Niels Jacobs, Wilco Kamminga, Arjan Linker and Tim Ouwejan met through the Young Trombone Collective in 2015. After several years of playing together in not only this ensemble, but also many youth and student orchestras, it was clear that there was both a musical and a friendly connection. When the four trombonists were all studying Classical Trombone at the Conservatory of Amsterdam in September 2018, this new trombone quartet was formed.
The Nymphéas Trombone Quartet distinguishes itself not only by focussing on French Impressionistic repertoire, but also by consisting of four tenor trombones, instead of the traditional three tenors and a bass trombone. This results in a bright and elegant sound. The quartet aims to highlight the finer side of the trombone, which is not always associated with the instrument. Furthermore, the four young men strive to boost the trombone quartet repertoire by arranging and composing new music, and by inspiring other composers. In January 2021 they released their debut-CD “Orange, Blue and Pink”.
Niels Jacobs
Niels Jacobs was born in 1999 in Leiden. At eight years old he started music lessons and playing the euphonium in a local marching band. At the age of ten he switched to trombone and a few years later he discovered his love for classical music.When he was accepted in the Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands, he got a new teacher: Remko de Jager, who teaches at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. Niels started lessons there in 2016 and started his bachelor Classical Trombone in 2017. During his bachelor Niels was taught by Pierre Volders and Jörgen van Rijen as well. In 2018 he won the Princess Christina Competition, followed by many solo concerts throughout the whole country. He substitutes in many professional orchestras, among others the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra.
Wilco Kamminga
Wilco Kamminga (1998) started playing trombone when he was 9 years old. His first lesson he received from David Taylor. In 2013 he was accepted into the Young Talent Class of the Prins Claus Conservatory in Groningen. Wilco won different prizes at national competitions of which the Prinses Christina Concours and the National Solistenconcours. Since 2016 he studies with Jörgen van Rijen, Pierre Volders and Remko de Jager at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. During his studies he played in different orchestras and ensembles like the National Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands. Wilco often plays on an incidental basis in orchestras such as the North Netherlands Orchestra, the Marine band of the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.
Arjan Linker
Arjan Linker (2000) studies classical composition with Willem Jeths and Meric Artac and classical trombone with Jörgen van Rijen, Pierre Volders and Remko de Jager at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. He was previously awarded with the Koninklijk Conservatoriumprijs voor Jonge Componisten and the Drentse Talentprijs Cultuur. His music is being performed by the Metropole Orchestra, the Dutch Wind Ensemble, the Conservatory of Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra, the Atlas Ensemble, Brandt Attema, Bram van Sambeek and Sebastiaan Kemner, amongst other orchestras, ensembles and solists, and his music is programmed at festivals like the Grachtenfestival Amsterdam, the Gaudeamus Muziekweek and the NJO Muziekzomer at venues like Het Concertgebouw, TivoliVredenburg and De Doelen. As a trombonist Arjan substitutes for the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and gives concerts in which he regularly combines trombone with electronics. Also, he is founder, trombonist and composer for the crossover-ensemble Nachtlicht and trombonist for the Nymphéas Trombone Quartet.
Tim Ouwejan
Tim is studying his Bachelor Classical Trombone at the Conservatory of Amsterdam with Pierre Volders, Remko de Jager and Jörgen van Rijen. He received masterclasses from Ian Bousfield, Daniele Morandini, Sebastiaan Kemner, Bart van Lier, James Markey, Christian Jones, Adam Woolf and Tomer Maschkowski. Tim won prizes at the IPV trombone competition in Saarbrücken (3rd prize), at Classic Young Masters (Classic Young Masters Award, Young Talent Orchestra Award, Audience Award), the Prinses Christina Concours (2nd prize) and the International Trombone Festival (Gilberto Gigliardi competition: finalist). As an orchestral musician he has been active in the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orkest van het Oosten, brass ensembles of the Gelders Orkest and the Dutch National Youth Orchestra. As a soloist he played the Rimsky-Korsakov trombone concerto with the Young Talent Orchestra and he premiered a new solo concerto by Joop van Dijk called Parade for trombone and brass band.