Werner Van Cleemput was born on 14 July 1930 in Sint-Niklaas. He studied at the music academy in his native city (among his teachers was Albert Delvaux) and at the Halewijn Society in Antwerp (music education and music for young people). Although took private lessons in theoretical subjects from a number of conservatory teachers, including Nini Bulterys, and studied composition with Karel Goeyvaerts at the Institute for Psycho-Acoustics and Electronic Music (IPEM) in Ghent, Van Cleemput is mainly self taught as a composer. He has composed since he was 16, but later destroyed around 20 of his early works. In 1972 he made his public debut as a composer by winning the August De Boeck Prize for a cantata for children’s choir and chamber orchestra. Since that time he has won such prizes as the Prize of the Province of Liege for Balletflitsen (1972), a ballet suite for symphonic orchestra, the Irène Fuerison Prize for his Suite for Pieter Bruegel (1974), and the SABAM Prize for his string quartet, Children’s Portraits (1976). Van Cleemput wrote the work D’Ar Penn Ar Bed (1975), a Breton suite for large wind orchestra, commissioned by the Belgian classical radio broadcaster (then BRT3). The work was premiered by the Muziekkapel van de Belgische Rijkswacht. He also wrote Suite voor Filip (1978) for wind ensemble, commissioned by the municipality of Hamme in connection with a commemoration of Filip De Pilecijn. Van Cleemput was a civil servant by profession but complements this career with a busy schedule as a musician. Besides his activities as a composer, he regularly participated in play-ins, together with Henk Van Lijnschooten. He also appeared as a conductor and frequently published articles in wind-music periodicals. Van Cleemput was a member of the national Technical Commission of Fedekam (Flanders) and of the provincial Technical Commission of Fedekam (East Flanders). He was often called on for lectures, study evenings, round-table discussions and technical advice. In addition, he was a valued jury member at national and international band competitions.

He died in 2006.

Selective bibliography
- F. VAN EGGHEN, Autodidact uit Sint-Niklaas werd volwaardig componist, Werner Van Cleemput: een leven voor de muziek, in Gazet Van Antwerpen, 8 febr. 1981
- G. D’HOLLANDER, Componistenportret: Interview met Werner Van Cleemput, in VBV-magazine, december 2000

©2005 Ines Swartenbroek, for Flanders Music Centre and MATRIX

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