Djessy van den Dries is a Dutch violinist, singer, and composer known for
moving fluidly between classical tradition and contemporary innovation.
She holds two master’s degrees, graduating Cum Laude from Codarts
University of the Arts with main subjects violin and composition, and
graduating with Distinction from Berklee College of Music (Valencia),
where she studied Contemporary Performance and Production. Her
training includes a.o. classical violin, Argentinean tango, global music,
jazz- and classical composition, and songwriting - giving her a distinctive
voice both on stage and in her writing. She studied these subjects under
the guidance of a.o. Stephen Meyer, Federico Nathan, Gustavo Beytelmann, 
and Viktorija Pilatovic.
She is currently developing her solo project Djessy Swan, with songs that
use her classical and tango background with a contemporary vision. Her
debut EP, What Souls Are Made Of, was released in May 2025.
 

Performance Highlights
Djessy has performed across a broad variety of venues and festivals, including:

  • North Sea Jazz Festival
  • International Chamber Music Festival
  • Het Concertgebouw
  • Palau de Les Arts Reina Sofia
  • De Doelen 

Several projects have been important for the development of her personal style and career:

  • Touring Europe with the renowned tango ensemble Astillero
  • Being a longtime member (violin section and soloist) of the Latin
    Grammy-nominated Gran Orquesta Típica OTRA
  • Being part of (orchestral) performances with contemporary artists
    such as Becca Stevens, Banda Magda, and members of Snarky Puppy
  • Featuring as soloist with the Escuela Reina Sofia – Berklee Orchestra 


As Composer & Arranger
Djessy is active as a composer and arranger for large ensembles and
interdisciplinary projects, combining classical instrumentation with
contemporary sensibilities.
Past projects include:

  • Codarts Pop Orchestra - composer
  • Escuela Reina Sofia – Berklee Orchestra - arranger
  • A Les Arts productions at Palau de Les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia, Spain - composer
  • EP What Souls Are Made Of, for artistic project Djessy Swan, featuring a total of 30 musicians - composer

Sound & Style
Her work has a cinematic style that blends the emotive lyricism of
classical music with the harmonic language of contemporary music, the
storytelling atmosphere of tango, and the textures of modern production. Her
music has been called colourful, kaleidoscopic and journey-like by
listeners, always seeking a balance between harmony and surprise.
Influences of her compositional work include Astor Piazzolla,
Claude Debussy, Olafur Arnalds, Laura Mvula and Jacob Collier.