Melissa Venema
Melissa Venema (born April 12, 1995, in Alkmaar) is a Dutch trumpeter. Life. Melissa started playing recorder at age 6 and moved to trumpet by age 8. When she was 10, she auditioned successfully at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, training under Frits Damrow, a world-famous trumpeter. She has since performed in numerous public broadcasts, including an internationally broadcast performance of Haydn's Trumpet Concerto in the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. Melissa also plays on her own custom made Yamaha trumpet, and four other trumpets. Awards. Melissa has won several awards over the years, with more  recent achievements including taking third place at the Chicago International Brass Festival and several prizes in the Princess Christina Competition. In 2010, she received the Encouragement Prize of Culture of the City Zaanstad. She has also worked with the violinist André Rieu.