Gilbert De Greeve

Gilbert De Greeve, who received his first music lessons from his father Jos De Greeve (a violinist) studied at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp, notably with Eugène Traey, Jacqueline Fontyn and Jan Decadt, where he majored in both Performance and Composition. He went on studying in the USA, with Rudolf Serkin, Eugene Ormandy and Leonard Pearlman. His artistic activities, performing, giving master classes and lecturing, are bringing him all over the globe. In the past 40 years he has given numerous concerts, made radio and television recordings and has given master classes in piano, chamber music, Lied interpretation/accompaniment and composition in the five continents. He is also much in demand as a lecturer on several topics. At the age of 25 he became one of the youngest Professors ever at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp and Director of the State Music Academy of the same city, a school which he developed from its foundation in 1970 into a major institution with more than 4.200 students. As soloist, in Chamber Music and as an accompanist, he is known for his striking interpretations. A critic formulated it once as follows: “...throughout the recital the playing was non-demonstrative, totally under control, but with a highly individual interpretation which was refreshing... ...Some pianists consider Chopin’s works to be an invitation to show off their technical virtuosity and to thump the piano into submission. What we miss is the poetry and sensitivity of the music. Gilbert De Greeve has virtuosity in great abundance but he used this always at the service of the music. I don’t think I have heard a more gentle and articulate performance of Chopin in recent years...” Among his compositions, to name just a few, are the Lied Cycle Chamber Music (36 Lieder on poems by James Joyce), instrumental music, chamber music, orchestra and choral pieces. At present Gilbert De Greeve is Honorary Director of the State Music Academy of Antwerp and Honorary Professor of the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp. He is also a Past-President of the International Kodály Society, based in Budapest, Hungary.

Jessica Suandrianna 

Jessica Suandrianna is a young Indonesian pianist. At early age she began playing and studying piano which resulted in receiving a Bachelor in Music Performance at the Universitas Pelita Harapan in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2016. In July of the same year she attended a Master Class in Jakarta with the Belgian Pianist Gilbert De Greeve who recognized her great overall potential as a musician and encouraged her very much to continue for a Master Degree, preferably at an important foreign University. After applying to the Baylor University in Waco, Texas, one of the top 10 Universities in the USA, she was immediately granted a Graduate Assistantship (a full scholarship) showing the University’s confirmation of her obvious future potential. In May 2019 she graduated with a Master in Piano Performance in the class of Professor Krassimira Jordan and received the L. Keyes Award for the most Distinguish Graduate Student in Piano, a distinction granted by a vote of all the Piano Professors. On top, Baylor University offered her an additional year of full scholarship to do a second Master Degree in Organ Performance in the class of Professor Isabelle Demers. In May 2020 Jessica will graduate with a Double Master Degree in Piano and Organ Performance. In 2019 Gilbert De Greeve was again on tour in Indonesia and a talk with Jessica and her parents seems to have resulted in a life-changing experience. Professor De Greeve told us that for a time already he knew that Jessica would prefer to play a lot if that would be possible, and she confirmed this in the recent talks. He was also impressed with the support she has had throughout the years from her parents and family and is convinced that, given her artistic potential, personality and diligence, it is not unrealistic to work for a performing career. However, that is not a simple thing. There is the illusion that it can be done through winning competitions... but that is not at all a guarantee for success. Many of the all- time great pianists like Rudolph Serkin, Clara Haskil, Arthur Rubinstein, Nadia Boulanger, to name just these, never went to a competition... In fact, as with so many things, there is only one way and that is to work for it every day again. Therefore Professor De Greeve has accepted to be a “mentor” for Jessica and to coach her in the coming years. Because the only place to learn “to be a performer” is “on the stage”, he is helping in finding and creating performance possibilities for her. The most important element of her “training” in the near future is: performing and performing and performing... Professor De Greeve recently wrote that he “feels it as a human and professional duty to support her and that he believes that somebody with such a God given talent deserves an opportunity to develop it to the maximum.” Jessica has already an extensive repertoire and can offer beautiful concert programs to interested parties. She will be very grateful for given performing opportunities and will honor them in the best possible way.