Director cooperative Rabobank region The Hague: 'As a partner of the Residentie Orkest we want to make art accessible' 

We kick off the year with great news: starting this month, Rabobank region The Hague is a partner of our social pillar SYMPHONY 2030. Under this banner, we connect young and old, local residents and the city with the power of music. On January 21, Sven Arne Tepl, general and artistic director of the Residentie Orkest, and Harry Wientjens, director cooperative Rabobank region The Hague, sealed the partnership in the Concert Hall of Amare. 

SYMPHONY 2030 consists of several projects through which we work for a more beautiful The Hague. For example, we organize Appeltaart concerts for the elderly with Alzheimer's and for local residents the Concert for Transvaal. Children discover their talents in City Orchestra The Residents and young people get a stage with Stage Your Voice. These initiatives owe their success in part to our partners, to which we can now proudly add Rabobank. We asked Harry Wientjens what makes Rabobank and Residentie Orkest such a good match. 

What does the Residentie Orkest mean to you?
'Ever since I started working at Rabobank The Hague Region fifteen years ago, I have seen Residentie Orkest as an important connector for the people of the city. The offer is very diverse with surprising musical cross-pollinations, such as the combination of rap and classical music. That makes it accessible to a wide audience. As a music lover myself, I have attended several concerts, such as Last The Hague Grand Gala, and find it impressive time and again how the musicians become one with their instrument. How they convey their feeling and passion with it, holding my attention completely and transporting me into a story. Because that is music: a story to which you make up your own images. That's what makes music such a strong crowbar to get the dialogue going. Music connects. 

You yourself were born and raised in The Hague. How do you see the city?
'The Hague has a good cultural offer and has great diversity. It is a village and city in one, with an international appeal. That diversity is immediately the biggest challenge: we want to create connection despite the big differences. What is the tone of the city? If you put all the subareas of the city together, you quickly get the equalizer effect: then you no longer hear all the unique differences. With an eye for the micro areas, you arrive at the right composition. Then the sum becomes a piece of music you want to hear. 

Rabobank's mission statement is Growing a better world together. How does our collaboration contribute to this?
'The mission deals with major themes aimed at a better living environment. Think about the food chain, sustainable housing, corporate social responsibility and energy transition. But also about financially healthier living: how do we ensure that people handle money smartly? And how do we improve the local environment? Questions like these make those big themes tangible, and you can really make a difference. And that is our goal. The cooperation with Residentie Orkest contributes greatly to this: we show that as a bank we do things differently. And we show our intrinsic motivation to use art and culture to improve the local living environment. Together we make art more accessible and bring the different worlds of the city closer together.' 

Interview by Lisanne Onderwater
Image Jorieke de Vet