It’s hard to believe that until a few years ago, Sophie, Vincent and Bernard ran the entire Helicopter with just the three of them, in addition to their busy working lives. They were running like hell to fix every little thing after or before a long day of work. There had to be a better solution. Fortunately, there was another person who spent almost as much time at the Heli as the three founders and that was Guus van Beelen.
Guus is a bassist, teacher and sound engineer and could often be found in the Heli anyway to get his practice hours in. In addition, he is a helpful and skilled musician. One plus one is two so Guus was recruited to jump in and hold down the fort when the bosses were indisposed. With that he set in motion the development that has led to the Helicopter now having a team of 11 people manning the airship together, including me. Thanks Guus!
Having graduated from the jazz program at the Amsterdam Conservatory of Music with a master’s degree in film music composition, Guus teaches bass, composes and works at various locations as a sound tech. At the Heli, Guus is known for his reliability, hard work and attention to detail. When Guus does something, it gets done right. Therefore, he is also an indispensable factor in Launchpad’s success.
A few years ago Guus undertook a new challenge; the cello. You can therefore regularly find him with a large case on his back or practicing his intonation or bowing technique until the small hours. I always admire musicians who are disciplined enough to practice hard and Guus is the perfect example.
Are you looking for a bass teacher, a film composer, a sound engineer or a dad joke? Check out Guus’ website or have a chat when you inevitably run into him at the Heli.