Maaike Aarts

Maaike trained at the Alexander Technique Centre Amsterdam under Paul Versteeg and Tessa Marwick from 1999-2002. Maaike has taught hands-on to trainees at ATCA for many years and has continued expanding her skills through private study with leading teachers like Missy Vineyard and John Nicholls. As a violinist, Maaike held the position of first violin in the world-famous Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra from 2004-2010. She then served as associate concertmaster of the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra from 2014-2018. Maaike has worked with musicians from virtually every major orchestra in the Netherlands, helping them prevent injuries and play with ease and flow. Her specialized expertise makes her an invaluable resource for both professional musicians and amateurs coming to her studio from all over the Netherlands and beyond. Maaike also teaches the Alexander Technique to music students at the Conservatory of Amsterdam and students of the Academy of the Concertgebouw.  She organizes AT retreats and gives workshops on audition training, orchestra playing and Flow. To help students worldwide practise the Alexander Technique between lessons, Maaike developed an app called Think Up: www.thinkup.nl/en/app.
This highly rated app contains over 100 audio guides with daily life activities like walking, computer work, bending, and various Alexander Technique procedures, as well as audio guides on wholeness, zooming out, and all-inclusive awareness. Her passion is sharing her musical mastery and Alexander Technique experience with empathy, enthusiasm, humour, and commitment.