Received his first music lessons from his father. He then studied at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp, notably with Eugene Traey and Jan Decadt. He majored in Performance (piano) and Composition. He went on for a year of further study in the USA, among others with Rudolf Serkin and Eugene Ormandy. His artistic activities –performing, giving master classes and lecturing– are bringing him all over the globe. 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. Among his compositions, to name just a few, is the Lied Cycle Chamber Music (36 Lieder on poems by James Joyce) instrumental music, chamber music, orchestra and choral pieces and recently a Piano Quintet, which was commissioned by the Canadian Borealis String Quartet. He is Honorary Director of the State Music Academy of Antwerp and Honorary Professor of the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp. From 1999 until 2011 he was President of the International Kodály Society (IKS), based in Budapest, Hungary, a world organization dealing with music education for children, youngsters and adults. He is now Past-President. He is also a highly demanded lecturer on the international scene.
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