COLLECTIVE LINGUA: OUR HISTORY
We embarked on our musical journey sometime during 2020, playing together in various school ensembles. The musical influences of the band members is wide-ranging, based on different genres. The chemistry of this mix inspired us to form Collective Lingua. Our name explains who we are and what we do, as we've been collaborating with various musicians that all speak the same musical language.
We started practising in attics, living rooms and at the school studios for the first gigs at schools, restaurants and family occasions. We participated in the qualifier for the Princes Christina Concours, Jazz section and for Hoeve Live. Since we don't have any singers in the band, we asked Levi Pot to be our guest singer for the Hoeve Live qualifier. There we played a mix of 70s and 80s pop and rock with more contemporary music. Although we didn't win, we had a great time on stage and received a great response from the audience.
We realised that we wanted to play music which was more in line with our common passion for jazz, fusion and funk.
This led us to pursuing and being granted 3 evenings at the Breda Jazz Festival. There we played a cool mix of jazz, fusion, funk and our first own compositions. We were received with very enthusiastic reactions from both the public and the organization of the festival.
Our journey of searching for our musical identity, both as a band and as individual musicians, has only just begun. Our shared passion and ambition for music will hopefully get us to amazing places, meeting awesome people, and grow as musicians.
XANDER CHERSONIOTAKIS
Keys
I started taking keyboard lessons from Pieter van Oosterhout when I was 7 years old. Later I switched to piano lessons and discovered that I enjoyed improvising. At the age of 9 I was able to attend a masterclass with the blind Dutch jazz pianist and teacher Bert van den Brink. He let me hear all kinds of variations and inversions and my passion for jazz music was born. I enjoy playing for an audience to share my passion for music, jazz, fusion and of course playing the piano.
MARC LULOFS
Drums
My introduction to drumming came when I was 2, my grandparents gave me a small drum kit for Christmas. At the age of 6 I started taking drum lessons and performing. Since studying at Codarts Lyceum in Rotterdam I have been taught by Bob Langenberg and Joey de Boer. They taught me to listen and learn to play jazz, fusion and funk music. I am always looking for people and artists to inspire me and I can learn from to try to get the most out of my music playing.
RUBEN VAN DEN ENDEN
Guitar
I am a 15 year old guitarist and have been playing the guitar since I was 7 years old. At the moment I am studying jazz at Codarts Lyceum in Rotterdam. Jazz is my favorite genre because of the freedom you get through improvisation. Next to improvisation I thoroughly enjoy writing music and playing it with the band. I hope to become a professional musician and inspire people listening to my music.
AUKE VAN STRALEN
Guitar
I am 15 years old and play the guitar since the age of 8. In those first years my teacher not only taught me to play the guitar but also the love for music. At the Codarts Lyceum in Rotterdam, I'm developing my musical identity and grabbing every opportunity to play the guitar with my fellow students. Ever since my first guitar lesson, my love and fascination for music has only grown. I don't think I will ever stop learning and being inspired to explore new things.
CORTO SCHIKS
Bass Guitar
I'm a 16 year old bassist from The Hague and have been playing the bass for four years. I study jazz at Codarts Lyceum in Rotterdam. My goal is to make it in the world of music and become a successful bassist.
EVA VAN CAMPO
Saxophone
I’m 16 years old, and I play the saxophone. I got into jazz and fusion when i attented the Codarts Lyceum in Rotterdam. My teachers, Ton van de Geijn en Nils van Haften, are learning me how to improvise and how to sound more like my idols. I love performing and I hope to become a professional musician en entertain people with my music.
RUBEN SMITH
Bass Guitar
I’m a 16 Year old bassist, I started playing the guitar when i was 4 years old, but I started playing more serious when i wanted to audition for the codarts lyceum (when i was 10). I switched to bass guitar when i entered 3th grade of Middle school. I have now graduated from the codarts lyceum, but i’ll never stop playing bass and will never stop trying to improve my musical and bass skills.