Rutger Mathys & Elias Dhooge on harmonica and piano: Hymn for Peace

Rutger Mathys is considered by the Belgian-Dutch jazz scene to be one of the most promising talents of the moment. As a master of the chromatic harmonica, he graduated cum laude from the jazz department of the Conservatorium van Rotterdam in 2024. He has played alongside legends such as Philip Catherine and Bert Joris, performed at major festivals such as the Gent Jazz Festival, the Brussels Jazz Festival, and the North Sea Jazz Festival, and won several prestigious awards — including the Toots Thielemans Challenge in 2022 and the Dinant Jazz Contest in 2023. In 2024, he was selected by the Belgian radio station Klara as one of the “Twintigers” (Twentysomethings), and his music is regularly heard there. With his latest composition, Hymne for Peace, Rutger Mathys also shows his voice as a composer. The piece carries a universal message — a call for connection and peace — and proves that his talent extends beyond the stage alone. In times of unrest, his music sounds like a much-needed reminder of what brings us together.