Muziekschool Diemen is proud to announce that our violin teacher, Gabriëlle Butler, has successfully taken part in the popular TV program Het MAX Orkest on Dutch broadcaster Omroep MAX. During the exciting audition round, Gabriëlle impressed the jury and earned a coveted seat in the orchestra.
Hosted by well-known Dutch entertainer André van Duin, the show is a music talent competition created especially for performers aged 50 and older. Out of hundreds of applicants, only 23 seats were available: 20 for instrumentalists and 3 for vocalists. Contestants—ranging from former professionals to passionate amateurs—compete to form a unique pop-symphonic orchestra. The orchestra is conducted by Maurice Luttikhuis, with Francis van Broekhuizen and Ruben Hein on the jury. The program has been airing on NPO 1 since August 3 and can also be watched on NPO Start.
Gabriëlle Butler is no stranger to the music world. After finishing high school, she earned diplomas at the Conservatory of Enschede (studying with Jaap van Zweden) and the Conservatory of Utrecht (with Viktor Liberman). She has performed with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. Since 2019, she has been part of Muziekschool Diemen, where she teaches violin with passion and mentors young talents on their path toward conservatory studies.
Remarkably, Gabriëlle’s participation began with a student’s encouragement. “I love making music together, so I thought: I’ll give it a try,” she explains. Despite a difficult period in 2014, when she suffered a neck fracture, Gabriëlle never lost her love of music. Her perseverance and talent have now led to this wonderful achievement.
Het MAX Orkest will continue to air on NPO 1 for several more weeks. We warmly invite everyone to follow Gabriëlle’s musical journey and join us in celebrating this remarkable accomplishment.
