Willem Ceuleers
born June 21st 1962 in Watermaal-Bosvoorde (Brussels)
Education
1970-1978: Academy of Music in Deurne (Antwerp): music theory, clarinet with Freddy Arteel, piano with Jean Spanoghe
1978-1980: Rijksinstituut voor kunst-secundair onderwijs (pre-professional musical education combined with regular high school)
- clarinet with Nestor Janssens
- written harmony with Marcel Onsia
- music theory with Jules Van Hoeck - 1st Prize in 1980 at the Royal Conservatory of music in Antwerp
- at the same time: National Academy of Music in Antwerp: recorder with Krista Denis
1980-1985: Royal Conservatory of Music in Antwerp
- recorder with Koen Dieltiens and Baldrick Deerenberg - 1st Prize in 1984
- music history with Guido Philippeth
- chamber music with Dirk Verelst
- written harmony with Emmanuel Geeurickx - 1st Prize in 1981
- counterpoint with Nini Bultereys - 2nd Prize in 1983
- from 1983 organ with Stanislas Deriemaeker
at the same time: Municipal Conservatory of Music in Mechelen
- singing with Annafield Walker, assistant to Lucienne Van Dyck
National Academy of Music in Antwerp
- organ with Luk Bastiaens
Royal Carillon School 'Jef Denyn' in Mechelen
- carillon with Jo Haezen
1985-1988: Royal Conservatory of Music in Brussels
- organ with Herman Verschraegen - 1st Prize in 1988
- singing with Jan Caals, assistant to Louis Devos
- practical harmony and improvisation with Kristiaan Van Ingelgem - 1st Prize in 1987
- chamber music with Herman Stinders
1988-1992: Royal Conservatory of Music in Antwerp
- singing with Liane Jespers
- harpsichord with Jos van Immerseel
early 1990's: private music school 'Ward de Beer' in Antwerp
- cello with Ingrid Switsers and Caroline Courtois
Teaching
1980-1993: many different shorter and longer tasks in music schools across the country:music theory, piano, piano accompaniment, recorder, ensemble and chamber music, organ, harpsichord, clavichord, written harmony
1991-1993: summer classes in Albi (France): harpsichord and chamber music
2012: guest tutor at the University of Oregon in Eugene: giving an organ recital with and teaching on his own compositions; performance by the University Choir, dir. Erik Mentzel, of his newly composed requiem in 6 parts
2014: Academy of Music in Wijnegem, ad interim, harpsichord and improvisation occasionally: receiving professional musicians asking for a check-up
Ecclesiastical
between 1978 and 1992 subsequently:
- Van Montfortkerk in Deurne (Antwerp): assistant organist
- Sint-Norbertuskerk in Antwerp: assistant organist
- Christ Church in Antwerp: organist
- Sint-Lambertuskerk in Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe (Brussels): organist
- Christ Church in Antwerpen again: organist
1992-2006: Sint-Catharinakerk in Sinaai: resident organist and responsible of the liturgy
1997-1999: Sint Carolus-Borromeuskerk in Antwerp: choir master
2002-2004: Brussels Cathedral: choir master
2004-2006: advisor during construction of the new Nagels organ at Christ Church in Antwerp
since 2006: regional organist of Laeken:
- Sint-Lambertuskerk: resident organist and responsible of the liturgy and cultural matters
- Notre Dame: assistant organist
- Sint-Clarakerk: organist
in addition:
- 2010: temporarily director of music ad interim at Saint Boniface Anglican Church in Antwerp
- since 2011: involved in the maintenance and restoration of the rare and precious Walcker organ at 'De Brabantse Olijfberg' Presbyterian Church in Antwerp
Performing
1976-1979: bass singer with Pratum Musicum, dir. Marcel Onsia
early 1980's: bass singer with Kwadrofoon, dir. by myself
1981-1987: bass singer with Currende, dir. Erik Van Nevel
1990-2010: bass singer, organist and harpsichordist with Huelgas Ensemble, dir. Paul Van Nevel
1998-2006: bass singer with Josquin Capella, dir. Meinolf Brüser
over the years many collaborations with groups such as La Petite Bande (dir. Sigiswald Kuycken and Gustav Leonhardt), Il Fondamento (dir. Paul Dombrecht), Anima Eterna (dir. Jos van Immerseel), Rheinische Kantorei (dir. Hermann Max), Cappella Pratensis (dir. Rebecca Stewart), Capilla Flamenca (dir. Dirk Snellings)
since 2000: musical director of the Antwerps Collegium Musicum, together with Dick Wursten, doctor of theology
2001-2004: 1st clarinet solo of the Royal Concert Band 'Sint Cecilia' in Sinaai, dir. Marc Van Wolvelaer
since 2008: Royal Concert Band 'Takjes worden Boomen' in Schilde (near Antwerp), dir. Guy Delbrouck:
- 2008-2012: 1st clarinet solo
- 2012 onwards: baritone saxophone and substitute conductor
2012-2015: leader 3rd clarinets of Concert Band 'De Scheldezonen' in Hoboken (Antwerp), dir. Erik Mast
since 2015: 1st clarinet, small clarinet ('eefer') and soprano saxophone in Royal Concert Band 'De Verbroedering' in Wommelgem (near Antwerp), dir. Patrick Van Oisterwijck
since 1990 monthly organ recital series, subsequently in Antwerp, Sinaai and Laeken.
2003 and 2013 complete works by Charles-Marie Widor, 2011 complete works by Louis Vierne
since 2010 in demand as an oratorio bass singer (e.g. Bach's Passions)
many performances broadcasted on radio or television across Europe, or recorded on CD
Compositions
870 opus numbers (April 2017). The style of his compositions is traditional.
Many official commissions, coming in from instances such as:
- Nederlands Kamerkoor (Netherlands)
- Huelgas Ensemble (at least 4 commissions)
- VRT-Klara (National Radio Station)
- the city of Sint-Niklaas
- Egidiuskwartet (Netherlands)
- Christ Church Antwerp
- Polyfoon
- Joel Frederiksen (Germany)
- Cinquecento (Austria)
- Orsecante
- University of Oregon in Eugene (USA)
- City of Mechelen
- Procant
- City of Sint-Niklaas
Many more private commissions.
A great portion of his anthems, passions and concertos has been performed by the Antwerp Collegium Musicum in semi-liturgical settings.
CD-recordings of this work have been made by the Brussels Cathedral Choir and Huelgas Ensemble.
Willem Ceuleers currently records choice of his organ works on a series of CD's. Eleven volumes have been issued so far (April 2017).
