First of all, let me introduce myself.

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My name is Melissa Venema, I am 29 years old and I am a professional trumpet player. I graduated from the Amsterdam Conservatory in 2016.

 

Some highlights of my career are that at the age of 13 I was invited to perform as a soloist with André Rieu and his Johan Strauss orchestra. André Rieu invited me for fourteen concerts. We performed the beautiful Il Silenzio.

 

I have also won several prizes, including at the Chicago Brass Festival and the Princes Christina Competition. I also work a lot with Wibi Soerjadi and we regularly give concerts. I have performed in various countries, including America, Taiwan, Mexico, South Africa, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Slovakia, Canada and England. I have also performed as a soloist with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London, the Metropole Orchestra, Taipei Chinese Orchestra, the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Durango Symphony Orchestra.  

 

Playing the trumpet is not only my profession, but it is also my passion. For me, making music is a way to express my emotion.

 

Now that I have been in the business for 21 years and I am allowed to give concerts all over the world, I find that organizing music for funerals is one of the most meaningful and beautiful things I can do. The music is the setting for a funeral and it will bring memories with it forever. I am grateful if I can support the relatives with this.