Jan Maarten Hartong
Founder & Director
Meet Jan Maarten Hartong, the Founder, Director & Head Teacher of Next Stage. An entrepreneur at heart with an MSc in Entrepreneurship, JaMa founded the School of House in 2015, and founding partner of ID&T, the ROC Amsterdam Study: Dance Event Lab, and the Electronic Music Academy in partnership with the Conservatory of Amsterdam.
In his 20 years of dance event experience, Jan Maarten has led several global trading missions to promote Dutch dance, culture, innovation, and tech, with names including the likes of the King and Queen of the Netherlands! Having dipped his toes in various facets of the industry, from 8 years of ticketing experience with Paylogic, to his knowledge of music programming, marketing strategy, and event conceptualization, he is a jack of all trades. With a mentorial spirit, he has already educated over 2000 students about electronic music, events, DJ & producer career strategy, and aims to continue sharing his expertise with rising talent through Next Stage.
Favorite Song: Window Licker - Aphex Twin
In his 20 years of dance event experience, Jan Maarten has led several global trading missions to promote Dutch dance, culture, innovation, and tech, with names including the likes of the King and Queen of the Netherlands! Having dipped his toes in various facets of the industry, from 8 years of ticketing experience with Paylogic, to his knowledge of music programming, marketing strategy, and event conceptualization, he is a jack of all trades. With a mentorial spirit, he has already educated over 2000 students about electronic music, events, DJ & producer career strategy, and aims to continue sharing his expertise with rising talent through Next Stage.
Favorite Song: Window Licker - Aphex Twin
Zalfa Farah
Research & Development Manager
Zalfa Farah is our Research & Development Manager. With a Lebanese upbringing, an MSc Entertainment Communication from the University of Amsterdam, and years of experience in communications consultancy, music therapy and goodwill work, she is a force to be reckoned with. During her studies, she specialized in music studies and mood management, which manifested into her future endeavors.
In 2014, she founded Keys’n Cords in Beirut, which revolutionized the way children and adults expressed themselves through music. With various programs addressing special needs such as disabilities and pregnancies, the academy not only focuses on educating its students about the range of musical cultures that exist, but also changing lives. Zalfa has also established cross-national music education partnerships between the UAE and Lebanon, and consistently strives to push the field’s limits through her work. Thus, when she moved to Amsterdam, she became the Research & Development Manager of The School of House, and is now taking the same lead at Next Stage.
Favorite Song: Ghayrik Ma Bekhtar - Ali Al Deek
In 2014, she founded Keys’n Cords in Beirut, which revolutionized the way children and adults expressed themselves through music. With various programs addressing special needs such as disabilities and pregnancies, the academy not only focuses on educating its students about the range of musical cultures that exist, but also changing lives. Zalfa has also established cross-national music education partnerships between the UAE and Lebanon, and consistently strives to push the field’s limits through her work. Thus, when she moved to Amsterdam, she became the Research & Development Manager of The School of House, and is now taking the same lead at Next Stage.
Favorite Song: Ghayrik Ma Bekhtar - Ali Al Deek
Leila Hammoud
Community & Growth Manager
Leila Hammoud is the Community & Growth Manager at Next Stage. Born in Beirut with an innate urge to connect people, she founded the UvA Bios Instagram platform in February 2020 to build bridges between students who otherwise would not have met. She first entered the music scene through a 6-month PR & Marketing internship at Armada Music in 2022, and has since been proactively immersing herself in the industry.
From working on several press releases for acclaimed artists in the electronic scope, to artist handling at renowned festivals like Awakenings, she is becoming more and more acquainted with artist branding and relations. Leila is also the co-founder of Your Next Stage alongside Rosalie Visser & Luis Esteban, which set the grounds for our company. In tandem with her work for Next Stage, she is a BSc Communication Science student at the University of Amsterdam, a Junior Project Manager at The Music Recruiters, a freelance PR Agent, co-founder of the SENTIENCE* collective, and upcoming DJ.
Favorite Song: BODY&SOUL - UNNMD (UNNAMED)
From working on several press releases for acclaimed artists in the electronic scope, to artist handling at renowned festivals like Awakenings, she is becoming more and more acquainted with artist branding and relations. Leila is also the co-founder of Your Next Stage alongside Rosalie Visser & Luis Esteban, which set the grounds for our company. In tandem with her work for Next Stage, she is a BSc Communication Science student at the University of Amsterdam, a Junior Project Manager at The Music Recruiters, a freelance PR Agent, co-founder of the SENTIENCE* collective, and upcoming DJ.
Favorite Song: BODY&SOUL - UNNMD (UNNAMED)
Bahaa Khattar
Graphic Designer
Bahaa Khattar is Next Stage’s Graphic Designer. The Lebanon-based freelancer has been applying his artistic skills throughout his whole career, working as a graphic designer for Keys’n Cords, as well as a photographer and camera & drone operator for other companies and initiatives around the country. Although he works remotely, he is an integral part of the Next Stage team, playing an important role in establishing our brand identity.
Favorite Song: Another Love - Tom Odell
Favorite Song: Another Love - Tom Odell
Your Next Stage Team
OUR STUDENT LEADERS
The trio behind the first Your Next Stage edition at CREA in Amsterdam.
Luis Esteban
Community Intern
Luis Esteban is our Community Intern. His background in festivals back home in Sydney bred his affinity with the field, and since moving to Amsterdam, he has been building on his resume, promoting and organizing events. Luis is an alumnus of Next Stage’s Events and Festival Organisation course (2022), and teaming up with Rosalie and Leila, a co-founder of Your Next Stage. In Sydney, Luis has had experience in promoting and hosting club nights at venues such as Ivy Sydney, Oxford Underground, and for the Days Like This Festival (2020).
Favorite Song: UUUU - WhoMadeWho, Rampa (&ME Remix)
Favorite Song: UUUU - WhoMadeWho, Rampa (&ME Remix)
Rosalie Visser
Ambassador
Rosalie Visser is Next Stage’s Ambassador and founder of Your Next Stage. Her go-getter mentality shined as she entered the music scene at just 16 years old, later landing jobs as a Label Assistant at Revealed Recordings, a Project Manager at The Music Recruiters, Artist Manager at Neva Land Music, Talent Buyer at AMS Unlocked, and Booking Coordinator at The Bullitt Agency. She is also an alumnus of our Concepts of the Future: Events & Festival Organisation course (2022), which sparked her idea for the Your Next Stage conference, leading her to coordinate all partnerships and business developments for the event.
Favorite song: Free Spirit - Khalid
Favorite song: Free Spirit - Khalid
