Productions
Vrienden van de Kamermuziek is a concert series founded by Lestari in 2011. Ever since Lestari has been the artistic director of the series. The goals of Vrienden van de Kamermuziek are to convey chamber music to a wide audience and to allow the new generation of musicians to blossom. Each year five unique and versatile concerts are programmed. Lestari is devoted to creating a meaningful and inspiring concert series for young and old. To fully understand the music's experience, each piece is explained and every concert has its own theme. Afterward, visitors are offered free refreshments and snacks and Lestari is always open to a chat about the pieces. In cooperation with Stichting Stadsherstel, the concerts are being hosted in the heart of Amsterdam at the Duif and the Amstelchurch.
For more information, check http://vriendenvandekamermuziek.nl/
Baby Concerts
For more information, check http://vriendenvandekamermuziek.nl/Vrienden-van-de-Kamermuziek/nl-NL/babyconcerten.aspx
Lestari organizes concerts for the youngest music lovers in collaboration with Vrienden van de Kamermuziek. Inspired by her own little one, she came up with the concept of baby concerts. Listening to and interacting with music enhances the cognitive development of babies, especially when they are aged between approximately 4 months and 1.5 years old. The concerts are adapted to the attention span of babies, and will only last 30 minutes. An intimate and cozy setting is created by using pillows and blankets instead of chairs. The babies can dream away to Brahms and De Falla lullabies, clap along to Mozart’s variations on ‘Always is Kortjakje ill’ and crawl around to playful and gentle music by Grieg, Schumann, and Poulenc. Not only are the babies exposed to beautiful music, but fragrance dispensers and bubble blowers are also present. Altogether, Lestari is dedicated to creating a musical and fun morning for young families. Due to their popularity, the baby concerts frequently take place at the Vondelchurch in Amsterdam. Lestari invites her own Trio 258 and soprano Kirila Kraal to the stage.
Pianoduo Festival Amsterdam
For more information, check https://www.pianoduofestival.nl/
Lestari founded the Pianoduo Festival Amsterdam (PFA) in collaboration with her piano duo partner Gwylim Janssens in 2017. Thereafter Lestari and Gwylim have hosted the PFA annually. Every December, the city will turn purple for four days and piano duo concerts can be enjoyed throughout all the districts of Amsterdam. The stage is taken by famous piano duos as well as young talents. Besides bringing attention to piano duo music, Lestari is committed to delivering a program suitable for young and old. In addition, different cultural backgrounds are incorporated into the program. Apart from the festival in December, the PFA initiated The Pianoduo Festival Composition Competition (PFCC). PFCC is for young composers up to 35 years old, living in the Netherlands, and studying or graduating from a conservatory. The winner is selected by an expert jury consisting of Jonás Bisquert (Gaudeamus programmer), Geoffrey Madge (pianist, specialist in contemporary repertoire), Peter-Jan Wagemans (composer) and the Scholtes & Janssens Piano Duo. As of 2023 on top of the festival in December and the PFCC, a spring edition is part of PFA as well!
Vrienden van de Kamermuziek
Programming