Mariëlle Nieuwenhuis was born in Lichtenvoorde in 1972. From 1989 until 1996 she studied flute with Rien de Reede (Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra) and Thies Roorda (Radio Symphony Orchestra) at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague . She attended jazzmusic-classes with Ellen Helmus and baroque-flute with Wilbert Hazelzet at the University of Music of Utrecht. Thanks to an allowance of the 'Petronella Andriessen Fonds' (a part of the 'Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds') Mariëlle studies traverso with Marten Root at the Sweelinck University of Music of Amsterdam.

In the past years Mariëlle regularly participated in several musicals and performed with the Orchestra of the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague. Also she was a member of the National Youth Brass-Orchestra, The Belcanto-Orchestra and lots of amateur-symphony orchestras. Mariëlle loves to play all different kinds of chamber music like trios and quintets in remarkable settings.

Mariëlle was the flutist of the famous theater group Flairck and the ensembles Cavatina and Les Etoiles Six. She also is a regular substitute in the orchestra of the Royal Dutch Air Force.

Mariëlle attended masterclasses by Trevor Wye in Switzerland, by Peter Lukas Graf in Amsterdam and by Robert Dick in The Hague. In the summer of 1995 she was a winner at the International Kuhlau Flute Competition in Germany.

Tessa Severijns, born in 1970 in 's-Hertogenbosch, received her first violin lessons when she was seven years old. From 1989 Tessa studied with the famous violinteacher Lex Korff de Gidts at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague and she received the 'Teaching Degree' in May 1996.

Between 1996 and 2001 Tessa Severijns was the principal violinist of the ensemble of the well-known flutist Berdien Stenberg. With this ensemble she performed in The Netherlands and abroad.

Tessa was a regular substitute in 'Het Gelders Orkest' and in the musical 'Miss Saigon'. Besides that you can hear Tessa play at lots of studio-recordings.

In the past several years Tessa performed with a number of amateur symphony orchestras, as the principal violinist but also as a soloist. She also has participated in the Orchestra of the University of Music of The Hague and was a substitute of the Netherlands Ballet Orchestra.

Tessa attended masterclasses by Catherine Arnoux in France and by Robert Szreder and Russalja Gwasilja in Poland.

From 2002 until now Tessa works part-time as a staff member with Holland Symfonia at the department Marketing & Communication.

Click here for Tessa's personal site with information about the violin and lessons. (in Dutch only)

Mariëtte Laport, born in 1965 in Enschede, started her cello-career at the age of eight. From 1981 she studied at the Sweelinck University of Music of Amsterdam with Jean Decroos, principal cellist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. After her 'Teaching Degree' in 1987 Mariëtte studied with Philippe Muller at the 'Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique' in Paris.

Mariëtte was one of the soloists in the 'Orchestre Symphonique d'Europe' from 1988 to 1990 and since 1990 she was a regular substitute of 'Orchestre Symphonique Français', 'Orchestre de Paris' and 'Orchestre National de Radio France'. She performed with 'Orchestre de Chambre Lyrique de Paris' and string-quintet Khroma.

Mariëtte performed with singers and groups like Gilbert Bécaud, Michel Legrand, Michel Sardou, Richard Clayderman, Frédéric François, Johnny Halliday, Stevie Wonder, Alabina, Patrick Bruel, Mano Solo and Mammas. With Michel Legrand, Alabina, Richard Clayderman and Mammas she travelled to e.g. Great Britain, Germany, Denmark, Japan, USA, Canada, South and Central America, China, Korea, Vietnam and Lebanon.

Since januari 2000, Mariëtte is back in The Netherlands and she is active in musicals like 'Titanic', Stardust and film music.