As a page turner, you have the best seat’
Admittedly, Nico never aspired to become a page turner. ‘I simply said “yes” when I was asked once. And to this day, I still do.’ His musical journey began at the age of seven when he started playing the piano. Later, around the age of fourteen, he took up the cello. ‘I’m now in my final year of studying cello in Tilburg. My musical background helps me enormously in my work. When your only job is to turn a page at the right moment, it’s quite useful to know what you’re looking at.’
Magical moments
‘The term ‘page turner’ needs no explanation. It’s a relatively simple task, yet one mistake can disrupt an entire concert,’ Nico explains. ‘Musicians have the power to change someone’s world in a matter of moments, and that’s especially true for the pianists I work with.’ But he believes it’s not just the pianist who has the power to influence an audience. ‘As a page turner, I ensure that the pianist can fully focus on those magical moments in the music without worrying about the score. In that sense, I feel a page turner also contributes to the concert experience.’
Anyone who assumes that Nico meticulously studies the sheet music beforehand is mistaken. ‘That might help others, but I prefer not to listen to or look at the music before the concert. I actually think it works to my advantage when the pieces are new to me—it keeps me sharp.’ Of course, that’s not always the case. ‘Sometimes I’m already familiar with the repertoire because I’ve played it myself.’
Calm and focused
What Nico does do is go through the basics of the pieces with the pianist beforehand. ‘For example, when I need to turn the pages, whether there are repeats, or if any passages are being skipped. Sometimes the pianist even prefers to turn certain pages themselves.’ For Evgeny Kissin’s concert in January, he was asked to rehearse a day in advance at the request of the master pianist. ‘But that hardly ever happens.’
Things don’t always go according to plan: sheet music can fall, unexpected repeats can occur—anything can happen. ‘The most important thing is to stay calm and focused.’ Nico speaks from experience. ‘There was a time when a pianist hadn’t mentioned that they were skipping a section. So I didn’t turn the page, but the pianist resolved it on their own. In those moments, you just have to keep going and leave the ‘mistake’ behind.’
One of the biggest challenges for Nico is stiff paper. ‘Sometimes pages turn by themselves, which means I have to stand up more often.’ Technique is key. ‘I try to move as efficiently and calmly as possible—and, of course, as elegantly as the situation allows.’
Memories
Over the years, Nico has assisted many renowned pianists, and he cherishes certain concerts. ‘The performance by Kissin, Capuçon, Kremer, and Rysanov was incredible. I absolutely love Shostakovich, and the entire programme was dedicated to him!’ He also fondly remembers the kindness of Dutch pianist Ronald Brautigam and Australian Kristian Bezuidenhout. ‘We had great conversations about all sorts of things—the oddities of life.’
On Tuesday, 11 March, Nico will once again take his place on stage, this time beside master pianist Maria João Pires, as she performs with Ignasi Cambra. Perhaps this will become another unforgettable memory?