Steve Willaert
Encyclopedia
Steve Willaert is a Belgian
multi-faceted composer
, arranger
, musician and producer
.
(Daens
).
In his home country, he regularly is musical director of great television shows. Since 2001, he is VTM
's musical director for their annual Christmas Parade. In 2003 he did orchestrations for 50 years TV, Eurosong live on stage in the Sportpalais Antwerp organized by the national broadcast (VRT
). He toured as musical director and arranger with the Belgian artists Will Tura
, Jo Lemaire, Axelle Red
and Nathalia.
He did arrangements for major orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra
, the National Orchestra of Belgium
, the Beethoven Academy, Philharmonic orchestra of Prague
and the Flemish
Radio Orchestra (VRO). By his experience with these orchestras and the use of acoustic
, electronic instruments and computers, Willaert had the opportunity to collaborate with international artists such as Françoise Hardy
, Johnny Logan
, Toots Thielemans
, Zucchero
, Youssou N'Dour
, Ozark Henry
, Leo Sayer
and Helmut Lotti
.
Recently, he is more and more active as a film score composer. He wrote music for the TV-series Stille Waters, Aspe, Thuis and Katarakt. In 2003 Willaert won for his score to Stille Waters the Prix Italia
and Plateauprijs.
Meanwhile, he kept composing for film: Frank Van Mechelen's Indringer (2005) and De Hel van Tanger (2006), as well as, Vermist (2007) by director Jan Verheyen (for which he also write the track Waiting with Michael Leahy) and the Dutch
movie Dunja en Desie in Marokko (2008) by Dana Nechushtan.
Albums
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
multi-faceted composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, arranger
Arranger
In investment banking, an arranger is a provider of funds in the syndication of a debt. They are entitled to syndicate the loan or bond issue, and may be referred to as the "lead underwriter". This is because this entity bears the risk of being able to sell the underlying securities/debt or the...
, musician and producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
.
Biography
Since the eighties, Steve Willaert composed music for Belgian radio and television-shows. In 1993 he released a solo album called Musical Regards. He wrote the score for the French movie Le Golden Boy (1996). A year later, he did the orchestrations and arrangements for the movie When The Light Comes (1997) by director Stijn ConinxStijn Coninx
Stijn, Baron Coninx is a Belgian film director best known for the movie Daens. He was made a Baron by King Albert II of Belgium...
(Daens
Daens (film)
Daens is a 1992 Belgian film directed by Stijn Coninx. This 1992 drama starring Jan Decleir, Gérard Desarthe, Antje de Boeck and Michael Pas, tells the true story of Adolf Daens, a Catholic priest in Aalst who strives to improve the miserable working conditions in the local factories...
).
In his home country, he regularly is musical director of great television shows. Since 2001, he is VTM
VTM
The abbreviation VTM may refer to::* Vampire: The Masquerade, a popular role-playing game* Virginia Tech massacre* vtm, the main commercial television station in Flanders, Belgium...
's musical director for their annual Christmas Parade. In 2003 he did orchestrations for 50 years TV, Eurosong live on stage in the Sportpalais Antwerp organized by the national broadcast (VRT
Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep
The Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie , or VRT, is a publicly-funded broadcaster of radio and television in Flanders ....
). He toured as musical director and arranger with the Belgian artists Will Tura
Will Tura
Will Tura is the stage name of Arthur Achiel Albert, Knight Blanckaert, a Belgian artist famous in Flanders and the Netherlands. Tura is a singer, musician , composer and songwriter...
, Jo Lemaire, Axelle Red
Axelle Red
Axelle Red is a Belgian singer-songwriter.-Biography:She was born at Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium, the daughter of Roland Demal, a solicitor in Hasselt and Councillor for the Flemish Liberals and Democrats in the City Council.Nowadays a committed artist and a militant humanist, back in 1993 Axelle...
and Nathalia.
He did arrangements for major orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra
London Philharmonic Orchestra
The London Philharmonic Orchestra , based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom, and is based in the Royal Festival Hall. In addition, the LPO is the main resident orchestra of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera...
, the National Orchestra of Belgium
National Orchestra of Belgium
The Nationaal Orkest van België or Orchestre National de Belgique is the oldest of two major orchestras now in Belgium, along with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège....
, the Beethoven Academy, Philharmonic orchestra of Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
and the Flemish
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
Radio Orchestra (VRO). By his experience with these orchestras and the use of acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
, electronic instruments and computers, Willaert had the opportunity to collaborate with international artists such as Françoise Hardy
Françoise Hardy
Françoise Madeleine Hardy is a French singer, actress and astrologer. Hardy is an iconic figure in fashion, music and style. She is married to the singer and movie actor Jacques Dutronc.-Biography:...
, Johnny Logan
Johnny Logan (singer)
Johnny Logan , is an Australian-born Irish singer and composer. He is regarded as "Mister Eurovision", having participated in the Eurovision Song Contest many times since the 1970s, and, since 1992, has been the most successful artist in Eurovision history.Logan has won the international contest on...
, Toots Thielemans
Toots Thielemans
Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans , known as Toots Thielemans, is a Belgian jazz musician well known for his guitar and harmonica playing as well as his whistling. Thielemans is credited as one of the greatest harmonica players of the 20th century...
, Zucchero
Zucchero
Adelmo Fornaciari, Commander , more commonly known by his stage name Zucchero Fornaciari or simply Zucchero /ˈtsukkero/, is an Italian rock singer. His music is largely inspired by gospel, blues and rock music, and alternates between ballads and more rhythmic boogie-like pieces.Zucchero is the...
, Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
, Ozark Henry
Ozark Henry
Piet Goddaer is a Belgian musician, better known by his stage name Ozark Henry.-Biography:In his early life, Piet Goddaer was involved in several local bands...
