Piano

Born in Landstuhl (Germany), Daniel Blumenthal is of American origin. He began his musical studies shortly after his fifth birthday and is a graduate of the University of Michigan (Bachelor of Music) and the Juilliard School in New York (Master of Music, Doctor of Musical Arts).

He has won several international competitions : Sydney and Leeds in 1981, Geneva and Busoni in 1982, and the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 1983. He enjoys an international reputation as a soloist, concert musician, and chamber musician.

Daniel Blumenthal is professor op piano performance at the Brussels Conservatory and the Thy Chamber Music Festival in Denmark. In 1995 he served on the jury of the Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition. He has recorded over 80 CDs. Daniel Blumenthal is honorary member of Icons of Europe and musical advisor to this not-for-profit cultural association.

Aleksandar Madzar (1968, Belgrado) started with piano lessons when he was six years old with Gordana Malinovic. From 1982 he studied with Arbo Valdma in Novi Sad and Belgrado, after with Elisso Wirssaladze in Moscow and Munich. 
He won several prizes at international competitions, among which Genf (1986), Bozen (1989), Leeds (1996) and Milano (first prize Concorso Umberto Micheli in 1997). Since his debut in 1990 with the Berliner Phimharmoniker led by Ivan Fischer he has collaborated with leading orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London, the BBC Philharmonic, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Budapest Festival Orchestra, the Südwestfunk Orchester and the National Orchestra of Belgium and with conductors such as André Previn, Rudolf Barschai, Marcello Viotti, Christoph Dolls, Dimitri Kitaenko and Gilbert Varga. 
Aleksandar Madzar gave recitals in London, Paris, Milano, Venetia, Rome, Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin and Salzburg. As a chamber musician he regularly performs with Louise Hopkins, Andreas Staier, the Takács Quartet, the Belcea Quartet and Muriel Cantoreggi. Madzar is professor at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Bern and at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel. 

Since being a laureate in the Brussels Queen Elisabeth competition 1991 Jan Michiels has been known for his very personal and multi-layered approach to the piano repertoire, combining old and new in always changing perspectives. Numerous recordings testify his activity - to quote a few, 'Lost in Venice with Prometheus', 'The War of the Romantics' or 'Slavic Soul' (all published by Fuga Libera) contain music from Bach till today seen from the position of a performer composing his programmes through a continuous dialogue with living music history. Jan Michiels worked indeed closely with composers such as a.o. G.Kurtág, H.Holliger, H.Lachenmann, K.Goeyvaerts, K.Huber, R. Groslot and K.Defoort. One of his main inspiration sources is Luigi Nono, who stood at the centre of his doctorate in the Arts 'Teatro dell'Ascolto' (2011).

Find out more about Jan through his website.

Boyan Vodenitcharov studied at the conservatory in Sofia. In 1979 he received the 2nd prize at the international competition in Senigallia. Thereafter he became 3rd laureate at the Busoni Competition (1981) and at the Queen Elizabeth Competition (1983). He completed his studies with Leon Fleisher at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore.

Boyan Vodenitcharov is a valued pianist in Europe, the United States, Canada and Japan. He has performed at the Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Palais de la Musique in Strasbourg, the Smetana Hall in Prague and the Suntory Hall in Tokyo. Vodenitchrov is also fascinated by old instruments, with which he recorded several CDs. Boyan Vodenitcharov is also active as a composer and improviser. Some of his works were performed in France, Germany, Belgium and Bulgaria. Currently he is a teacher of piano, pianoforte and improvisation at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels.

Piet Kuijken is a student of Jan Vermeulen; he studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Brussels under Jan Michiels, Arie van Lysebeth and André De Groote. He graduated with the highest honours from the piano and chamber music classes. In 1994, he received the CERA ‘Youth and Music' award, beginning an eminent career.

Having received a BAEF scholarship, he continued his studies at the University of Indiana with Menahem Pressler, pianist of the Beaux Arts Trio (2000/01). He obtained a diploma at this university, and has participated in numerous masterclasses, including with Leonard Hokanson, Edward Auer, Victor Rosenbaum, Paul Crossley, and Jean-Philippe Collard. He has cooperated with the renowned New Music Ensemble, and won the Schumann Concerto Competition.

