Music makes our life richer and fills it with beauty.
“Develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music – the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself!”
Watching these musicians, gives me motivation to keep playing and progressing, so I am sharing this with you, hoping it will have the same effect. Enjoy!
Ralf Leenen, playing on an Embergher Mandolin
See Ralf Leenen in action, performing Preludio N°1, R. Calace, for mandolin solo, on an Embergher N°5, (recorded: 22/04/2005)
About Ralf Leenen
Ralf Leenen (°Antwerpen, 1974) started playing mandolin at the age of six, at the academy “Cantilene” where he was a pupil of Joe Van Dunnegem. He became first mandolin player in the Royal Estudiantina “La Napolitaine” at twelve years old and two years later he became the orchestra’s leading soloist and concertmaster. Under guidance of Henri Gamblin he continued studying classical Italian mandolin technique in the tradition of Silvio Ranieri.
Ralf studied violin at the Brussels Royal Conservatory with Clemens Quatacker and later on with Igor en Valery Oistrakh. As second instrument he studied classical guitar with Albert Sunderman. In 1997 he graduated as “Master in Music”.
Since 1999 he succeeded Henri Gamblin as director and leader of the Royal Estudiantina “La Napolitaine”. As a multitalented musician Ralf regularly performs on both the mandolin and violin and also gives solo recitals with piano accompaniment.
Together with Barry Pratt he is author of the book “The Embergher Mandolin”.
You can read more at The Embergher Mandolin
