Wilfried Van den Brande

As a researcher, he was awarded a PhD in the Arts from the Royal Conservatoire of Brussels in 2014, with the highest distinction. His fascination with the American song repertoire (from Cole Porter to George Gershwin and Stephen Sondheim) is reflected in his publications, documentaries, podcast series and teaching practice at the conservatoire.

As a storyteller, he brings music to life through context and narrative. Whether exploring the Jazz Age of Gershwin and Porter or the nineteenth-century art song of Schubert and Schumann, Wilfried weaves together biography, the spirit of the age and the lyrics to create an experience that makes even the general public feel at home at a song recital.

As a bass-baritone with international experience, he has appeared as a soloist with renowned orchestras across Europe, from the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande to the Nürnberger Symphoniker. He has performed major opera roles, premiered new works and built up a substantial discography, the highlight of which is a five-disc CD box set dedicated to Cole Porter, presented at Carnegie Hall.

_{Photo © Ilse Prinsen}