Jury
Chairman of the jury
Arie Van Lysebeth
Belgium, °1938
Arie Van Lysebeth was the President of the Jury of the Queen Elisabeth Competition from 1996 to 2018. He took up the violin at the age of four. He completed his higher education at the Brussels Conservatory in music theory, bassoon, chamber music, and orchestral conducting. Following a competition, he was appointed bassoon soloist of the Belgian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra. Two years later, he came joint first in the Prague International Bassoon Contest. He also studied conducting under Bruno Maderna in Salzburg and under Pierre Boulez in Switzerland. Starting in 1970, he conducted the Flemish Chamber Orchestra, both in Belgium and abroad. As a guest conductor, he has appeared with the major Belgian orchestras as well as with symphony orchestras in the United States of America, Argentina, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Germany. He has performed with many famous soloists, including Igor Oistrakh, José Van Dam, Murray Perahia, and Augustin Dumay. From 1995 to 2004 he was the regular conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of the Brussels Conservatory, where he taught chamber music for many years (1970-1994) and served as director (1994-2003). From 2004 to 2014, he was the artistic director of the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel.
- Biography
Luc Brewaeys
Belgium, °1959 - 2015 †
Luc Brewaeys was born in 1959 in Mortsel (Belgium). He studied composition with André Laporte in Brussels, with Franco Donatoni in Siena (Italy) and with Brian Ferneyhough in Darmstadt (Germany). From 1980 to 1984 he had regular contacts with Iannis Xenakis in Paris. He is also conductor, pianist and works since 1985 as recording producer at the VRT (Flemish Radio & Television).
Luc Brewaeys was awarded several prizes and distinctions : 3rd Prize of the Europese Competition for Young Composers for .., e poi c'era... Symphony n° 1 (Amsterdam, 1985); 1st Prize in the category of young composers of the International Rostrum of Composers of the UNESCO for the same work (Paris, 1986); the Prix de Musique Contemporaine du Québec for his entire work (Montréal, 1988); 1st Prize of the Competition for Europese Composers of the International Encounters of Contemporary Music in Metz (F) for Komm! Hebe dich... Symphony n° 2 (1988); the Prize for Music of the Flemish Comminity (1989); the SABAM-Prize (1990); 1st Prize Premio Musicale Città di Trieste for symphonic composition for Symphony n° 3 : Hommage (1991).
In 1996 the Belgian Musical Press awarded him two Prizes for the recording of his (up to then) entire symphonic work by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Flanders conducted by Arturo Tamayo, who conducted most of his music. In 1999 he received the Cultural Prize Blanlin-Evrart from the Catholic University of Leuven for his entire work.
He received many commissions in Belgium and abroad, his works include a.o. 8 Symphonies, 2 String Quartets, Chamber and Solo pieces, some electro-acoustic (& mixed) works and one Chamber Opera Antigone. His music can best be described as "spectral symphonic" with (especially in more recent works) lyrical accents.
He was composer in residence of the International Cultural Center deSingel for the '88-'89 concertseason, Guest-composer of the 4th Week of Contemporary Music at the Conservatory in Gent in februari 1989, and of the ensemble I Fiamminghi in April 2001. Also in April 2001 he was in residence at the first Festival Dicht bij huis in Tilburg (NL), where 11 of his works were performed (some of them with the composer conducting or at the piano).
From 1991 to 1992 Luc Brewaeys was composer in residence of the city of Saint-Nazaire (France) for the composition of Kientzyphonie (Symphony n° 4) for Daniel Kientzy on saxophones and large wind orchestra. In February and December 1998 he gave Masterclasses in Composition and Conducting at the University of Aveiro (P).
From 1998 to 2000 Luc Brewaeys was professor of composition at the Conservatory in Gent. He has been composer in residence at BOZAR (Palais des Beaux Arts) in Brussels for the season 2003-04. He was also one of the main featured composers at the 2004 edition of the Ars Musica Festival (Brussels). In February-March 2009, he was in residence in Montréal where he gave Masterclasses at the McGill University, at the Université de Montréal and at the Conservatoire. In September 2009 he was invited by the Cantus Ansambl in Zagreb for workshops and a performance of Cardhu as part of the Re:new music project, an initiative of ensembles and composers' organisations in Europe.
