Luc Brewaeys

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 84 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 '89, also 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 '92 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 appointed “composer in residence” at BOZAR (the “Palais des Beaux Arts”) in Brussels for the season 2003-04. He is also one of the main featured composers at the 2004 edition of the Ars Musica Festival (Brussels).
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" received another perforance and his "Symphony n° 7" has been performed twice. He currently works on the completion of his "Symphony n° 8" (for large orchestra with 5 solo horns) and is preparing his "Symphony n° 9" for 40-part chorus and large orchestra.