On October 3rd Jazz guitarist Gijs Idema won the Conservatorium Talent Award 2020. During the competition, held at the Verkadefabriek in Den Bosch, Idema also won the award for 'Best composition'. In total he received a prize of €6.000,- and a performance at the Jazz in Duketown festival 2021.

The jury, consisting of Aad van Nieuwkerk (VPRO, Radio 4), composer/arranger Rob Horsting, Frank Bolder (i.a. LantarenVenster and North Sea Jazz Festival),  journalist Micha Andriessen and vocalist Kim Hoorweg, said the following about Gijs: "Gijs does what he loves and doesn't doubt himself. Musically he is as playfull as he is mature”.

Previous winners of the Conservatorium Talent Award include Mo van der Does, Esther van Hees, Maarten Hogenhuis and Jasper van Damme.

Gijs is a second year master student jazz guitar at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. In 2018 he received his bachelors degree in jazz guitar with honors from the CvA.