Director Jack Pisters: “The guitar will continue to fascinate me until the end of my days.”

Surprisingly, Jack Pisters’ musical career did not begin with a guitar. “I started playing the recorder when I was six and began classical piano lessons at eight. Around the age of twelve, things started to stir: after becoming fascinated by Elvis Presley, I went crazy for rock music through the records of my older sisters. In my first year of secondary school, during shop class at grammar school, I built my own electric guitar because people at home weren’t quite convinced about the switch yet.”

“For the sake of peace”

“I saved up for a guitar amplifier by picking cherries — 50 guilders, bought from a friend of my sister — and after that, there was no stopping me. When my first guitar warped because of overly heavy strings, I finally got my first official electric guitar.” Still, Jack did not immediately say goodbye to the piano, although he admits he mainly kept playing it “for the sake of peace.” The guitar quickly took over. “By studying a lot on my own and taking lessons for a short period, I progressed quickly. I realized that was where my talent lay, and I started practicing fanatically.”

And talented he was. At just seventeen years old, he won Gary Moore’s guitar through a solo competition. “The moment I was able to receive his guitar from his own hands was incredibly meaningful to me.” Around that same time, his band Avalon also started gaining momentum. “I was playing so much that studying anything other than at a conservatory felt illogical.” At the time, however, conservatories only offered classical and jazz programs. “Because I played electric guitar, there was really only one option left. Of course they could hear that jazz was still quite new to me, but fortunately I was still accepted into the program.”

Soylent Green

For six years, Pisters studied at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague. “After my jazz studies, in which I focused heavily on bebop but also fusion and jazz rock, I decided to fully return to the rock path. My new band and project became Soylent Green, with whom we made a very well-received album and toured intensively for several years.” But it did not stop there. Jack explains: “In addition, I recorded many soundtracks for Dutch films and television series in a wonderful collaboration with composer Fons Merkies. I also ended up in the band of Keith Caputo. I toured with him for five years and recorded multiple albums.”

Anouk

From a young age, Jack attended remarkable concerts, for example at Pinkpop and venues such as the Rodahal in Kerkrade. “My first major concert, when I was thirteen, was Rainbow featuring my teenage idol Ritchie Blackmore. In 1980, I also saw Van Halen at Pinkpop. That was when I thought: this is what I want too. The fact that years later I would stand there myself with Anouk was truly a bucket-list moment.” Later, he even became her musical director for the Who’s Your Mama tour.

Education

Jack did not limit himself to life as a performing musician. He also loved teaching. “That always felt very natural and inspiring to me. From the age of sixteen, I already had my own guitar school in the south of the Netherlands, where I helped students with improvisation and worked out parts by great guitarists for them. Of course, this was long before the internet and mobile phones — basically ancient history.”

It was during his own studies at the Royal Conservatoire that he realized he had different ideas about education. “That’s why I decided to fully commit to a role at arts center Koorenhuis in The Hague.” Soon after, the Conservatorium van Hilversum was added to his career path as well. “I started as a methodology teacher for guitar, but gradually grew into head of educational development, while also teaching subjects such as business skills and studio practice.”

Pop Department

After the merger with the Sweelinck Conservatorium, Pisters was given the opportunity to continue building at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. “Eventually, we created our own pop department, a department for electronic music, a pop master’s program, and a young talent program for pop music in the broadest sense. From Bruno Mars to Frank Zappa, you could say. In a way, I created the education program I myself would have wanted to attend as a guitarist.” The program has since produced many outstanding artists, he explains: “In terms of guitarists, we know artists such as Pablo van de Poel, Jett Rebel, and Kees Lewiszong and Roman Huijbreghs of Navarone.”

Humble

Since 2012, Jack has also been active as artistic director of the Amsterdam Guitar Heaven Festival, and since 2016 he has additionally been involved with the Sena European Guitar Awards. “That developed over the years מתוך a love for the instrument and the mission to share inspiration and knowledge from top players with young talent and enthusiasts.” It is especially the conversations with award winners that Jack finds impressive. “It’s fascinating to notice that we often revere and study the same hundred albums or guitarists. Musicians who study hard are often surprisingly humble about their place within the artistic spectrum.”

Even after years as an educator and executive, Pisters has learned that he never wants to completely let go of the guitar and music. “Nowadays I may take on a different role, but I still perform live and record whenever possible, although I plan it a bit more carefully now. During the period when I was building an educational program while also touring with artists, it sometimes required a lot of juggling at the expense of sleep and rest.”

There is still so much left to discover about the guitar, according to Jack. “Through direct contact with the strings, you can shape your own tone, expression, and nuances. At the same time, the instrument is accessible: you can learn the basics of playing songs quite well on your own. But great guitarists develop a very personal sound and feel within that same instrument, allowing you to recognize them instantly.” Translating your musical ideas through your hands onto the strings remains a fascinating process, says Jack. “It will probably continue to fascinate me until the end of my days.”

BRIDGE Guitar Festival

From Wednesday, May 27 through Sunday, May 31, 2026, that richness of the guitar will be celebrated during the fourth edition of the BRIDGE Guitar Festival Eindhoven. As the largest and most diverse guitar festival in the Benelux, it connects genres, cultures, and communities while putting the guitar — one of the world’s most widely played instruments — center stage. During the previous edition of the festival, 16,000 guitar enthusiasts attended the event, which features numerous activities at indoor and outdoor locations, including concerts, workshops, masterclasses, and an extensive guitar fair. Part of the program can also be attended free of charge.

The free city programming consists of dozens of artists and bands spread across multiple unique locations over two days. From atmospheric squares to intimate hospitality venues, the program promises a diverse mix of styles and surprises, turning the entire city into a celebration of guitar music.

View the full BRIDGE program at www.bridgefestival.com