conductor

Wouter Lenaerts (°1981) is considered one of the most versatile musicians of his generation. As a composer, conductor and pianist, he stands out in different musical areas that extend each other from different angles and result in a profound musical experience.

In his artistic vision he seeks an enriching symbiose between composing and performing music.

Wouter studied at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and received 5 Master diplomas. In the classes of Rafaël D'Haene and Boyan Vodenitcharov he studied respectively Music Writing (Harmony, Counterpoint and Fugue) and Piano (2004).

Then he followed Symphonic Wind Orchestra Conducting (2006) with Norbert Nozy and for his examination concert he conducted the Royal Symphonic Band of the Belgian Guides, including on the program his own work Niflheim for symphonic wind orchestra.

He completed his education in the speciality of Composition (2007) in the class of Rafaël D'Haene with his work Lettres Oubliées for symphonic orchestra and obtained the highest distinction.

At the same time he studied Symphonic Orchestra Conducting (2008) with Silveer Van den Broeck and Ronald Zollman and performed his exam concert with the Kauno Miesto Symfoninis Orkestras in Kaunas (Lithuania). With this orchestra he premiered his composition Lettres Oubliées.

Wouter was repeatedly awarded due to his remarkable studies at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels (1999-2008). He received the award 'Lunssens' for his special examination of Harmony and he was awarded the prize "Gevaert" for Fugue. In addition, he was rewarded with the prize of the Artistic Foundation 'Mathilde E. Horlait-Dapsens' for his exceptional performance in this Conservatory.

Since 2004 Wouter teaches Music Writing and Analysis for conductors at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels.

As a composer Wouter is well known for his colorful, natural and expressive composition style. He has written pieces for piano, harp, voice, chamber music and works for symphony orchestra and symphonic wind orchestra.

His compositions are often performed all around Europe, the United States, Latin America and Japan and are recorded by renowned musicians.

The work Devil's Island for symphonic wind orchestra was awarded the First Prize and unanimity of the jury on the Composition Contest of the European Youth Music Festival in Neerpelt in 2004 and became the compulsory work in the highest division of the same competition for orchestras in May 2005.

In 2006 and 2011 Wouter was nominated for the Gouden Klaproos, the SABAM prize for composers, respectively in the disciplines Wind Orchestra and Chamber Music.

Wouter is the founder and artistic director of the newly established orchestra symphoniaASSAI, a new symphonic collective for the Limburg region. He also collaborates with the Norwegian Youth Chamber Music Festival in Stavanger as conductor of the chamber orchestra and with the Limburgs Orkest Jeugd en Muziek from Hasselt.

He is regularly invited as a jury member and guest conductor with orchestras, and often asked as a consultant in recordings and performances of his compositions.  

www.wouterlenaerts.com

In its short existence symphoniaASSAI already performed in important venues including the Basilica of Tongeren during the Basilica Festival of Flanders, the concert hall of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, the historic C-Mine Cultural Center in Genk, the Casino Beringen, and shared the stage with renowned national and international soloists as:

Anneleen Lenaerts

(Belgium) - Harp - Principal harpist at the Vienna Philharmonic and Vienna State Opera, prize winner at international competitions and soloist with renowned international orchestras.

www.anneleenlenaerts.com

Raymond Curfs

(Netherlands) - Percussion - First timpanist at the Bayerischer Rundfunk Munich, lecturer at Munich College of Music, guest professor at the Paris Conservatoire.

Luk Artois

(Belgium) - Percussion - First timpanist with the Orchestra of La Monnaie in Brussels.

www.lukartois.be

Aldo Baerten

(Belgium) - Flute - Principal flute at deFilharmonie Antwerp, professor at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp and University of the Arts Utrecht.

www.aldobaerten.be

Stéphane Labeyrie

(France) - Tuba - Solo tuba at the Orchestre de Paris, Opéra National de Lyon Orchestra National de Toulouse, professor at the Conservatory of Lausanne.

Francis Orval

(Belgium) - Horn - Professor at the Musikhochschule in Trossingen (Germany), former teacher at the Conservatories of Liège and Luxembourg.

Jonas Bylund

(Sweden) - Trombone - Successful orchestral career in Scandinavia and Germany, lecturer at Academy of Music in Hannover.

www.jonasbylund.com