ABOUT

Gijs Idema (24) started playing the guitar when he was eleven. At first he chose the music of Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, but with a slight stop at classical music he arrived at beautiful world of jazz. After hearing guitarists like Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass and Jim Hall Gijs was convinced that he wanted to be a jazz guitarist.

A few years later Gijs finished his bachelor at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, after studying with Jesse van Ruller and Reinier Baas, with the highest honors possible. He then moved to New York to pursue his masters at the Manhattan School of Music where he got the chance to study with Jim McNeely, Ron Carter, Dave Liebman and Arturo O'Farill.

Apart from the guitar Gijs is also focusses on composing for various settings and ensembles. Most of Gijs' compositions have been recorded and released with Anna Serierse, Nina Rompa and the Gijs Idema Trio. However some of the (still) unrecorded repertoire includes pieces for String Quartet, Flute Trio, Choir, Piano, Solo Voice and Guitar. These compositions will be featured in a bigger project of Gijs that will take place in spring 2020 and will be realized by some unique and inspiring ensembles and musicians from Amsterdam.

Nowadays Gijs spends most of his time working with his trio and exploring the collaboration with singer Anna Serierse. With who he will release the highly anticipated album ‘’MOTUS’’. Gijs also released his first solo record ‘’MARKING TIME’’ in august 2020, before that was the album ‘’SQUARES’’ by the Gijs Idema Trio. Apart from these recordings Gijs won the Prinses Christina Jazz Concours (2014), Leidse Jazz Award (2016), Expression of Art Award (2017), Keep an Eye Records (2019) and the Conservatorium Talent Award (2020) as well as receiving financial support from the Prins Bernhard CultuurFonds, VandenEnde Foundation and VSB Fonds for his projects.