Rebecca Roozeman (2001) won the Dutch Violin Competition on Saturday. With her performance of Saint-Saëns’ ‘Third Violin Concerto’ she received both the Oskar Back Prize (the jury’s first prize) and the audience prize. Two other finalists, Luna van Leeuwen (2003) and Yente Lottman (2001), both received second prize.
“Rebecca Roozeman is a born soloist. She shows great mastery, dares to take artistic risks and played with complete sovereignty,” said jury chairman Janneke Slokkers at the award ceremony.
It’s strange that so few people come to the Oskar Back final; the main hall of TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht was only sparsely filled on Saturday evening. And yet this biennial competition really offers a nice opportunity to hear what violin talent is emerging. For example, in the past twenty years you could do so early adopter are by violinists such as Rosanne Philippens, Marc Daniel van Biemen, Coraline Groen and Hawijch Elders. Even earlier, Liza Ferschtman, Daniel Rowland, Janine Jansen (third prize) and Jaap van Zweden were there in the final.
And now, according to the jury, it is Rebecca Roozeman. most promising. Indeed, her very first bar Saint-Saëns was already very exciting: a smoky but cool sound, soft but filling the room. Technically she can beautifully shift in tone at the last moment, in a dynamic decoration. In the first two parts she lacked a sharp edge, but she played autonomously and provided several goosebump moments with a beautifully sparkling sound. In the second part it was mainly the Residentieorkest conducted by Otto Tausk that could have played more warm-bloodedly. There are beautiful woodwind solos in it, but they kept too much to the surface. “Now inspire that girl,” crossed my mind several times.
Roozeman was strongest when she played softly, which makes her especially curious about her playing in chamber music. Opportunities for growth still lie in devising a longer musical arc and playing together with the orchestra; she sometimes ended phrases very abruptly, while they should actually be passed on to the orchestra.
Two second prizes?
That second prize for both Luna van Leeuwen and Yente Lottman was more surprising. They both chose the other repertoire option: the technically much more complicated and less predictable ‘Violin Concerto’ by Alexander Glazunov. But Yente Lottman’s Glazunov was essentially more interesting.
Yente Lottman (2001).
Luna van Leeuwen (2003).
Photo Marieke Wijntjes
While Van Leeuwen gave the feeling that she was also chasing the musical story, Lottman knew from the start what she wanted to convey. In practice: while with Van Leeuwen you thought ‘what a strange piece’, after Lottman you thought, ‘ah, on that bike’.
Lottman, who also reached the semi-finals two years ago, deliberately turned to instruments in the orchestra to draw music from them. Her pensive, self-critical look led you astray, because of the three she played the calmest and most expressive.
You can also reminisce about the selection menu for this final, Saint-Saëns or Glazoenov. Apples-oranges? A little bit. The Glazunov offers more prestige, but is a risk; If you are not above it as a violinist, it will push you down. We will never know how Luna van Leeuwen had done in Saint-Saëns, but she had undoubtedly made things more difficult for Rebecca Roozeman.
The journalistic principles of NRC
