Member of the Jury and composer of the set piece in the Soloists category
The work of Belgian composer Claude Ledoux is based on the idea of ‘cross-resonances’, focusing on the notion of sound crossovers and attempting to imprint the mark of our fragmented world within his music.
His pieces thus express his desire for cultural porosity across geographical boundaries (between Western and non-European music), societal boundaries (between classical and popular music) and historical boundaries.
Author of numerous pieces for orchestra, opera and chamber music with and without electronics, as well as solos, his music is performed on every continent. Composer in residence at BOZAR, Musiques Nouvelles, Ars Musica, and Kitara Hall (Japan), and recipient of the Ranieri Foundation in New York, in 2016 he composed A Butterfly’s Dream, the compulsory concerto for the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium. Subsequently, Noéma, a concerto for saxophone and orchestra, was premiered at the 2019 Adophe Sax International Competition. More recently, new Japanese echoes inspired by Noh theatre have emerged: Tomoe, ‘Rappresentazione’ for biwa and traditional Japanese voice, soprano, baritone and baroque ensemble, commissioned by the 2020 Wallonia Festival; and FujiDaiko Echo, for Noh voice and string quartet, premiered at Ars Musica and performed again in Tokyo in November 2023.
A relentless traveller, he has conducted field research into music in India, Cambodia, Vietnam, Japan and Indonesia, among other places. Artistic Director of the Wallonia Electronic Music Studio from 2002 to 2005 and of the Ars Musica festival in 2012, he founded the LAPS Ensemble in 2013, of which he is currently the Musical Director.
Author of numerous articles on musical creation, professor of Advanced Analysis at the Paris Conservatoire (CNSMDP) and Composition at the Royal Conservatoire/Arts2 in Mons (Belgium), he has also taught these subjects in seminars at the Universities of Campinas and Sao Paulo (Brazil) and at the Shanghai Conservatoire. More recently, he has been invited to Japan, Armenia and Kazakhstan for creative projects, lectures and masterclasses in composition.
Claude Ledoux has been a member of the Arts Class of the Royal Academy of Belgium since 6 January 2005.
Some of his works are recorded under the labels Cyprès, Paraty, Subrosa, and Harmonia Mundi.
Composer’s website: https://ledouxclaude.be