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" 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 Maeterlinck opera for the spring of
2011 and a Buzzati opera (Il grande Ritratto) afterwards, both
commissioned by the Flemish Opera (Antwerp/Gent).
In december 2008 Luc Brewaeys has been elected member of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts.
Also have a look at www.compositiontoday.com/luc_brewaeys
and at www.myspace.com/lbrewaeys
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