Each quarter, we ask our scholarship students for an update: what have they been working on? What challenges have they faced, and what successes have they achieved? We selected a few stories to share with you. Below, you’ll find their updates along with a video link, so you can see and hear them perform.
Excellence Scholarships make a difference
Thanks to the generous support of donors and partner foundations, many students at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague have once again been able to make the most of their studies this year. Five recently graduated and exceptionally talented alumni from different departments share how their scholarship has enabled their artistic development – and the remarkable achievements they have made along the way. Their department head or teacher reflects on their progress as well.
Update from the Excellent students
Lydia Gardiner looks back on an intense and successful academic year. In June, her work The Zeewijk Passion premiered at the Scheepvaartmuseum in Amsterdam; shortly after, it was recorded at the French Church in Voorburg. Her piece The Town of Wind was performed during the Composition Department’s final exam concert. Lydia graduated with outstanding results: a 9 for her research, a 10 for her Professional Integration Activity, and a 9 with distinction for her final composition exam.
“Without my Excellence Scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve any of this. The financial support gave me the space to fully focus on my studies and to build a future in the Netherlands. I’m extremely grateful for the support I’ve received over the past two years.”
The Zeewijk Passion
Head of Department Mayke Nas on Lydia Gardiner
“Lydia is an exceptional student, with both strong musical and organisational skills. Her brilliant thesis on the secular passion as a musical narrative form was awarded a 9. For her Professional Integration Activity, she initiated a large-scale project featuring an hour of original music, performed in collaboration with the Scheepvaartmuseum and a professional ensemble. Her final exam received a 9, and she was awarded the Henk van der Meulen Composition Prize.”
After completing his two-year Master’s at the Royal Conservatoire, Bruno Tobon has been appointed Principal Cellist of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra.
“The scholarship has made a world of difference. It allowed me to study here and build a new life. The support and guidance I received at the Royal Conservatoire were fantastic. Thank you for your trust – I hope you will continue to support future students.”
Head of Department Rob Broek on Bruno Tobon
“Bruno’s final exam was nothing short of spectacular. The external examiner captured it perfectly: ‘Everything we hope to hear as a jury – and more – was there.’ His playing was described in superlatives: versatile, elegant, expressive, convincing, intriguing, and astonishing. He was awarded a 10, as well as a special mention: Distinction for Artistry and Musical Leadership.”
César Ramos Hernández looks back on an intense period, culminating in his graduation concert with the Residentie Orkest. He also received the very first Rudi Martinus van Dijk Conducting Prize (€ 5,000).
“The Fonds 1999 Development Scholarship enabled me to fully focus on my studies and to make artistic choices based on content, not financial constraints. This support has shaped my future, and I’m deeply grateful for it. I will stay in the Netherlands for the time being, I already have some interesting projects as a guest conductor at the Koninklijk Conservatorium and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. I will take masterclasses outside The Netherlands and apply to a couple of competitions as well as strengthen my network with Dutch orchestras”
César Ramos with Noord Nederlands Orkest
NMO Coordinator Jaike Bakker and Head of Department Rob Broek on César Ramos Hernández
“César recently conducted the Residentie Orkest in the Concertzaal at Amare. His development over the past two years has been remarkable: from a shy student into a confident conductor who naturally leads a full symphony orchestra of 60–100 outstanding musicians. We are sure we’ll be hearing much more from him.”
Agata Sorotokin completed her Master's in Historical Keyboard Instruments with an extraordinary final recital: a musical journey through Europe performed on five different historical instruments. She was awarded a 9.5 with distinction for ‘extraordinary musical perception and storytelling’.
“Thanks to the Excellence Scholarship, I was able to complete my degree. I’m grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had – from performances with the European Union Baroque Orchestra to competition prizes and an upcoming CD release.”
Head of Department Teunis van der Zwart on Agata Sorotokin
“Agata belongs to the top of the new generation of historical keyboard players. This year, she not only won prizes at international competitions, but also gave a deeply impressive final recital and completed an ambitious and successful research project. With the support of the Royal Conservatoire, she has grown to an exceptional level – and we’re sure we’ll hear much more from her.”
Lidor Ram Mesika concluded his studies with a powerful final recital. In the months leading up to it, he performed the title role in Pimpinone with the Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra and sang solo parts in Fauré’s Requiem, a Bach cantata and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater.
“The Excellence Scholarship gave me the freedom to fully focus on my artistic development, both in the Netherlands and abroad. I’m excited about what’s next: auditions at opera houses across Europe.”
Teacher Noa Frenkel on Lidor Ram Mesika
“During his time at the Royal Conservatoire, Lidor developed into a versatile stage personality. He won the emerging talent prize at the Farinelli Competition and now has a contract to sing Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Oper Karlsruhe, along with several other exciting engagements. His growth would not have been possible without this scholarship. I foresee a bright future for this young artist, and I’m sure he will make our school proud.”
About the Excellence scholarship programme at the Royal Conservatoire
We would like to thank the private donors, funds and corporate partners whose generous contributions make the scholarship programme possible: Fonds 1999, the Ritsema van Eck Fonds, the Keep an Eye Foundation, the Corendon Foundation and the Revoir Group.
Fundraising for the scholarship programme and special projects is coordinated by the Royal Conservatoire Fund (also: Fonds KC). Fonds KC was established in 2024 through the merger of three support foundations: the Fund for Excellence of the Royal Conservatoire, the Instrument Fund of the Royal Conservatoire and the Friends of the Royal Conservatoire.
For the 2024–2025 academic year, Fonds KC has awarded scholarships to students who achieved exceptional results in their entrance examinations for a master’s programme at the Royal Conservatoire.
Scholarship candidates are nominated by the Head of the relevant department based on their (outstanding) entrance examination for the Master’s programme and the quality of their Master (research) plan. Excellence Scholarships are in principle awarded for the full duration of the two-year Master’s programme, subject to the availability of funds.
In addition to the Excellence Scholarships, the Royal Conservatoire is awarding three NL Scholarships this year, made possible by NUFFIC. The same selection criteria—entrance examination and Master plan—apply to both scholarships. For the NL Scholarship, students must also meet the additional requirement of holding a non-EEA nationality and studying in the Netherlands for the first time. The NL Scholarship is awarded for one year; if the student shows satisfactory progress and if funding allows, an Excellence Scholarship is granted for the second year. Both scholarships are equivalent to the applicable tuition fee for the student.
Thanks to the support of Fonds 1999, six students have received additional high-value scholarships: five Fonds 1999 Top Scholarships of €12,000 and one Fonds 1999 Development Scholarship of €15,000. These were awarded to students whose talent and creativity stood out even among an already excellent group.
Finally, two students were awarded a Keep an Eye Talent Award of €10,000 each, distributed over the two years of their Master’s studies.
