The Rijks Quartet

Irene Piazza, Italian violinist, is a graduate of the Conservatory of Amsterdam, where she has obtained her master with Vera Beths. During her path she was mentored by teachers such as Ilya Grubert, Maria Milstein, Aldo Campagnari and Antonio Mameli. She is an active chamber music player, and her interest goes beyond the classical performance, which led her to experience interdisciplinary performances and experimental music. Irene is also passionate about the orchestra repertoire, and she has shared the stage with amazing musicians and conductors such as Ilabelle Faust, Valentyna Lysycja, Shunske Sato, Jeffrey Tate and Olari Elts. Irene plays L. Houniet violin and a L. H. Gillet bow, both courtesy of the Dutch Nationaal Muziekinstrumenten Fonds.

Laura Soeters is a Dutch violinist who is currently studying at the Conservatory of Amsterdam with Maria Milstein. Before, she went to the School for Young Talent in The Hague, where she was taught by Kerstin Hoelen, Koosje van Haeringen, and Janet Krause. Furthermore, she received lessons from violinists Nicholas Wright, Alexander Sitkovetsky, Moshe Hammer, Daniel Rowland, and Mathieu van Bellen. She participated in several masterclasses, amongst others, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestral Institute, the Aurora Music Festival in Sweden, and het Peter de Grote Festival. Laura is currently playing a violin of Marten Cornelissen (NMF) and a Sartory bow, in free loan of the Gagliano String Instruments Foundation.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Fiachra de hOra is establishing himself as a keen chamber musician. He has given a sold-out solo recital in Ireland's National Concert Hall, and often features at chamber music festivals in Ireland and the UK. He also enjoys performing with the Irish Chamber Orchestra and The Netherlands Chamber Orchestra. He was awarded 3rd prize and the audience prize in the 5th National Dutch Viola Competition, and he has performed solo with the Ulster Orchestra and Camerata Ireland. He is currently completing his Bachelor’s degree with Nobuko Imai and Marjolein Dispa at the Conservatory of Amsterdam.

Nathalie Flintrop (2000) is a Belgian-Dutch cellist. She started her music studies as a student of Mick Stirling and finished her bachelor degree in the class of Pieter Wispelwey, with whom she is now studying her masters. She followed masterclasses with a.o. Jean-Guihen Queyras, Gary Hoffman, Reinhard Latzko, Michel Strauss, Jérôme Pernoo, Dmitri Ferschtman. Nathalie was the principal cellist in the Euregio Youth Orchestra and in 2021 she was a member of the Dutch National Youth Orchestra. Nathalie regularly plays as a substitute with the Cello Octet Amsterdam, the Ragazze string quartet, and Pynarello. In 2017, Nathalie participated in Dezeslessix, the youth panel of the Flemish Radio and Television Broadcasting at the Queen Elisabeth Competition for cello. In 2022 she was invited again as a guest on Canvas.