Music Stages is a breeding ground for top talent and young creators. Through its professional development program Southeast, the Musical Gold Mine For musical talents in Amsterdam Zuidoost, Music Stages—in collaboration with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, ZOGrace Creative Agency, and Bijlmer Parktheater—offers a stage to young instrumentalists, singers, and composers ages 12 to 24. This gives them the opportunity to perform for renowned musicians, vocalists, and composers—as well as, of course, for their friends and family. The most talented participants are selected for a special coaching program: for one year, they will be mentored by professionals from the music industry as they take the next step in their musical development. They will be introduced to the various facets of the professional music world.

The first group of Southeast, the Musical Gold Mine consists of Joni, Shakur, Rolenzo, and Kaylee. They auditioned in June 2021 and have been working hard ever since with professionals to prepare themselves for a professional music career or further education. Last November, for example, they performed in the Bijlmer Klassiek concert “It’s All About Gospel,” together with the ZO! Gospel Choir, Shirma Rouse, Berima Amo, and string players from the Concertgebouw Orchestra.