EFFEA Jury

“At Wonderfeel, all your stress disappears. Top performances in an idyllic setting - what more could one ask for in times of crisis?” (Dutch newspaper Trouw) 

Wonderfeel is an outdoor classical music festival nestled in the woods near Amsterdam. Co-founded (in 2015) and directed by Tamar Brüggemann, the festival offers a unique blend of nature, music, and community. Tamar began her career at the Utrecht Early Music Festival and later managed the baroque orchestra Holland Baroque. In 2019, she initiated What About Now, an all-night programme focused on social sustainability and celebrating the present moment. 

In addition to her work at Wonderfeel, Tamar holds and has held several advisory positions, including with the Performing Arts Fund NL, the Municipality of Rotterdam, and the City of Amersfoort. She regularly gives guest lectures at universities and art schools, and serves on the advisory committee of the Istanbul Music Festival. Tamar is also a board member of the European Festivals Association and the Performing Arts Festivals Association in the Netherlands. 

In recent years, she has served on various juries, including the Matthijs Vermeulen Prize for Dutch composers, the International Lied Festival Zeist, the Keep an Eye Production Award and the Hogenbijl Music Award. 

Tamar’s commitment to sustainability is reflected in her co-founding of the European Festivals Forest Foundation. In partnership with European festivals, the foundation aims for net-zero emissions. This summer, they celebrated the planting of their 20,000th tree in Iceland. 
 
Since last year, she’s also hooked on table tennis and now tries to find a ping pong table in every city she visits.