BIOGRAPHY

Sebastiaan is an all-round cellist who delved into the genre of comtemporary music since his studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London.

Growing up in a musical environment, Sebastiaan started playing the cello at a young age. A few years later he was admitted to the Young Talent Class of the Conservatory of Amsterdam, where he studied with Maarten Mostert. Sebastiaan continued his studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London with Louise Hopkins. In 2008, he graduated with honors for his bachelor's degree and received the prestigious Concert Recital Diploma. In 2010 he obtained his master's degree.

Van Halsema has appeared as a soloist with many orchestra's, including the Netherlands Promenade Orchestra, the Netherlands Youth String Orchestra and the North Holland Youth Orchestra and Caecilia Camerata playing pieces by Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, Dvorak and C.P.E. Bach. Sebastiaan works as cello co-principal in the "Orkest van het Oosten" since 2012 and has been the solo cellist of the ASKO | Schönberg ensemble and since 2019.

Sebastiaan is a passionate chamber musician and has participated in several music festivals all over the world including IMS Prussia Cove, Bowdoin International Music Festival and Holland Music Sessions. He took masterclasses with Anner Bijlsma, Paul Katz, Steven Doane, Pieter Wispelwey and chamber music master classes with Mstislav Rostropovich, Gary Hoffman, Valeria Szervánszky, Nobuku Imai and the Florestan trio. Sebastiaan was a prize winner during the national final of the Princess Christina Competition in 2003 and winner of several scholarships, including the Martin Musical Scholarship Fund award.