ForEllen Quintet, Classical on Sunday

10 AM doors expo 3 PM concert in hall Platform, an interwar cinema, a hidden gem, in the heart of Antwerpen Zuid Wietse Beels – violin Wim De Cock – viola Jan Sciffer – cello Lode Leire – bassist Ellen De Cock – piano Wietse Beels was born in 1976 and started playing the violin at the age of 4. He studied at the Conservatorium van Antwerpen and Rotterdam with Guido De Neve, Jean-Jacques Kantorow, and Ilya Grubert. He followed chamber music with the Melos Quartet, the Alban Berg Quartett, the Altenberg Trio Wien, and the Florestan Trio. He was a laureate of the Nationale Muziekwedstrijd of the Gemeentekrediet in 1995. With his ensemble Trio Dor, he won the debut prize for chamber music in 1998 and was a laureate of the Castelfidardo competition (Italy). With the Narziss und Goldmund Pianotrio, he obtained the Konzertexamen at the Hochschule für Musik Köln in 2003 and won the Debuutprijs Kamermuziek van Jeugd and Music. He performed in the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, Austria, France, Italy, Germany, and South Africa and realized numerous radio recordings (Radio 3, Radio 1, Klara, Bayrische Rundfunk) and CDs with trio Dor and Narziss und Goldmund. In addition, he often performs with prominent musicians and groups. Wietse is a violin teacher at the Podiumacademie van Lier. Wim De Cock studied viola at the Lemmens Institute in the class of Marc Tooten. He became a laureate in viola and master in chamber music with the highest distinction. He also obtained the higher diploma in viola with great distinction. As a freelance violist, Wim is active in various orchestras. He is currently principal in the European Philharmonia and the Kamerorkest Vlaanderen. He was a permanent violist of the Ballet Van Vlaanderen for years, principal of the orchestra “La Passione”. Besides being an orchestral musician, Wim is also active in the field of chamber music. He is a permanent member of SAFH4 and De Cock². In 1996, he started the training to become a Suzuki method teacher and founded his own viola school “Altelier” in 2008. In 10 years, he has developed this unique group into a household name in Europe, which currently includes about 60 viola students. As a viola teacher, he has been associated with the municipal academy for music, word, and dance in Lier since 1994. Jan Sciffer studied at the conservatories of Ghent, Brussels, and Maastricht, and followed masterclasses with Valentin Berlinsky and Heinrich Schiff. While still studying, he won, among others, ‘Tenuto’. As a cellist of the Spiegel Strijkkwartet, he performed for years at home and abroad, and he made CD recordings of music by, among others, Lekeu, Franck, Chausson, and Vierne (Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm). With this string quartet, he also played the creations of contemporary composers, e.g., the string quartets of Wim Henderickx. CD recording of the cello sonatas of Frits Celis and Louis Vierne for Phaedra/In Flanders’ Fields with pianist Hans Ryckelynck. In 2013, he recorded the solo suites of Bach, a recording that was particularly well received by Radio Klara: “Jan Sciffer has found a way to make the suites accessible to everyone with a natural eloquence and beautifully dosed singing tone. They sound fresh, lively, resilient, enthusiastic, even festive”. He taught at the Conservatoire de Bruxelles and the Lemmens Institute, as well as masterclasses in Belgium, France, and Japan. Lode Leire was principal bassist of the chamber orchestra Beethoven Academy from 1989 to 2007, with which he played under great conductors such as Christopher Hogwood, Bernard Haitink, Valerie Gergiev, Gustavo Dudamel, Simon Ratlle, and others. He was also principal bassist of the ensemble Champ d’action from 1988 to 2015. He was able to play various solo performances with orchestra in the US, Brazil, the Netherlands, France, and Spain. Since 1993, he has been a principal lecturer at the conservatory in Antwerp. He is also a double bass teacher for summer masterclasses at the conservatory of Valencia since 2008 and at the académie d’été de Wallonie in Libramont and the international music academy in Dinant. He is a permanent substitute with the Rotterdams Philharmonisch orchestra, Antwerp Symphony, and Brussels Philharmonic. He is also a regular in various ensembles and chamber music groups. Ellen De Cock studied piano at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp with Eliane Rodrigues and Peter Van der Koelen, where she obtained her “Master of Music” degree with great distinction. She perfected herself by participating in various masterclasses by, among others, Jean-Claude Van den Eynde, Jan Wijn, and Michel Campanella. Currently, she is associated with the Lier academy as a piano teacher and piano accompanist and is on stage as a soloist or in a chamber music context. Furthermore, she is part of various productions, both at home and abroad. Since the start of the Altelier viola school, Ellen has been a permanent accompanist for this group. Her piano accompaniment is highly appreciated at both solo and group concerts.