Diet Tilanus is a violinist of rare versatility whose artistry spans the worlds of performance, leadership, and education. Since 2022, she has served as Artistic Director of the celebrated Bach Week at the Luther Museum, bringing her distinctive vision to this cherished event.
A sought-after presence at some of Europe’s finest chamber music festivals, she particularly enjoys returning to the international festival Elba Isola Musicale d’Europa, where in August 2025 she gave a memorable concert alongside the legendary Martha Argerich. She has also performed at the Arties Festival in India, the Festival de Cordes-sur-Ciel in France, and Amsterdam’s Grachtenfestival.
She is co-founder of Trio Ljósa, together with soprano Guja Sandholt and pianist Heleen Vegter, as well as of a duo partnership with Hungarian cellist Örs Kőszeghy.
Beyond the stage, Diet is passionately dedicated to nurturing the next generation of exceptional musicians. She coaches the Dutch Youth String Orchestra and was honoured with an invitation to serve as Artistic Director and Concertmaster of the Master Students Orchestra at the Conservatory of San Sebastián, Musikene.
In 2023, she led an orchestra of alumni from the Concertgebouw Orchestra Academy in a celebrated performance in the Small Hall of the Concertgebouw—an institution of which she herself was a member as an Academy participant from 2005 to 2006.
Diet is a valued guest artist with some of the world’s most eminent ensembles, including the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the London Symphony Orchestra. She also serves as section leader with Phion and the Leonore Orchestra.
From 2009 to 2026, she was a member of Amsterdam Sinfonietta, where she also assumed the role of section leader.
She performs on an Italian violin made by Goffredo Cappa in 1690, generously entrusted to her by the Music Instrument Fund.