Julien Libeer

Julien Libeer
Julien Libeer portrait (2022)
Julien Libeer portrait (2022)
Background information
BornOctober 1987 (1987-10) (age 37)
Kortrijk, Belgium
GenresClassical
OccupationPianist
LabelsHarmonia Mundi, Alpha Classics, Evil Penguin Classic
Websitejulienlibeer.net

Julien Libeer (born October 1987 in Kortrijk) is a Belgian classical pianist. Libeer has won several awards for his compositions, and regularly performs his works at a variety of international stadiums. He is the host of Belgian television show Studio Flagey Klassik, a television show about classical music.

Biography

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Education and studies

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As a child, Libeer developed a keen interest for classical music, ranging from opera, orchestra, and chamber music. At four years old, he aspired to become a conductor after watching Leonard Bernstein conducting West Side Story.[1][2] He decided to become a pianist only after discovering Romanian pianist and composer, Dinu Lipatti.[3]

Between 2005 and 2009, Libeer studied[4] at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels (along with Daniel Blumenthal). At 18 years of age, he honed his skills working with French-Polish pedagogue, Jean Fassina, in Paris. Libeer had an intense collaboration with Portuguese pianist Maria João Pires at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel,[5] whose advice and support strongly influenced Libeer's views over the last few years. He regularly shared the stage with the pianist over the same years.[6]

Libeer is an associate artist of the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, where he also specialized in chamber music with the members of the Artemis Quartet. He collaborated and received advice from Dmitri Bashkirov, Alfred Brendel, Nelson Delle-Vigne Fabbri, Jura Margulis and Gerhard Schulz (Alban Berg Quartett).

After staying away from international competition,[7] Libeer received the Juventus Award for most promising young European soloist in 2008,[8] and was elected Young Musician of the Year by the Belgian Music Press Association in 2010. The Klara award was attributed to him twice, in 2013[9] and 2016.[10]

Career

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Libeer is a resident artist at Flagey (Brussels, Belgium) since 2020.[11]

He has performed as a soloist, concertist and chamber musician at the Barbican Hall (London), Auditorio Nacional de Música (Madrid), Palau de la Música Catalana (Barcelona), Elbphilharmonie (Hamburg), and is a regular guest of the Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels and Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. In addition, other tours have taken him to Japan (Tokyo, Sumida Triphony Hall), Lebanon (Beirut Chants festival), Turkey (Ankara International Music Festival) and the United States (Miami International Piano Festival).

He has performed with numerous orchestras: Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Brussels Philharmonic, Belgian National Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia Varsovia and New Japan Philharmonic; working along conductors such as Trevor Pinnock, Michel Tabachnik, Augustin Dumay, Hervé Niquet, Joshua Weilerstein, Enrique Mazzola, and Christopher Warren-Green. His dedication to the works of Dinu Lipatti has resulted in collaborations with the Bucharest Radio Orchestra, among others, and to two recordings produced by the Belgium record label Evil Penguin Classic.

He works on a regular basis with the Danish String Quartet, Camille Thomas,[12] with whom he recorded the album Réminiscences (La Dolce Volta), Paul Lewis, Maria João Pires and Lorenzo Gatto, with whom he also performed and recorded the complete Beethoven violin and piano sonatas over several seasons (at venues including Wigmore Hall, Louvre, and the Concertgebouw Amsterdam).

Libeer is a regular guest of Belgian and international media.[13][14][15]

He is the producer, host and mediator of Studio Flagey Klassiek on Canvas,[16] a major Belgian television show on classical music (2016). He hosted "Salon Libeer", a concert series at the Bruges Concertgebouw,[17][18] in which he joins with fellow musicians and speakers to discuss the musical experiences of the audience (2017–2021). Since February 2022, Libeer has been hosting the lecture series "Dead or Alive" in collaboration with LUCA School of Arts[19] and the Catholic University of Leuven, a philosophical exploration of the shifts in classical music making where leading figures are invited to debate (philosophers, writers, musicians…). In 2013, Libeer starred in a documentary film Technique doesn't exist,[20][21] along with Maria João Pires and Donald Sturrock. In 2018, Musiq'3/RTBF honored him in another 50-minute documentary Jeunes solistes, grands destins: Julien Libeer (Young soloist, great destiny: Julien Libeer).[22]

Artistic director of the Singing Molenbeek project,[23] Libeer supervises high level choir rehearsals in the primary schools of the Brussels municipality. The project has gathered the help of various artists since its creation in 2014 by Zeno Popescu.[24]

