Jamai Loman wint Maestro 2026 met overtuigend optreden
Amsterdam, maandag, 2 februari 2026.
Jamai Loman heeft de gouden baton van Maestro 2026 bemachtigd. De 39-jarige presentator en zanger won unaniem juryapplaus in de finale in de Philharmonie Haarlem. Hij scoorde 40 punten met een compositie van Bartók en kreeg drie tienen voor zijn uitvoering van Beethovens Vijfde Symfonie. Zijn concurrent Daniël Cornelissen eindigde als tweede. Loman kreeg 88% van de stemmen van het publiek. Tijdens zijn zegetocht viel hij op met consistent hoge scores. Jurylid Isabelle van Keulen noemde zijn spel verpletterend. “Lang leve de muziek,” sloot Loman aan. Het seizoen markeert zijn tweede grote overwinning na Idols in 2003.
the decisive performance in haarlem
The finale of Maestro 2026 took place in the large hall of the Philharmonie in Haarlem, where Jamai Loman faced off against actor Daniël Cornelissen [1]. Both performed two pieces before a live audience. Loman opened his part with Béla Bartók’s Concert for Orchestra, earning the maximum 40 points from the jury [1][3]. His confidence carried through to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, which he conducted with increased tempo, drawing praise for its energy and precision [1][4].
jury acclaim and public support
Jury members responded enthusiastically to Loman’s performances. Violin virtuoso Isabelle van Keulen described his early work as ‘crushing,’ noting his natural command [4]. Cellist Dominic Seldis praised Loman’s consistency across eight weeks, calling it ‘astonishing’ [4]. After scoring 36 points for Beethoven’s Fifth, Cornelissen could not close the gap despite strong reviews [1]. With 88% of viewer votes, Loman secured victory [1][3][5]. Host Frits Sissing declared, ‘It worked again,’ acknowledging the overwhelming verdict [1].
a journey beyond music
Loman emphasized that his participation aimed to connect people rather than launch a conducting career [1][4]. He stated he did not delude himself into thinking he was now a conductor [1]. Instead, he hoped to inspire broader interest in classical music, reporting messages from viewers who began exploring orchestral works because of Maestro [5]. His closing words, ‘Long live music!’, resonated widely [1][4][5]. The program, organized by AVROTROS, aired on NPO 1 and featured non-professional participants learning to lead the Radio Filharmonic Orchestra [3][6].
background and national pride
Born in Schoonhoven, Loman rose to fame after winning the first season of Idols in 2003 [5]. His hometown followed the finale with pride, celebrating his achievements [5][7]. Throughout the competition, he led weekly rankings with top scores [4]. Other contestants included Annick Boer, Isabelle Kafando, and magician Hans Klok [3]. Previous winners of Maestro include singer Leona Philippo and politician Lenette van Dongen [3]. The show continues to highlight the accessibility of classical music to mainstream audiences [4][5].