Joost Willemze

Joost Willemze (b. 1996) is one of the leading harpists of his generation. His playing is praised for its technical refinement and its strong sense of musical storytelling. His repertoire spans a wide range of styles, from established repertoire to contemporary works. He actively encourages composers to create new music for the harp and seeks to highlight the instrument’s versatility for a broad audience. Joost is a first-prize winner of the Prinses Christina Concours, the international harp competition in Porto, and Suoni d’Arpa in Italy. In 2023, he received the prestigious Dutch Classical Talent Award with his program Orpheus, which he performed on a tour across major Dutch concert halls. Joost performs regularly both in the Netherlands and abroad. As a soloist, he has collaborated with the Netherlands Youth Orchestra, the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, and the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, with which he recently made his debut in the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Joost studied with Erika Waardenburg at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where he earned his master’s degree with distinction. In addition to his performing career, he was recently appointed as principal subject teacher of harp at Codarts, the Rotterdam Conservatory.