Discography

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Libeer's recordings were critically acclaimed worldwide. Alongside albums with cellist Camille Thomas (Réminiscences,[25] La Dolce Volta) and violinist Lorenzo Gatto[26] (complete Beethoven violin and piano sonatas, Alpha Classics), Libeer recorded Bach – Bartók in 2020[27] and J.S. Bach & beyond – A Well-Tempered Conversation in 2022 for Harmonia Mundi. He takes a conceptual approach to Bach's legendary Well-Tempered Clavier mirrored with the work of classical and contemporary composers in major mode.[citation needed] This last project was performed live at concerts with various arrangements: piano solo, piano and choir[28]…

Solos

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Duets

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Orchestral productions

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Collaborations

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References

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  1. ^ Del Zoppo, Silvia (24 July 2022). "Un Clavicembalo ben colorato – Julien Libeer intervista" [Julien Libeer's interview]. MusicPaper.it (in Italian). Italy. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  2. ^ Robault, Adélaïde (11 February 2022). "La playlist classique de Julien Libeer, pianiste" [The classical playlist of Julien Libeer, pianist]. Classique mais pas has been (in French). France. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  3. ^ Maddocks, Fiona (1 March 2020). "It's no surprise to find Libeer names the Romanian pianist Dinu Lipatti (1917–50) as an influence. Libeer, too, in his Bach, has a similar purity of style, finesse and a fluid, rhythmic energy.". The Observer/The Guardian. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  4. ^ "Julien Libeer Biography by James Manheim". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  5. ^ Scotney, Sebastian (2 February 2014). "theartsdesk in Brussels: Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth at 75" [reviews, news & interviews]. theartsdesk.com. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  6. ^ Muñoz, Mario (8 February 2015). "Maria João Pires: sentido y sensibilidad" [Maria João Pires: sense and sensibility]. bachtrack.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 February 2023. El elegido en esta ocasión para acompañarla era Julien Libeer, alumno suyo y pianista muy notable a pesar de no haber cumplido aún treinta años. [The one chosen on this occasion to accompany her was Julien Libeer, her pupil and very notable pianist despite not having turned thirty yet.]
  7. ^ Van Der Speeten, Geert (13 February 2016). "Mijn ouders probeerden me nooit een echt beroep aan te praten" [My parents never tried to talk me into a real profession]. De Standaard (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  8. ^ "European Juventus Prize 2008". Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  9. ^ "De Klara's: Nominaties editie 2013 bekend" [De Klara's: Nominations edition 2013 announced]. muziekcentrum.kunsten.be (in Dutch). 28 November 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Klara in deSingel – klassieke muziekprijzen: Dit zijn de winnaars van de Klara's 2016" [Klara in deSingel – classical music awards: These are the winners of the Klara's 2016]. Klara.be (in Dutch). 28 January 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  11. ^ "Artists in residence Flagey 2022/2023". Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  12. ^ "Camille Thomas and Julien Libeer play Schumann, Franck, Shostakovich and Ginastera – Debut at Flâneries musicales de Reims (France)". Medici.tv. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  13. ^ Witteman, Paul (8 May 2022). "Podium Witteman – Season 11 Afl. 19 – Guests: Julien Libeer, Perry Hoogendijk, Martin Schippers, Rob Dirksen,..." NPO2/NPO Klassiek. Podium Witteman (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  14. ^ Graulus, Laurent (8 December 2013). "Julien Libeer's interview". Musiq'3/RTBF. Puisque vous avez du talent (in French). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  15. ^ Van Reeth, Adèle (4 February 2020). "Philosophize with Beethoven – Épisode 2/3 : La sonate du pianiste – Guest: Julien Libeer". France Culture. Les Chemins de la philosophie (in French). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  16. ^ "Studio Flagey Klassiek on Canvas" [A talk show about classical music with Julien Libeer]. Canvas.be (in French). 15 January 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  17. ^ "Salon Libeer – Camille Thomas plays Prokofiev and Shostakovich" [Julien Libeer investigates the difficult circumstances in which these works were created]. Concertgebouw.be. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  18. ^ "Salon Libeer – Bach & Bartók" [Julien Libeer and Chris Maene discuss strings and keys]. Concertgebouw.be. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  19. ^ "Dead or alive: lezing – concert – debat". LUCA School of Arts (in Dutch). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  20. ^ "Technique doesn't exist" [Documentary film]. Askonas Holt. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  21. ^ Graulus, Laurent (8 December 2013). "Julien Libeer, pianiste". Musiq'3/RTBF. Vous avez du talent (in French). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  22. ^ "Classique en prime : Jeunes Solistes, Grands Destins : Julien Libeer" [Young soloists, great destiny: Julien Libeer]. Musiq'3/RTBF (in French). 16 April 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  23. ^ "Singing Molenbeek Website" (in French). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  24. ^ "Julien Libeer: Singing Molenbeek". Flagey.be. 10 December 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  25. ^ "Réminiscences – Album review". prestomusic.com. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2023. Camille Thomas and Julien Liebeer, ardent champions of chamber music, have devised an exceptionally varied yet coherent recital of French music for cello and piano
