Laurent Beeckmans (*Enghien, Belgium1967)

The Belgian musician and mathematician, Laurent Beeckmans, is a multi-faceted person. As a teacher, pianist, arranger and composer, he is constantly involved in numerous projects, continually exploring new directions. A much-valued accompanist, he also performs as a soloist, focusing on repertoire drawn from the works of 'less performed' composers, such as Edvard Grieg, Frank Bridge and Michael Tippett. His recording of a concert dedicated to works for two pianos by the Australian Percy Grainger has been acclaimed enthusiastically throughout the musical world.

His numerous arrangements of classical, jazz and traditional music demonstrate his desire to break the barriers between these different genres. Since 1999 he has arranged a large number of works in varying styles for ensembles of 2 to 8 pianos for the annual concert, Bruxellois des Pianofolies.

His compositions include a Suite in G for organ, a Piano Sonata and a Concerto for piano and orchestra in B Minor, based on excerpts from an unfinished concerto by Edvard Grieg (written in London in May 1903).

Born in 1967 in Enghien (Belgium), he studied music at the Royal Academy of Music in Brussels, where he was awarded not only first prizes in the rudiments of music, harmony theory, practical harmony, the history of music, piano, piano accompaniment and chamber music but also higher certificates in the rudiments of music, musical analysis and chamber music. Laurent Beeckmans also studied mathematics at the Free University of Brussels and The University of East Anglia. He obtained his bachelor's degree in 1989 and his doctorate in 1996 and currently lectures at the Brussels College of Computer Sciences.

Visit also: http://www.beeckmans.be.tf