Peter Van de Velde (°1972) started his organstudies by himself at the age of nine. At the age of twelve he became organist at the local church in the little Flemish village of Doel. He received his first musical tuition at the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts. He was awarded first prize for music notation and concluded his organ studies at the Academy with highest honours. He went on to pursue his studies at the Royal Antwerp Conservatory of Music where he won several first prizes in addition to other comparable awards. In 1996, as last pupil of Stanislas Deriemaeker, his studies at the Conservatory earned him a Masters degree. During the course of his studies, and also thereafter, he followed various master classes for the organ, improvisation and performance technique with a.o. Louis Thiry, Dr. Hans van Nieuwkoop, Dr. Naji Hakim and Wayne Marshall.

Since early 2002, in his capacity as Titular-organist of Antwerp Cathedral, the largest gothic cathedral in the low countries, he plays on both the romantic Schyven-organ (1891) and the classical Metzler-organ (1993). He also holds the position of organist at the church of Saint Michael in Antwerp. He is also the artistic adviser of several organ committee’s in and around Antwerp.

His latest concert tours brought him to places such as France (Paris, St.-Rйmy-de Provence, Dijon), Germany (Wьrzburg, Wiesbaden, Merseburg, Passau, Halle, Hamburg), Ireland (Tullamore, Dublin), Poland (Warsaw), Norway (Bergen, Trondheim), Scotland (Aberdeen), England (York Minster), Japan (Kobe, Osaka), Russia and Holland (Amsterdam, Breda, Katwijk, Middelburg, Zaltbommel). He is also much in demand for accompanying choirs and instrumental and vocal soloists and plays regularly with different orchestras in performing organ concerto’s (Bach, Hдndel, Hakim, Poulenc…)

He has a very wide repertoire ranging from early baroque to contemporary composers such as Naji Hakim from who he gave Belgian premieres of several pieces (Sonata for trumpet and organ, Third organ concerto, Bach’orama, The Last Judgement) and world-premiere recordings (Agвpe). He also specializes in performing music of the 19th and 20th century from his native country with composers like Edgar Tinel, Joseph Jongen, Paul de Maleingreau, Flor Peeters and Guy Weitz.

In 2004 he has recorded his first solo CD on the Schyven-organ of Antwerp cathedral and in 2006 he recorded 2 SACD’s with the symphonic organ works of the Belgian composer Paul de Maleingreau for the german label AEOLUS. His latest recording consists of Bach-transcriptions, recorded on both organs in Antwerp cathedral. All of his recordings were praised in international reviews (L’Orgue (F), Orgelkunst (B), Orgelnieuws (NL), WDR (D), KLARA (B), Orgelvriend (NL), Diapason (F)).

Site of Peter Van de Velde