  26. ^ Hévry, Benedict (11 July 2017). "Le duo Lorenzo Gatto – Julien Libeer sur les cimes beethovéniennes" [The duo Lorenzo Gatto – Julien Libeer on the peaks of Beethoven]. Resmusica.com (in French). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  27. ^ "Julien Libeer launches partnership with harmonia mundi". askonasholt.com. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  28. ^ van Oorschot, Guido (26 January 2023). "Cappella Amsterdam overbrugt met pianist Julien Libeer vijf eeuwen koormuziek ★★★★☆" [Cappella Amsterdam bridges five centuries of choral music with pianist Julien Libeer]. De Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  29. ^ "Classical CDs: Pealing bells, abandoned ballrooms and abrasive brass". theartsdesk.com. 19 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023. Libeer's Bach playing has wonderful verve, fluency and conviction
  30. ^ Armbruster, Frank (17 February 2022). "Rezension Julien Libeer – A well-Tempered conversation: Dialog mit Bach" [Review Julien Libeer – A well-Tempered conversation: Dialogue with Bach]. Concerti.de (in German). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  31. ^ Bourdais, Sophie (18 January 2022). "ffff on aime passionnément – J.S. Bach & Beyond : A Well-Tempered Conversation" [ffff We love passionately]. Télérama (in French). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  32. ^ "RADAR HET BESTE VAN 2022, De klassieke albums van het jaar" [RADAR THE BEST OF 2022, The classic albums of the year]. De Standaard (in Dutch). 10 December 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  33. ^ "CD-Besprechung – A Well-Tempered Conversation: Klassik Heute Empfehlung" [CD Review]. Klassik-Heute (in German). 24 March 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  34. ^ Lieberman, Patrice (2 May 2022). "Julien Libeer ose le dialogue entre le Clavier bien tempéré de Bach et la postérité" [Julien Libeer dares the dialogue between Bach's well-tempered Keyboard and posterity]. Crescendo Magazine (in French). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  35. ^ Duchen, Jessica (15 April 2020). "JS Bach • Bartók – Album review ****". BBC Music Magazine. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  36. ^ van der Wal, Aart (1 February 2016). "Julien Libeer – Lignes Claires – CD-recensie" [Album review]. opusklassiek.nl. Retrieved 27 February 2023. Zo is ook het spel van Julien Libeer, dat naar mijn gevoel uitmondt in een weliswaar deels postume maar toch niet minder actuele ontmoeting tussen drie meesters van het klavier: Lipatti, Ravel en Libeer. [This is a posthumous but no less contemporary encounter between three masters of the keyboard: Lipatti, Ravel and Libeer.]
  37. ^ Moreau, Aurélie (6 December 2019). "Le Beethoven vaillant de Lorenzo Gatto et Julien Libeer" [The valiant Beethoven by Lorenzo Gatto and Julien Libeer]. France Musique (in French). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  38. ^ Hanlon, Richard (1 November 2018). "Album Review". MusicWeb International. Retrieved 27 February 2023. The Alpha engineers seem to have achieved an almost perfect, natural balance. On that account alone I wholeheartedly commend these lovely, warm performances to lovers of these mercurial masterpieces. Frankly on this evidence Gatto and Libeer can hold their heads high in the face of any of this competition.
  39. ^ D.-M, M. (24 December 2016). "Diapason d'or de l'année 2016 : Beethoven par Lorenzo Gatto et Julien Libeer" [Diapason d'or of the year 2016: Beethoven by Lorenzo Gatto and Julien Libeer]. Diapason Magazine (in French). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  40. ^ Buddecke, Johann (24 October 2017). "ECHO KLASSIK 2017: Camille Thomas und Julien Libeer – Der Klang des Fin de siècle" [The sound of the Fin de siècle]. Concerti.de (in German). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  41. ^ Clements, Dominy (1 March 2019). "Julien Libeer – Lignes Parallèlles – Album Review". MusicWeb International. Retrieved 27 February 2023. This superbly curated and produced programme stands on its own, and comes with the highest recommendation as far as I'm concerned.
  42. ^ Tribot, Pierre Jean (11 February 2019). "Interview – Julien Libeer, un pianiste dans son temps" [Interview – Julien Libeer, a pianist of his time.]. Crescendo Magazine (in French). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  43. ^ Fauchet, Benoît (1 January 2023). "Diapason d'or de l'année pour le projet Franck de Fuga Libera" [Diapason d'or of the year for Fuga Libera's Franck project]. Diapason Magazine (in French). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
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 This article incorporates text by Julien Libeer available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license. The text and its release have been received by the Wikimedia Volunteer Response Team; for more information, see the talk page.

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