From 2002 to 2005 he recomposed the complete two books of the Préludes for piano by Claude Debussy for orchestra on commission of the Royal Flanders Philharmonic who recorded them under their chief-conductor Daniele Callegari.
In February 2007 his first opera (on Pirandello's L'uomo dal fiore in bocca), commissioned by the Belgian National Opera La Monnaie, got its widely acclaimed premiere in Brussels. He was central composer of the 2007 edition of the festival November Music, on which occasion Talisker has received another performance and his Symphony n° 7 has been performed twice. He currently works on the completion of his Symphony n° 8 and is preparing a new work for the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam and a new work for the Ensemble Intercontemporain in Paris.
In December 2008 Luc Brewaeys has been elected member of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts, and in October 2009 he has been appointed guest professor of composition at the Conservatory of Rotterdam (The Netherlands).
Luc Brewaeys was awarded several prizes and distinctions : 3rd Prize of the Europese Competition for Young Composers for .., e poi c'era... Symphony n° 1 (Amsterdam, 1985); 1st Prize in the category of young composers of the International Rostrum of Composers of the UNESCO for the same work (Paris, 1986); the Prix de Musique Contemporaine du Québec for his entire work (Montréal, 1988); 1st Prize of the Competition for Europese Composers of the International Encounters of Contemporary Music in Metz (F) for Komm! Hebe dich... Symphony n° 2 (1988); the Prize for Music of the Flemish Comminity (1989); the SABAM-Prize (1990); 1st Prize Premio Musicale Città di Trieste for symphonic composition for Symphony n° 3 : Hommage (1991).
In 1996 the Belgian Musical Press awarded him two Prizes for the recording of his (up to then) entire symphonic work by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Flanders conducted by Arturo Tamayo, who conducted most of his music. In 1999 he received the Cultural Prize Blanlin-Evrart from the Catholic University of Leuven for his entire work.
He received many commissions in Belgium and abroad, his works include a.o. 8 Symphonies, 2 String Quartets, Chamber and Solo pieces, some electro-acoustic (& mixed) works and one Chamber Opera Antigone. His music can best be described as "spectral symphonic" with (especially in more recent works) lyrical accents.
He was composer in residence of the International Cultural Center deSingel for the '88-'89 concertseason, Guest-composer of the 4th Week of Contemporary Music at the Conservatory in Gent in februari 1989, and of the ensemble I Fiamminghi in April 2001. Also in April 2001 he was in residence at the first Festival Dicht bij huis in Tilburg (NL), where 11 of his works were performed (some of them with the composer conducting or at the piano).
From 1991 to 1992 Luc Brewaeys was composer in residence of the city of Saint-Nazaire (France) for the composition of Kientzyphonie (Symphony n° 4) for Daniel Kientzy on saxophones and large wind orchestra. In February and December 1998 he gave Masterclasses in Composition and Conducting at the University of Aveiro (P).
From 1998 to 2000 Luc Brewaeys was professor of composition at the Conservatory in Gent. He has been composer in residence at BOZAR (Palais des Beaux Arts) in Brussels for the season 2003-04. He was also one of the main featured composers at the 2004 edition of the Ars Musica Festival (Brussels). In February-March 2009, he was in residence in Montréal where he gave Masterclasses at the McGill University, at the Université de Montréal and at the Conservatoire. In September 2009 he was invited by the Cantus Ansambl in Zagreb for workshops and a performance of Cardhu as part of the Re:new music project, an initiative of ensembles and composers' organisations in Europe.
From 2002 to 2005 he recomposed the complete two books of the Préludes for piano by Claude Debussy for orchestra on commission of the Royal Flanders Philharmonic who recorded them under their chief-conductor Daniele Callegari.
