Brass Band Music Resounds at Conservatory in the Netherlands
ORANJESTAD – Recently, the Jellow House event took place in the Netherlands, where the Aruban delegation attended presentations by students participating in this study program.
Student Juean Orman, currently pursuing a degree in Global Music, explained the process of forming their music ensemble for the project at the conservatory.
Codarts University of the Arts in Rotterdam is a Dutch university of applied sciences offering programs in music, dance, and circus arts. The Rotterdam Conservatory, part of Codarts, is one of the largest in the country, with more than 900 students. It offers bachelor’s degrees in a wide range of disciplines, including music theater, pop, jazz, composition/arranging, music production, Argentine tango, Indian music, flamenco, Latin/Latin jazz/Brazilian music, Turkish music, classical music, and music education.
The school regularly organizes public performances, often held at the nearby concert hall De Doelen. For this occasion, the ARB Brass Band was invited to perform in September. Their presentation created a vibrant and engaging atmosphere, with the audience enthusiastically responding to the performance. Many international students—some of whom had never experienced this type of music before—were pleasantly surprised by the Aruban sound.
According to Juean Orman, it was an honor to showcase the warmth and energy of Aruban music and share the island’s infectious spirit. The ARB Brass Band mainly consists of Aruban musicians, but it aims to include international students and musicians from neighboring islands as well. This will enable the group to expand its range and incorporate diverse cultural influences.
The band has now been active for about three years and previously performed at the Paranda Rubiano event. After the original leader returned to Aruba, the ensemble experienced some changes in membership. A new leader has now assumed control and is committed to further developing the group while preserving its brass band tradition.
Orman encourages young musicians seeking to strengthen their skills or technical foundation to consider studying at this school in the Netherlands. He also highlights that Aruba offers music schools where students can expand their knowledge and technique. His message to aspiring musicians is clear: keep dreaming, because nothing in this world is impossible.
Regarding music projects back home, Orman strongly supports the initiative. He believes Aruba needs more music programs and stresses the importance of introducing children to instruments at an early age so they can build a solid foundation. Learning the rhythms of tambu, waltz, march, and calypso from childhood, he says, is invaluable. He considers the program a wonderful initiative by the government aimed at strengthening cultural development among the youth.