents were selected for the National Finals of the Prinses Christina Concours 2016. In the last few months, hundreds of young musicians (12 to 19 years) from across the country participated in the selection rounds for the Prinses Christina Concours.

At the Prinses Christina Concours, every finalist receives a prize. Prizes are awarded according to the level and development potential of the finalists, so that everyone receives one or more suitable prizes. The decisions were made by a jury made up of Sven Arne Tepl (chair), Larissa Groeneveld, Pauline Oostenrijk, Emmy Verhey and Jan Wijn. Her Royal Highness Princess Christina of the Netherlands awarded the prizes to the finalists.

The full results (in Dutch) of the Prinses Christina Concours 2016