On April 21, eight enthusiastic brass players gathered at 10:00 in Maastricht at Stichting Ontmoetingscentrum Aen de Wan
for a special masterclass led by Willy Bessems, horn teacher at the Maastricht Conservatory.

After a welcome with coffee and pie, the participants were divided into a horn quartet and a brass quartet. The entire day they worked with great pleasure and dedication on playing in an ensemble, led by Willy Bessems.

The most important aspects of ensemble playing were discussed in detail. Think of breathing together, phrasing, dynamics and articulation. The aim of the masterclass was to make the musicians aware of listening to each other and to learn to play in tune as well as possible in an ensemble.

To keep the day interesting and varied, pieces from different style periods were played, ranging from Bruckner to the Beatles. This made for a challenging and educational experience for all participants.

All in all, it was a very educational day for the brass players, who went home with new insights and techniques, ready to continue practicing and improving their skills.

This session with Willy Bessems showed once again how valuable and inspiring such workshops can be for young musicians. The LJSO remains committed to offering its members the best learning experiences and looks forward to future masterclasses that will further enrich their musical journey.

We would like to thank Willy Bessems, the participants and everyone involved in making this workshop a success.