OUC054: Sculpting / Sculpting
Initially approached by Sigrid Vandenbogaerde with a proposal to write for her, Claude Evence Janssens first chose to compose for solo cello, drawing heavily on Baroque music, but also on minimalist and postmodern repetitive music inspired by Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Arvo Pärt, and others. Evence then added ambient synthesized sounds to his compositions, inspired by musicians such as Brian Eno. These sounds were conceived as counterpoints and interferences with the cello's narrative monologue, using ethereal samples counterbalanced by infrabass. To complete the concept, a final layer was added by percussionist Pierre Quiriny, who, with sticks, mallets, and hands, made skins, metals, and wood vibrate according to the music's inspiration.
Ultimately, SCULPTING presents itself as the introspective journey of a character, lyrically embodied by Sigrid Vandenbogaerde on cello, throughout a voyage where Claude Evence's ambient sounds express the regions traversed between heaven and earth, while Pierre Quiriny's percussion provides a counterpoint to life's experiences, both near and far. Passion, mystery, and expressiveness characterize these compositions, by turns wild and poetic, arousing magnetism and fascination thanks to their captivating performers.
Sigrid Vandenbogaerde : violoncelle
Pierre Quiriny : percussions
Claude Evence Janssens made his debut as a composer with music he wrote for an ensemble he described as "baroque rock," which earned him the Marcel Hicter Prize from the French Community of Belgium. This classically trained musician, a Bach enthusiast, plays several wind instruments (after starting with the violin), holds a degree in musicology, and was introduced to the musical analysis of contemporary works by Karel Goeyvaerts. He initially worked in the field of film and television music composition.
Since 2013 he devotes himself entirely to composing music primarily within the Third Stream (a combination of classical music and jazz) and Fourth Stream (a crossover of classical, jazz, soul, and world music) genres, resulting in half a dozen albums that received critical acclaim.
In fact, linking Claude Evence Janssens' music to that of other contemporary composers is hardly possible, but one can cite the influences of Igor Stravinsky, Edgard Varèse, Steve Reich, Gavin Bryars, Steve Coleman, Robert Fripp, Carla Bley, and others. With six new albums of original compositions currently being recorded, to be released online and on CD between 2026 and 2029, more than 200 of Claude Evence Janssens' compositions will have been released as albums and concerts. www.claudejanssens.info
Since 2015, she has recorded solo projects featuring numerous works written for her, including "Gift," Fluid Suites for Cello, composed by Manuel Hermia. She has also developed a multimedia project with Todor Todoroff and Laura Guerra Comenares, Evanescens, and performs with, among others, the Anne Wolf Quartet, in Barbara Wiernik's Ellipse projects, and in composer Chris Joris's Until the Darkness Fades.
He studied conducting in the class of Philippe Gérard at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. Pierre also pursues a career as a teacher, teaching percussion at the Anderlecht Academy. At the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, he is an orchestra coordinator and percussion professor.
