It’s a joy to see the winner of last year’s Talent Contest taking such giant steps forward! We’re happy to bask in the glow, but the real credit goes to the fiddle player at the heart of it all: Noah Hassler-Forest, whose path to a shining bluegrass career was already beginning to unfold at a very young age.

At just five years old, Noah heard bluegrass for the first time and, despite his age, instantly knew: this is what I want to do. He began with violin and piano lessons and quickly found himself performing with youth orchestras. After earning a master’s degree at the Utrecht Conservatory, he moved to Barcelona to study jazz violin. He has since won several jazz competitions and developed a deep passion for the genre - but at the core of his musical soul lies bluegrass.

After his victory in Rotterdam in 2024, Hassler-Forest formed the aptly named Blue Forest Pickers: a phenomenal group featuring Noah on fiddle, Tjebbe Zeeman on guitar, Kylie Kay Anderson on mandolin, Nathalie Schaap on upright bass, and Joshua Herwig on the unusually bluegrass-ish cello. Together, they bring a fresh and boundary-pushing approach to the genre. With instrumental virtuosity and powerful vocal harmonies, they blend traditional roots with influences from jazz and world music. They shift effortlessly between driving rhythms and lyrical melodies, offering up a mix of bold original compositions and reverent takes on bluegrass classics.

Come see this exciting new quintet bursting with talent, and prepare to be swept away by stirring tunes, fiery improvisations, and infectious energy that will speak to both bluegrass purists and adventurous listeners alike.