Role

:

Conductor Performer

Birth

:

1975 in Antwerp, Belgium

 

Björn Schmelzer is a Belgian musicologist, conductor, and founder of the vocal ensemble Graindelavoix. He was born in 1975 in Antwerp, Belgium, and grew up in a family of musicians. His father was a composer and his mother was a singer, which exposed him to music from a young age. Schmelzer studied musicology at the University of Leuven, where he focused on medieval and Renaissance music. He also studied singing and conducting at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. During his studies, he became interested in the performance practices of early music and began experimenting with different approaches to interpreting historical music. In 1999, Schmelzer founded the vocal ensemble Graindelavoix, which specializes in performing music from the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The ensemble is known for its unconventional approach to early music, incorporating elements of improvisation, experimentation, and theatricality into their performances. Graindelavoix has performed at major festivals and concert halls throughout Europe, including the Festival d'Ambronay, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and the Philharmonie de Paris. Schmelzer has also worked as a guest conductor with other ensembles, including the Huelgas Ensemble and the Collegium Vocale Gent. He has collaborated with a number of contemporary composers, including Fabrizio Cassol and Mauro Lanza, and has premiered several new works. One of Schmelzer's most notable performances was his staging of the Missa L'homme armé by Guillaume Dufay at the Festival d'Ambronay in 2008. The performance featured a large ensemble of singers and instrumentalists, as well as actors and dancers, and was praised for its innovative approach to the music. Schmelzer has also received critical acclaim for his recordings with Graindelavoix, including their 2015 album Portrait of the Artist as a Starved Dog, which was named one of the best classical albums of the year by The Guardian. In addition to his work as a performer, Schmelzer is also a respected musicologist and has published several articles and books on early music. His research focuses on the performance practices of medieval and Renaissance music, and he has written extensively on topics such as improvisation, ornamentation, and the use of historical instruments. Schmelzer has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the Flanders Culture Prize for Music in 2013. He has also been a guest lecturer and teacher at several universities and conservatories, including the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis and the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. Overall, Björn Schmelzer is a highly respected figure in the world of early music, known for his innovative approach to performance and his deep understanding of historical music practices. His work with Graindelavoix has helped to push the boundaries of what is possible in early music performance, and his research has shed new light on the rich and complex history of medieval and Renaissance music.

More....