In February 2007 his first opera (on Pirandello's L'uomo dal fiore in bocca), commissioned by the Belgian National Opera La Monnaie, got its widely acclaimed premiere in Brussels. He was central composer of the 2007 edition of the festival November Music, on which occasion Talisker has received another performance and his Symphony n° 7 has been performed twice. He currently works on the completion of his Symphony n° 8 and is preparing a new work for the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam and a new work for the Ensemble Intercontemporain in Paris.
In December 2008 Luc Brewaeys has been elected member of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts, and in October 2009 he has been appointed guest professor of composition at the Conservatory of Rotterdam (The Netherlands).
- Biography
Benoît Mernier
Belgium, °1964
Benoît Mernier (1964, Belgium) has studied the organ and improvisation with Firmin Decerf and harpsichord with Charles Koenig. He continued his studies at Conservatoire Royal de Musique in Liège with Jean Ferrard, whose assistant he was for several years. He also studied organ with Bernard Foccroulle and with Jean Boyer at the National Regional Conservatoire of Lille. Along with the organ, Benoît Mernier has devoted himself to composition. In this field, he was able to profit from the counsels of Claude Ledoux, Henri Pousseur, Luca Francesconi, Emmanuel Nunes, Bernard Foccroulle, and Célestin Deliège. He studied the composition with Philippe Boesmans.
His organ work Artifices was the prizewinner of the 1990 UNESCO International Composers' Tribune. In 1995 the Royal Academy of Belgium awarded him the Fuérison Prize for his Blake Songs for voice and chamber orchestra. His Clarinet Quintet was awarded the Paul Gilson Prize of the French-speaking Public Radios in 1999.
His works have been performed at leading festivals as Ars Musica, Présences, Wien Modern, Gaudeamus, World Music Days (ISCM), Prague Premieres, and have been played by groups and performers such as the Arditti Quartet, the Ensemble Modern, the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, the Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, the Monnaie Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio France, the Liège Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Belgium, the Namur Chamber Choir, the Danel Quartet, the ensembles Ictus and Musiques Nouvelles, the Danel Quartet, the Trio Medicis, the Trio Fibonacci, Oxalys, and Michaël Schönwandt, Bertrand de Billy, Pascal Rophé, Jonas Alber, Ronald Zollman Pierre Bartholomée, Lorraine Vaillancourt, Patrick Davin, Georges-Elie Octors, …
His first opera « Frühlings Erwachen » was commissioned by the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie (Brussels) (World premiere : Brussels : March 2007- French premiere : Opéra du Rhin/Strasbourg : September 2008). His second opera « La dispute » after Marivaux will be performed in 2013 at La Monnaie (stage production by Karl-Ernst and Ursel Herrmann).
His works are featured in several CDs released on the Cypres label, one of them having won the Snepvangers Prize awarded in 2001 by the Belgian Musical Press Union and the CD/DVD of his opera is awarded "Diapason d'Or".
Benoît Mernier lives in Brussels. He teaches improvisation and the organ at the Institut supérieur de Musique et de Pédagogie in Namur. Since 2007, he is member of Royal Academy of Belgium (Fine Arts section.
His organ work Artifices was the prizewinner of the 1990 UNESCO International Composers' Tribune. In 1995 the Royal Academy of Belgium awarded him the Fuérison Prize for his Blake Songs for voice and chamber orchestra. His Clarinet Quintet was awarded the Paul Gilson Prize of the French-speaking Public Radios in 1999.
His works have been performed at leading festivals as Ars Musica, Présences, Wien Modern, Gaudeamus, World Music Days (ISCM), Prague Premieres, and have been played by groups and performers such as the Arditti Quartet, the Ensemble Modern, the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, the Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, the Monnaie Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio France, the Liège Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Belgium, the Namur Chamber Choir, the Danel Quartet, the ensembles Ictus and Musiques Nouvelles, the Danel Quartet, the Trio Medicis, the Trio Fibonacci, Oxalys, and Michaël Schönwandt, Bertrand de Billy, Pascal Rophé, Jonas Alber, Ronald Zollman Pierre Bartholomée, Lorraine Vaillancourt, Patrick Davin, Georges-Elie Octors, …
His first opera « Frühlings Erwachen » was commissioned by the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie (Brussels) (World premiere : Brussels : March 2007- French premiere : Opéra du Rhin/Strasbourg : September 2008). His second opera « La dispute » after Marivaux will be performed in 2013 at La Monnaie (stage production by Karl-Ernst and Ursel Herrmann).
