Peter van de Velde
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Peter Van de Velde (°1972) started his organstudies by himself at the age of nine. At the age of twelve he became organist at the local church in the little Flemish village of Doel. He received his first musical tuition at the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts. He was awarded first prize for music notation and concluded his organ studies at the Academy with highest honours. He went on to pursue his studies at the Royal Antwerp Conservatory of Music where he won several first prizes in addition to other comparable awards. In 1996, as last pupil of Stanislas Deriemaeker, his studies at the Conservatory earned him a Masters degree. During the course of his studies, and also thereafter, he followed various master classes for the organ, improvisation and performance technique with a.o. Louis Thiry, Dr. Hans van Nieuwkoop, Dr. Naji Hakim and Wayne Marshall.
Since early 2002, in his capacity as Titular-organist of Antwerp Cathedral, the largest gothic cathedral in the low countries, he plays on both the romantic Schyven-organ (1891) and the classical Metzler-organ (1993). He also holds the position of organist at the church of Saint Michael in Antwerp. He is also the artistic adviser of several organ committee's in and around Antwerp.
His latest concert tours brought him to places such as France (Paris, St.-Rémy-de Provence, Dijon), Germany (Wuerzburg, Wiesbaden, Merseburg, Passau, Halle, Hamburg, Leipzig), Ireland (Tullamore, Dublin), Poland (Warsaw), Norway (Bergen, Trondheim), Iceland, Finland, Scotland (Aberdeen), England (York Minster, St.-Pauls Cathedral London), Japan (Kobe, Osaka), Russia (St.-Petersburg Philharmonic Hall and Capella), Egypt (Caïro), Filippines (Bamboo Organ Festival) and Holland (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Breda, Katwijk, Middelburg, Zaltbommel). He is also much in demand for accompanying choirs and instrumental and vocal soloists and plays regularly with different orchestras in performing organ concerto's (Bach, Händel, Hakim, Poulenc). He also forms a duo with violonist Nadja Nevolovitsch.
He has a very wide repertoire ranging from early baroque to contemporary composers such as Naji Hakim from who he gave Belgian premieres of several pieces (Sonata for trumpet and organ, Third organ concerto, Bach'orama, The Last Judgement) and world-premiere recordings (Agâpe). He also specializes in performing music of the 19th and 20th century from his native country with composers like Edgar Tinel, Joseph Jongen, Paul de Maleingreau, Flor Peeters and Guy Weitz.
Since 2004 he has made several recordings for the german label Aeolus with a.o. the symphonic organ works of the Belgian composer Paul de Maleingreau, Bach-transcriptions, recorded on both organs in Antwerp cathedral, a CD with music by Bach and his students in the church of Melsele and a selection of organ works by Flor Peeters in Antwerp cathedral. His latest recording is an album with music for organ and violin with Nadja Nevolovitsch. All of his recordings were praised in international reviews (L'Orgue (F), Orgelkunst (B), Orgelnieuws (NL), WDR (D), KLARA (B), Orgelvriend (NL), Luister (NL) Diapason (F)).
