'Alongside my studies, I play in a full-time symphony orchestra'

Pelle van Esch studies Classical Music at the Prins Claus Conservatorium and holds a position as bass trombonist at the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. "Alongside my studies, I play in a full-time symphony orchestra. I've been fortunate to win two auditions, one in the NNO two years ago and now I'm playing in the Radio Philharmonic orchestra. Which is still kind of insane to me."

Diverse repetoire

The orchestra’s dynamic schedule keeps Pelle on his toes, ranging from classical masterpieces like Haydn’s 'Die Jahreszeiten' and opera productions to contemporary compositions written specifically for their ensemble. "We have about four rehearsals every week and then one or two concerts. The main challenge about the job is that every week we have something completely different."

Balancing act

Balancing a full-time orchestra job with his studies might seem daunting, but Pelle manages it skillfully. He proactively negotiates schedules with both the orchestra and the conservatoire, ensuring harmony between his commitments. As he puts it: “It’s pretty doable to combine. I spoke with a lot of teachers about their schedules and my orchestra agenda to see what was possible. The traveling is sometimes a bit much, but it’s doable. As long as you contact everyone, take initiative, and don’t wait for them to finalise the schedule.”

Self-improvement

By tackling challenging sections and refining techniques, he enhances both his solo work and contributions to the orchestra. For Pelle, these aspects are interconnected—each strengthens the other.

"I am very much focussed on self-improvement. My final exam is a goal for me that I work towards. I have my programme planned out and I kind of work on improving myself. I am already working on the more difficult parts of my pieces, trying to see if I can improve my technique. This goes hand in hand with my commitment to the orchestra, because when I improve, my work in the orchestra is also better. I try to do as much as possible and it all helps each other out."

Networking and friendships

Orchestras prioritise experience and skill, but networking plays a pivotal role. "Networking and knowing the right people is also really important. Before I did the NNO audition I already had made a bit of a name for myself. It's important to have a certain amount of professional experience, to have played in professional orchestras or ensembles. And then, if you have a good CV you can go pretty much anywhere. Orchestras look at the experience you have in the field."

Pelle emphasises the importance of being a pleasant collaborator, "Some musicans have big egos and then I wonder, would I like to sit next to that guy? That is also a part of it, and networking helps. But the main point is that you need to be a good player. You can't really go around that."

"The people I'm playing with now at the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra are actually friends of mine. We used to play together in a youth orchestra and now we have the same job. That is kind of nuts. It gives a really good vibe, because we actually like to play together. Whenever we have some difference in interpretation or something we can speak about it."

"That summarises my job: I get to play the absolutely greatest pieces and I absolutely love it."