Tsjerk. One of our originals

“I hope I can do this. That was my first thought when I woke up that morning. I’d tossed and turned the whole night, I was so nervous my voice would give up on me. That evening, I stood soaking wet from the rain with the rest of my choir on the podium, the adrenaline pumping through my body. I spotted my dad in the audience and, grinning broadly, he took a photo of me. And when I sung my first note, it was as if all the tension just slipped away.

"I stood there soaking wet from the rain, the adrenaline pumping through my body."

I was in class when I got the email. The subject heading read ‘Congratulations! The Passion 2023’. I didn’t understand it at first. I thought my audition hadn’t gone well, so I really hadn’t expected to get a place in the choir. I started studying the songs straight away. On my own. It wasn’t until the final rehearsal that we actually all sang together. And then when I heard all the different voices, everything just fell into place. Goosebumps!

I didn’t used to always enjoy performing. Sometimes I was so nervous that once I was on stage, I couldn’t produce a single note. It was such a shame that something I so enjoyed doing created so much stress. Singing is my way of ventilating; it’s how I deal with my emotions. So it has to be enjoyable, I think. It’s why I’ve never been drawn to singing professionally. But after this little adventure, who knows, I might be drawn on to the stage more often.

Tsjerk Buruma, Communication student

Maritime Institute Willem Barentsz

NHL Stenden Hogeschool

Thorbecke Academy

NHL Stenden Hotel Management School

Tsjerk. One of our originals

"I stood there soaking wet from the rain, the adrenaline pumping through my body."

Bas Wortelboer

Zoë Mapley

Carmen Lisa Peper

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