His works are featured in several CDs released on the Cypres label, one of them having won the Snepvangers Prize awarded in 2001 by the Belgian Musical Press Union and the CD/DVD of his opera is awarded "Diapason d'Or".
Benoît Mernier lives in Brussels. He teaches improvisation and the organ at the Institut supérieur de Musique et de Pédagogie in Namur. Since 2007, he is member of Royal Academy of Belgium (Fine Arts section.
- Biography
Paul-Baudouin Michel
Belgium, °1930 - 2020 †
Paul-Baudouin Michel was born in Haine-St-Pierre in 1930. After a classical education, complete musical studies at the Royal Conservatory of Mons, and the obtaining of a certificat for music teaching, he stayed for three years at the Queen Elisabeth Musical Chapel, where he studied composition with Jean Absil. There he obtained in 1962 the diploma of Graduat of the Queen Elisabeth Musical Chapel.
He studied conducting at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and at the Summer Academy in Nice. After having occupied himself actively with Jeunesses Musicales and Musique Vivante in Mons, he has been director of the Music Academy of Woluwe-St-Lambert during 32 years. There he also taught harmony and music history. He has been professor of composition at the Royal Conservatories of Mons and Brussels and professor of analysis at the Queen Elisabeth Musical Chapel. Since 1997 he is member of the Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium.
In only a few years, Paul-Baudouin Michel obtained numerous prizes, e.g. the Emile Doehaerd prize, awarded by CeBeDeM, and four times the prize of composition for the compulsary work of the semi-final of the Queen Elisabeth Competition for violin in 1967 and 1993, for piano in 1972 and 1991. One should also mention the international radiophonic prize Paul Gilson, the Camille Huysmans prize, two prizes of the Royal Academy, the Ernest Bloch prize, the prize Créamuse and the special prize of the city of Geneva for his chamber-opera bouffa Orphée abymé (video).
He studied conducting at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and at the Summer Academy in Nice. After having occupied himself actively with Jeunesses Musicales and Musique Vivante in Mons, he has been director of the Music Academy of Woluwe-St-Lambert during 32 years. There he also taught harmony and music history. He has been professor of composition at the Royal Conservatories of Mons and Brussels and professor of analysis at the Queen Elisabeth Musical Chapel. Since 1997 he is member of the Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium.
In only a few years, Paul-Baudouin Michel obtained numerous prizes, e.g. the Emile Doehaerd prize, awarded by CeBeDeM, and four times the prize of composition for the compulsary work of the semi-final of the Queen Elisabeth Competition for violin in 1967 and 1993, for piano in 1972 and 1991. One should also mention the international radiophonic prize Paul Gilson, the Camille Huysmans prize, two prizes of the Royal Academy, the Ernest Bloch prize, the prize Créamuse and the special prize of the city of Geneva for his chamber-opera bouffa Orphée abymé (video).
- Biography
Clemens Quatacker
Belgium, °1932 - 2003 †
Launched very early onto the international stage, Clemens Quatacker first studied with his father and then with J. DeLoof, H. Gadeyne and Y. Menuhin. After winning numerous prizes, among them the Prix Vieuxtemps in Verviers and in 1955 the 10th prize of the Queen Elisabeth Competition, he was invited to undertake concert tours in Europe, Africa, Mexico, Canada, Haiti, Uruguay, Brazil, ... He had many contacts with David Oistrakh, who had a high opinion of his young talent. In 1967 he founded the string quartet that bore his name, an ensemble that found rapid success. His group was regularly asked to perform at festivals, national and international. Clemens Quatacker has taught the violin at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel and has an honourary chair at the Brussels Conservatory.
- Biography
