Bio.
© Photo Bjorn Comhaire
Gwen Cresens is a Belgian accordionist, bandoneonist, arranger, composer.
As a 5 year old boy he discovered the magic of an accordion, as it was played by a street musician, next to the Antwerp cathedral.
20 years later Gwen Cresens graduated at the Antwerp Conservatory with a Master degree for classical accordion and chamber music.
On his road he worked with Arno, Raymond van het Groenewoud, Kommil Foo, Boudewijn De Groot, Henny Vrienten, Brussels Philharmonic, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Les Ballets C de la B, Lod, het Paleis, Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Patrick Riguelle, Pavarotti and Ute Lemper.
Giving him the opportunity to perform in a variety of scenes such as
Flagey Brussels, Rock Werchter, Festival Dranouter, Cité de la Musique, L’Olympia, Le Zénith Paris, Concertgebouw Brugge, Bozar Brussels, L’Archiduc Brussels, Konzerthaus Wenen, Paradiso Amsterdam, De Roma Antwerp, Francofolies Montréal, The Joyce Theatre New York, Tramway Glasgow, Theaterhaus Zurich, Teatro Alhambra Granada, South Bank Centre London, Bijloke Ghent, Klein Karoo Festval South Africa,, Adelaide Festival, Festival van Vlaanderen Ghent en Brussels, Zeeland Nazomer Festival, Airbagfestival Brugge, de Singel Antwerp.
No surprise that his own projects are often quite Eclectic, combining influences of different musical worlds : Solo, Gwen Cresens Quartet, Orquesta Tanguedia
Foto © Gwen Cresens
Education
Master classical accordion and chamber music conservatory Antwerp with Ludo Mariën, Roger Eggermont, Philippe Thuriot, Theo Mertens Masterclasses with Wladimir Subizki, Wiatcheslaw Semionov, Oleg Sharov, Frank Marocco, Renzo Ruggieri, Vincent van Amsterdam, Claudio Jacomucci, Joao Barradas
Compositions and /or Arrangements
Boudewijn de Groot, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Raymond van het Groenewoud, Kommil Foo, Fréderique Spigt, Arno
Own Bands
Gwen Cresens Quartet, Alano Gruarin & Gwen Cresens, Orquesta Tanguedia, Gwen Cresens & Bart Van Caenegem, Papillon, Trio Dor, Anne Niepold & Gwen Cresens, Orquesta Tipica Belgica, Les Zouaves du Pacific, Viva Dalida!, Black River Quartet
As a Regular Sideman Arno, Raymond van het Groenewoud, Kommil Foo, Jo Lemaire, Filip Jordens’ Hommage à Brel, Koen de Cauter & les P’tits Belges, Sam Vloemans’ Bord du Nord, Hark!, Frédérique Spigt, Kadril, Zefiro Torna, Patrick Riguelle, Jaan Bossier Quartet
Foto © Johan Jacobs
as a Soloist with Orchestra
Brussels Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Metropole Orkest NL, Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Brussels Chamber Orchestra, Guso, Vlaams Brabants Symfonie Orkest, Leuvens Alumni Orkest, de Munt, BOHO String Ensemble
Theater Companies
Les Ballets C de la B, Muziek Lod (La Tristeza Complice, Ashes), Het nieuwstedelijk (Spoon River Anthology), de Kolonie MT (Cinema Volum, In Topform!), Compagnie Heddy Maalem Toulouse, Niek Kortekaas (Dido & Aeneas, Winterreise), het Paleis (Wulong, Azen), Federico Ordoñez, KVS, Siamese Company, Geert Van Rampelberg
Artists Belgium (live / CD)
Adamo, Vaya con Dios, Wannes Van de Velde, Guido Belcanto, Axelle Red, Tom Barman, Lore Binon, Liesbeth Devos, Clotilde Van Dieren, Anne Boeykens strijkkwartet, Tine Reymer, Roland, Ozark Henry, Bart Peeters, Warre Borgmans, Jef Neve, Liliane Saint Pierre, Jan de Smet, Sarah D’Hondt, Frank Vanderlinden, Rocco Granata, Het geluidshuis, Esmé Bos en Bart Voet, Carlo Nardozza, Wannes Capelle, Stef Kamil Carlens, MandolinMan, Isolde, Erik Melaerts, Jean Blaute, Rick De Leeuw, Jan Hautekiet, Alexandre Cavaliere, Air4Six, Slongs, Vera Coomans
Artists International (live / CD)
Stéphane Eicher, Luciano Pavarotti, Ute Lemper, Taraf de Haidouks, Omar Pato Mollo, Alex Roeka, Frank Boeijen, Maaike Ouboter, Quinn Bachand, Elina Duni, Amparo Cortez, Fernando Lameirinhas, Boudewijn de Groot, Spinvis, Henny Vrienten, Paul Griffiths, Gilles Apap, Antonino De Luca, Joao Barradas
“The most beautiful music appears where musical borders fade.”
— Gwen Cresens
Foto © Sien Verstraeten
Special Projects Curator Accordeon Folie, Lommel 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 Curator Airbagfestival Brugge 2018
Podcast Mim Brussels about bandoneon 2021 Nominated best soloist Classical Music Awards 2018
MD Wannes Muziekfeest, de Roma 2024 MD La Tristeza Complice, Streaming deSingel 2021 MD Lagelandensessie Radio 1, de Roma Antwerp 2018 MD 30 jaar CC Lier, Kommil Foo, Lukas Vandeneynde & Jan De Smet 2022
Documentaire film about Jules Willems, accordionpionier 2020 Producer opnames All the way Bach by accordion player Philippe Thuriot 2022 Concerts on The Royal Belgian missions to Canada 2018, Latvia 2022
Teaching & Coaching. Academie Sint Agatha Berchem, Kunsthumaniora Brussel, Workshops conservatory Antwerp, Kask Ghent, coaching Gouden Vleugels
Live Television & Radio
De Laatste Show (één), Vive le Vélo (één), De 7de dag (één), Het zomert met (één), Sterren op de dansvloer (VTM), Pauw & Witteman (NL), De Wereld Draait door (NL)
Radio 1, Radio 2, Klara, Musique 3, La première, Radio 4 NL, BBC radio 3, France Inter, Nostalgie, Vrije Geluiden (NL), Terras Marcel (Vanthilt), La vie est Riguelle (Klara)…