'The career begins in the conservatoire, we shouldn't wait until we graduate'

Alumna Sanem Kalfa, graduated in Jazz Music from the Prins Claus Conservatoire in 2011. The Amsterdam-based Turkish vocalist, celllist and composer, captivates audiences with her distinctive style that seamlessly blends jazz, improvisation, and world music. Her path from studying cello in Turkey to becoming one of the Netherlands’ most remarkable vocalists demonstrates how a fulfilling career begins with self-discovery and determination.

Winning Competitions: Acknowledgment and Pressure

During her studies at the Prins Claus Conservatoire, Sanem achieved significant recognition by winning First Prize in the 2010 Shure Montreux Jazz Vocal Competition. "Soon, very soon, things started to get serious. During the first semester of my second year, I did a competition in the Netherlands and got the second prize. And then my career somehow started from there." 

Reflecting on this experience, she shares, “The competitions are a great challenge, although I think we shouldn’t put so much expectation on those. The competitions are just challenges where you get acknowledgment, but the work has to be done by you.” Winning a competition can bring both validation and pressure, as Sanem felt the weight of expectations to continually deliver outstanding performances. "After the Shure Montreux Jazz Vocal Competition, I came back to the school and I was freaking out because I thought 'now I have to deliver'. I got the prize for a reason, but then the prize was gone, and I was like “I have to be perfect”. I was trying to deliver all the time and it was very tiring."

A note on real success: connecting with audiences

With a smile on her face, Sanem remembers times when she received what she felt like is real acknowledgement. She recalls receiving heartfelt notes from strangers in the audience: “Thank you so much, you somehow took me somewhere new.” These personal connections validate her authenticity as an artist. "To me, this is the reward you actually want to get. This note made my year maybe. That is why I am living. They accept me for who I am, so I can sell my own palette. We go to school to find out who we are. That is the real reward." 

Sanem believes that success isn’t about chasing wealth; it’s about loving what you do and creating an emotional impact. As she puts it, "Once you love it, you will find a way to sell what you do, and people will buy it. And someone will be so enthousiastic that they call others to tell them about you. And you will have to work. They will create work for you even. Or then they will send you a note like this."

Advice for conservatoire students

Sanem encourages conservatoire students to take individual initiative. While collective work is essential, believing in your unique artistic path matters most. 

Sanem started to play a duo with George Dumitriu in 2007. "We’ve been playing together ever since." Out of all Sanem’s projects, her duo with George Dumitriu is the only one where she didn’t work individually. "It's really nice to make a work collectively. Get the work done collectively. But I think it's really important to take individual initiative. I think it is very important you step forward and start the project." 

"Don't try to fulfill expectations, you will never be able to. It's important to believe in what you are doing. There are a lot of opinions, voices telling you what to do. But schools are incredible places for us to gather all information and I think the career begins in the conservatoire. We shouldn't wait until we graduate from the conservatoire. That is where you start to walk the path and so when you reach the age of 41, you have a lot of projects. Try to constantly do something new. Write new music for projects, set yourself deadlines to reach, and think about what's next."