Rutger Mathys

Rutger's life is an ode to music and boundless creativity.

From the age of six, Rutger embarked on his musical journey, starting with the piano. Classical roots laid the foundation, but his heart found its true home in jazz, as he delved into the art at music high school. It was there that he discovered his passion for the chromatic harmonica, a unique instrument that became his artistic canvas.

Devoting six years to the pursuit of mastery, Rutger immersed himself in the world of the chromatic harmonica within the Jazz Bachelor's and Master's program at the prestigious Codarts conservatory in Rotterdam, Netherlands. In 2022, a game-changing moment arrived when he won the Toots Thielemans Challenge, supported by Toots' own management. This win marked a turning point in his career.

His music has resonated on grand stages, from a performance for Belgium's royal family to Berlin and gracing the Brussels and North Sea Jazz Festival in 2023. Beyond solo endeavors, Rutger has his own diverging bands. His "Duo Gaitar" with his former teacher Marijn van der Linden explores a blend of jazz, chanson, and Brazilian music, thrilling crowds time after time.

Rutger is also a part of the music collective 'Shikata Ga Nai,' a funk-fusion band, with whom he released their debut album in October 2023. Co-leading the “Mathys/Idris Quartet," he won the Dinant Jazz Contest in July 2023. In 2024, he was one of "De Twintigers" of the national broadcaster Klara. His artistic spirit extends to theater projects, tango ensembles, choro groups, and more.

In essence, Rutger is a masterful musician crafting evocative landscapes, both within the borders of music as beyond. But most importantly: across them!