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Oskar Strajn Appointed Head of Music at ESNS
Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) has announced changes to its programming team structure, with long-standing programmer Oskar Strajn set to take on the newly defined role of Head of Music from February 2026.
In recent years, Strajn has developed into a strategic figure within several European music initiatives connected to ESNS, including Exchange, Radar and the Music Moves Europe (MME) Awards.
As Head of Music, he will be responsible for further shaping the strategy behind Dutch and European music programming and projects, as well as contributing to the positioning of music within European policy programmes.
Strajn will continue to oversee the booking of European artists for ESNS alongside Robert Meijerink and Janneke de Boer.
Meijerink, Head of Bookings EU, will maintain responsibility for strengthening and expanding the ESNS European network and will remain involved in European collaborative projects.
Oskar Strajn, Head of Music:
"I’m excited to take the lead of the Music Department at ESNS alongside some of the most skilled music programmers in Europe. Head of international bookings remains Robert Meijerink and for the Dutch bookings Joey Ruchtie, with a new generation of music curators Janneke de Boer and Lisa Hilbrands next to us. With such a team I`m confident that Eurosonic Noorderslag will continue to present a diverse selection of music which will keep on underlining the quality of European repertoire, inspiring all the festival partners, EBU radio stations, media and all other music professionals and of course music lovers which attend the festival."
As part of the wider organisational update, ESNS has also confirmed that Lisa Schoemaker was appointed Head of Conference in summer 2025, following five years as a programmer for the ESNS Conference.
In her role, Schoemaker is focused on strengthening the conference’s core pillars of networking, dialogue and connection, bringing together professionals from across Europe to exchange knowledge, explore new ideas and develop cross-border collaboration.