Brecht Valckenaers (2000, Belgium) is a versatile pianist and composer celebrated for blending classical and contemporary repertoire with his own compositions and improvisations. After eight years of study with Nikolaas Kende at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp, he now furthers his education with Claudio Martínez Mehner at the Hochschule für Musik Basel and Eliso Virsaladze at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole. Brecht has won awards at competitions such as the Steinway Piano Competition, Cantabile Piano Competition, Breughel Piano Competition, Le Concours de Piano Andrée Charlier and the EPTA Piano Competition. He has performed as a soloist with orchestras and performed on renowned stages, including Bozar, Flagey, deSingel, Palais des Beaux-Arts de Charleroi, and Bimhuis Amsterdam. His rhythmically inventive compositions have aired on national radio and gained popularity on YouTube. Following a highly praised performance of his project Ex Nihilo at Festival 20·21 in 2024, he is honored to serve as Artist in Residence for future editions. Passionate about exploring the full spectrum of music, Brecht approaches it as a dynamic language—expressed through performing, improvising, and composing.

Repertoire:

Quarter Finals
T. Loevendie – Toccata
L. van Beethoven – Sonata No. 22 in F major, Op. 54
L. Janáček – Sonata ‘1.X.1905’
A. Scriabin – Sonata No. 4 in F-sharp major, Op. 30

Semi Finals
W.A. Mozart – Quartet No. 1 in G minor, K. 478
B. Valckenaers – Rhythmic Studies – V. Chaconne des Cloches
F. Liszt – Sonata in B minor, S. 178

Finals
J.P. de Graaff – Lock, Stock, and Barrel
L. van Beethoven, Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58