Maestro Jules onthult

After starting as a clarinetist in the Hofstad Youth Orchestra, Jules van Hessen completed his conducting studies with Pierre Stoll and Louis Stotijn with a concert featuring the Residentie Orchestra. Since then, he has won various prizes at international conducting competitions.

He won the Silver Rose at the International Conducting Competition in San Remo and was a prize winner at the Stravinsky competition in Graz. Jules van Hessen was the first Dutch conductor to lead major orchestras in China, in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. 

In the Netherlands, he has conducted virtually every professional orchestra. In addition to symphonic repertoire, van Hessen also has a strong interest in musical theater and opera. Since its founding in 1985, he has been the artistic director of the Nederlands Theaterorkest, which was recently renamed the Maestro Jules Orchestra.

Five years ago, Jules presented a new concert series at the newly reopened TivoliVredenburg music hall with the then Gelders Orchestra: Masterpiece in Concert – Maestro Jules Explains. Before the intermission, he illustrated the work to be performed after the break using live musical excerpts. Based on the series' success, it has since been expanded and is now seen and heard in multiple concert halls. The concert concept Maestro Jules Explains will soon be expanding internationally as well. 

Jules van Hessen was recently appointed Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau at the Concertgebouw, following his conducting of the Philips Symphony Orchestra in Mahler's Eighth Symphony, by Amsterdam's deputy mayor Simone Kukenheim, in recognition of his tremendous contributions as an Ambassador of classical music.

Camille Beniest discovered her love for the piano at a young age, encouraged by her mother. In 2011, she toured together with her sister and mother with Driekoningentryptiek by Felix Timmermans, where three pianists brought the story to life musically. Recognition and awards soon followed, including the Durlet Prize and the distinction of being the youngest laureate.

Her musical path developed at a rapid pace. In 2016, her own composition Life is Hope premiered at deSingel in Antwerp and she became laureate of the Cantabile Piano Competition. She won prizes both nationally and internationally, with strong results in competitions including the Steinway Piano Competition and the Prinses Christina Concours. Performances followed on radio and television, and she had opportunities to perform both as a pianist and vocalist with orchestras. 

From 2019 onwards, Camille reached a broader audience. After reaching the finals of Superkids Nederland, she performed multiple times with symphony orchestras during Venlo Classic Live and various Christmas concerts, broadcast on television. That same year, she made it to the finals of Belgium's Got Talent, where she finished among the six strongest contestants. Her trajectory shows a young musician with a strong stage presence and remarkably versatile talent.

At the age of four, she began taking piano lessons with her mother and discovered her passion for playing piano. 

At seven years old, she participated for the first time in a competition on November 29, 2015: "Klassiek Dominique" (category up to 15 years old, Venlo, Netherlands) and reached the finals. On February 21, 2016, she won the Cantabilé Piano Competition 2016 and was by far the youngest in the category up to 13 years old.

In February 2018, she reached the finals of the international Epta Competition and a month later won the Cantabilé Piano Competition. In May 2018, she reached the finals of the Concours de piano de Liège.