BIOGRAPHY

At a very young age it was already clear that Dries Laureyssens (°1994) has a talent for music. When he was seven years old he had his first solfège-lessons by his father (Peter Laureyssens), who also is a musician and a teacher. His first experience on the stage was also at the age of seven.

In June 2017, Dries received his Masters Degree for French Horn with distinction at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp by Rik Vercruysse. After that he began in September 2017 for his studies for a Masters Degree in Windband Conducting, by teacher and conductor Dirk De Caluwe. Next to being a horn player and a conductor, Dries is also an arranger en orchestrator, and has lessons from composer Jan Van Der Roost. Some examples of Dries's arranging-skills are: The Armed Man (composer: Karl Jenkins) re-written for Belgian Brass, various arrangements of filmscores re-written for symphony orchestra and/or windband, aria's from various opera's re-written for windband,...

Dries has followed already some Masterclasses. For example he followed courses for Horn by Rik Vercruysse, Ivo Hadermann, Anthony Devriendt, Eliz Erkalp, Froydis Ree Wekre, Manolo Perez Ortega, Henryk Kowalewicz,... and for conducting by Philip Harper (Cory Band).

Symphonic skills he received in many different orchestras like Symfonisch Ensemble Ekeren, Jeugd en Muziekorkest Antwerpen, Euregio Jeugdorkest and deOrkestacademie. At the moment he is regularly active as a freelancer in various orchestras and ensembles like: I Solisti del Vento, Belgian National Orchestra (earlier known as National Orchestra from Belgium), De Muntschouwburg, Casco Phil, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra (earlier known as Flemish Philharmonic Orchestra), Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Frascati Symphonic, Belgian Brass, Lumen Symphonicum and various Wind Band-associations.

Dries is also active in the world of chamber music. For two years he was a playing member of the Danta Brass Quintet, consisting of five young brass players who had their education at the Royal Conservatoir of Antwerp en the Lemmensinstituut in Leuven.

As a conductor, Dries had experience in the Stadsharmonie of Lier, the Wind Band of Lint, the Royal Wind Band Wijngaard Vrijheidsvrienden in Wijnegem and the Wind Band of Mol-Achterbos.