Erik Desimpelaere

Erik Desimpelaere is a Belgian composer, pianist, and conductor born in 1990 in Kortrijk, Belgium. He developed his musical talents early on, studying piano at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels under Piet Kuijken and composition at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp with Wim Henderickx and Luc Van Hove. He further honed his skills in orchestral conducting at the Conservatory of Amsterdam with Ed Spanjaard and Lucas Vis. Since 2020, Erik has been the head of the Kortrijk Conservatory and curates the International Composition Competition Harelbeke, which encourages composers worldwide to explore 21st-century musical languages in symphonic wind band writing.

As a versatile musician, Erik composes and arranges for a diverse range of settings including symphony orchestras, music theatre, wind bands, chamber music, and solo instruments. His compositional style builds on the classic Western music principle of counterpoint, blending two horizontal melodic lines with their resulting harmonies. He enriches this foundation by incorporating 20th-century techniques and elements from jazz and pop, aiming to craft a fresh, personal 21st-century musical language. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with various international artists and ensembles, establishing himself as a forward-thinking presence in contemporary classical music.

Genres

Pop

Experimental

Folk

Classical

Jazz

Contemporary Classical

Chamber Music

Orchestral Music

Wind Band

Latest Release

Nashville Concerto: III. Rondo - Scherzo

Eddy Vanoosthuyse•

Erik Desimpelaere•

Ataneres Ensemble

Single - Released April 26, 2024