Marulka Gijsen

“Marulka, would you like to play the violin?” father Jo asked his 7-year-old daughter. She said 'yes,' not quite knowing why. He had accurately assessed her talent, as she soon joined in with his folk group. The duet with her father 'The Sad Little Song' was always the highlight of every performance.

Her talent did not go unnoticed: at the age of 13, she was admitted to the young talent class of Jaap van Zweden at the conservatory in Rotterdam, where she also graduated as a performing musician.During her studies, she played in various renowned orchestras, ensembles, and chamber music groups.

However, the rigid confines of classical music began to stifle her. She discovered klezmer music, and for 5 years she enjoyed playing with the band Nigunim. Ultimately, she found her true freedom in the Cohen band, improvising and playing purely from her feelings. Someone once called her a gypsy girl — a description she identified with.

It's not surprising that Cohen's song "The Gypsy's Wife" is one of her favorites.