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Ben Roels

Belgian pianist Ben Roels graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Antwerp.
He continued his education with Leon Fleischer (Master class Germany), Eliane Rodrigues
(Belgium) and Lionel Bowman (South-Africa).
He obtained the "Diplôme Supérieur de piano" at the "Ecole Normale de Musique Alfred Cortot" in Paris where he studied with the French pianist and famous Liszt interpreter France Clidat. After his remarkable performance in the Salle Cortot (Paris) he became pupil of the legendary Italian pianist Aldo Ciccolini (France/Paris).

He was prize winner in the "Concours International des Jeunes Solistes" in Lille, France, and won the "O. Van Puyvelde contest" in Ghent, Belgium in the same year.

He made his concert debut with Rachmaninov's 2nd piano concerto and presently offers an extended concerto repertoire including Mozart, Van Beethoven, Liszt, Shostakowitch Gershwin and Addinsell.
In recitals he often plays works from "forgotten" composers such as Arthur De Greef (Belgian pianist/composer and pupil of Liszt).
Liszt mainly influences Ben Roels' repertoire. The virtuosity, sensitivity and lyric aspect of Liszt's music fit very well with the personality of this pianist.
So far he had performances on four continents. After appearances in Europe, also in Africa and USA he recently made his debut in Turkey.

Ben Roels performed in Belgium (Festival of Flanders, Centre of fine Arts Brussels "Palais des Beaux Arts Henry Le Boeuf Hall, deSingel Antwerp), The Netherlands, France (Salle Cortot in Paris), Germany, Italy, Spain the U.S.A. and concert tours in South Africa.
He made guest appearances for the Belgian Classical Radio "Klara".
Ben Roels is founder of the concert series ‘Classical for everybody' (Klassiek voor iedereen), a successful yearly concert in deSingel in Antwerp to promote classical music.
His CD "Liszt Revisited" - tre sonetti di Petrarca - Sonata in B Minor - Funérailles - was recorded in Stellenbosch South Africa. His recent CD "Emotions" with works of Chopin - Grieg - Mendelssohn - Liszt was released in October 2012. Both CD's are released by
PMP - Senzanome in Brussels.

Ben Roels is Steinway Artist.



Flanders Arts Institute

Expertise centre for performing arts, music and visual arts.