He has appeared at solo recitals, played with chamber ensembles and orchestras under the baton of conductors such as Avim Ostrovski, Zeeve Dorman, Robert Groslot, Norbet Nozy, Etienne Siebens, Silveer van den Broeck, Robert Casteels and Wieland Kuijken. He has performed in many European countries, as well as Japan and the United States. His wide repertoire spans from the Baroque to modern music; he performs on the harpsichord, pianos of various historical periods, and on modern instruments. He has participated in the Flanders Music Festival, the Chopin festivals of Ghent and Mariánské Lázně (Czech Republic), Ars Musica, De Nacht van Radio 3, Juventus, Fêtes Musicales de Savoie, Musicales Internationales Guil-Durance, Bach en Bauges, Bach en Combrailles, Berliner Tage für Alte Musik, Musica Antica in Magnano, and Organi Antichi in Bologna.

Since 1988, he has been linked with the Prometheus Ensemble, and has appeared in duos with pianist Bart Meynckens, clarinettist Henk Soen, cellist Karel Steylaerts, and his father Wieland Kuijken. He has also on numerous occasions played with the Oxalys, Ictus and Ensor ensembles, as well as Anne Cambier, Olga Pasiecznik, soloists of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic, and the Cinque Venti ensemble.

His discography includes works by Luc van Hove which he recorded with the Prometheus Ensemble (René Gailly), the chamber works of Debussy recorded with the Kuijken family for the Arcana label (this CD was awarded the Prix Choc 2000 from Le Monde de la Musique magazine), as well as the complete viola da gamba sonatas of Johann Sebastian Bach (with Wieland Kuijken). With Karel Steylaerts, he recorded the complete cello and piano works of Joseph Jongen for the Phaedra label (In Flanders Fields).

Piet Kuijken is a lecturer at Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel and the Music Academy in Anderlecht.

Hans Ryckelynck studied with Johan Duijck at the Ghent Royal Conservatory of Music and at the Queen Elisabeth College of Music, from which he obtained the Concert Diploma, summa cum laude. At the Brussels Royal Conservatory of Music, he studied harmony, counterpoint and fugue with Rafaël D’Haene. He obtained the Master Degree for music writing and was awarded the "Gevaert Prize" and "Lunssens Prize". From 1995 till 1999, he studied with the world-famous pianist Abdel Rahman El Bacha in Paris.

Hans Ryckelynck has won prizes in the Cantabile, Belfius Classics and Tenuto competitions. He was also awarded the "Belgian Artistic Promotion" Prize of Sabam. He is a laureate of the "Belgian Vocation Foundation" and of the Rotary Club Ghent chamber music competition. As a soloist he regularly performs in recitals in Belgium and he has also given concerts in Luxemburg, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, China and Japan.

His chamber music partners include, amongst others, Yuki Hori (violin), Jan Sciffer (cello), Hendrik and Ludo Ide (Piano Trio "I Giocatori"). He has also performed with the Danel String quartet, the Belgian National Orchestra, the Flemish Radio Orchestra and the Flemish Radio Choir. Hans Ryckelynck is regularly invited to give master classes (International Music Academy Dinant, Jeunesses musicales, Vlamo, Muzikamp) or as a jury member in competitions (Concours International André Dumortier, Steinway Piano competition, Cantabile, Belfius Classics).

At the age of sixteen Katia Veekmans made her debut as a soloist with the ‘Limburgs Symphonie Orkest’ in the Netherlands. Since then she has given numerous concerts at international stages.

She has performed frequently as a soloist with renowned orchestras under eminent conductors. Recent highlights include performances of Tsjaikovski’s piano concerto with the Brussels Philharmonic under Michel Tabachnik and Chopin’s 2nd piano concerto with the Thüringer Philharmonie (G).

She has given many recitals in prestigious concert halls throughout Europe. Her many concerts, television and radio broadcasts, and her appearances at European festivals have established a reputation as an outstanding musician of her generation. Her CD releases include works by Rachmaninov, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Shchedrin, Prokofiev, Chopin, Schumann...                                                        

Katia Veekmans studied under André De Groote, Brigitte Engerer, Naum Grubert, Ruben Lifschitz and Lazar Berman. Furthermore she obtained a doctoral degree in the Arts at the Free University of Brussels. Katia Veekmans combines a career as a concert pianist with teaching activities. Since 1994 she has been a professor at the Royal Academy of Brussels. She is also a professor at Zuyd University - Conservatorium Maastricht (Nl). Often she is invited to give International Piano Masterclasses in Germany, United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain, Iceland, Portugal, Slovakia, the Netherlands…