, Leo Sayer
Leo Sayer
Leo Sayer is a British singer-songwriter, musician, and entertainer whose singing career has spanned four decades. Sayer became a naturalised Australian citizen in 2009. Sayer was a top singles and album act on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1970s...
and Helmut Lotti
Helmut Lotti
Helmut Lotti , is a Flemish Belgian tenor and singer-songwriter. Lotti performs in several styles and languages: Once an Elvis impersonator, he has sung African and Latino hit records, and he crossed over into classical music in the 1990s.-Life and music:The son of Luc Lotigiers and Rita Lagrou,...
.
Recently, he is more and more active as a film score composer. He wrote music for the TV-series Stille Waters, Aspe, Thuis and Katarakt. In 2003 Willaert won for his score to Stille Waters the Prix Italia
Prix Italia
The Prix Italia is an international Italian television, radio-broadcasting and Website award. It was established in 1948 by RAI - Radiotelevisione Italiana in Capri...
and Plateauprijs.
Meanwhile, he kept composing for film: Frank Van Mechelen's Indringer (2005) and De Hel van Tanger (2006), as well as, Vermist (2007) by director Jan Verheyen (for which he also write the track Waiting with Michael Leahy) and the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
movie Dunja en Desie in Marokko (2008) by Dana Nechushtan.
Music for film, series, theatre and musicals
- Zoon van de Schrijnwerker (with Will Tura) (1988) (Theatre)
- Le Golden Boy (1996) (French movie)
- Stille Waters (Tv-episode) (2002) Best sold Belgian soundtrack, Prix ItaliaPrix ItaliaThe Prix Italia is an international Italian television, radio-broadcasting and Website award. It was established in 1948 by RAI - Radiotelevisione Italiana in Capri...
- Aspe 1 (Tv-episodes) (2003–2004) based on the books of Pieter Aspe
- Halleluja (sitcom) (2005)
- De Indringer (2005) by Frank Van Mechelen
- Halleluja 2 (2006)
- Aspe 2 (2006)
- Elisabeth (Tv-serie) (2006)
- De Hel van Tanger (2006) by Frank Van Mechelen
- Thuis (Tv-soap) (2007)
- Aspe 3 (2007)
- Katarakt (Tv-serie) (2007)
- Vermist by Jan Verheyen (2007)
- Dunja en Desie in Marokko (2008) (Dutch movie)
Arrangements
Musicals, movies, projects- Night Of The Proms (1993)
- Les Nuits Fantastiques (1993)
- Extasy-the opera (1995) in Wenen
- When The Light Comes (1997) by Stijn ConinxStijn ConinxStijn, Baron Coninx is a Belgian film director best known for the movie Daens. He was made a Baron by King Albert II of Belgium...
- Musicals by Studio 100Studio 100Studio 100 is a Flemish company that produces popular children's television series and owns five amusement parks and four musical ensembles.-History:Studio 100 was founded in 1996 by Gert Verhulst, Danny Verbiest, and Hans Bourlon...
- Sneeuwwitje (1999)
- Assepoester (1999)
- Pinokkio (2000)
- Robin Hood (2001)
- Doornroosje (2002)
- 3 biggetjes (2003)
- De Kleine Zeemeermin (2004)
- Kuifje en de zonnetempel (2001)
- Fishboy by Laurent Michelet (2005)
- Story Of Us by Sandrine and "Opening Theme" for the soundtrack "Windkracht 10-koksijde rescue" (2007) by Hans Herbots
- Songs In The Key of Love, project by singer Sofie and the Beethoven Academie with conductor Dirk BrosséDirk BrosséDirk Brossé is a Flemish Belgian composer and conductor. He’s one of Europe's most talented composers. Since 1999 Brossé is Musical Host of the International Flanders Film Festival in Ghent and he held also the title of Music Director of the Tokyo International Music Festival.Brossé is best known...
. - Dank U Vlaanderen, project by Will TuraWill TuraWill Tura is the stage name of Arthur Achiel Albert, Knight Blanckaert, a Belgian artist famous in Flanders and the Netherlands. Tura is a singer, musician , composer and songwriter...
and the Flemish Radio Orchestra - Nekka 2000
Albums
- Love album by Gunther Neefs (1998)
- Ik Voel Me Goed by Gunther Neefs (2000) (award of best Flemish production 2000)
- Louis Neefs, 20 years later (2000) (platinum award)
- En Dans by Clouseau (2002) (platinum award)
- Swing Is The Thing by Gunther Neefs (2002)
- Jo prend la mer by Jo Lemaire (2003)
Productions
- All studio/live- albums and singles by Will TuraWill TuraWill Tura is the stage name of Arthur Achiel Albert, Knight Blanckaert, a Belgian artist famous in Flanders and the Netherlands. Tura is a singer, musician , composer and songwriter...
from 1987–present (20 golden and platinum awards) - Soundtrack Stille Waters (2001)
- A Moment (2002), full album by Severine Dore
- Songs by Natalia for the soundtrack Team Spirit II (2003) by Jan Verheyen
- This Time (2003), full album by Natalia (platinum award)
- I've only begun to fight (2004), single by Natalia (golden award)
- Higher Than The Sun (2004), single by Natalia (co-production with Vincent Pierins)
- Soundtrack Aspe (2004) with single "Wees van mij" by Gene ThomasGene ThomasEugene "Gene" Warren Thomas is a former American football fullback and halfback in the American Football League and played in Super Bowl I. He attended North High School in Akron, Ohio and played college football at Florida A&M University. His pro-career was spent with both the Kansas City Chiefs...
- Back for more (2004) by Natalia (double platinum) and singles "Sisters are doin it for themselves" (2005) and "Rid of You" (2006).