The Murakami Songs

Benjamin Glorieux started his cello lessons with Jan Van Kelst. He went on to study with Vivian Spanoghe and Jeroen Reuling in Ghent and Brussels. Thanks to an Erasmus scholarship, Benjamin travelled to Geneva to study with François Guye and shortly after, he was accepted into the Musikhochschule in Cologne to receive lessons from the Alban Berg Quartet, among others. He was greatly inspired by lessons from the Danel Quartet, Kronos Quartet, Hagen Quartet, Artemis Quartet, and cellists Gary Hoffman and Roel Dieltiens. Benjamin Glorieux is one of those versatile musicians who is at home in centuries-old music as much as he is in contemporary classical music. He has performed with jazz musicians and has been a part of various theatre productions. He is the Artistic Director of Aton' & Armide, a collective with a flexible setting.  As a composer, Benjamin mainly composes and publishes music for cello solo, sometimes in a dialogue with pre-recorded and edited tapes. Together with pianist Anthony Romaniuk, Benjamin explores the cello repertoire from classicism to modernism, on the basis of authentic instruments.

Frank van de Laar (Laren, 1965) completed his studies with Jan Wijn at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam in 1989 with the highest possible distinction. He continued his education in Hannover with Karl-Heinz Kämmerling and in Amsterdam with Naum Grubert. In 1987, he won the 3d prize at the International Brahms Competition in Hamburg and in 1988, he won the first prize at the Postbank-Sweelinck Competition. He made his debut in the Grote Zaal of the Concertgebouw that same year, and numerous performances in The Netherlands and abroad followed in high tempo. He has given concerts in the United States, Asia, and almost all European countries, winning many prizes and distinctions. His repertoire spans from the entire Baroque era to contemporary music, with an interesting role for lesser known early and contemporary works. He is also an active chamber musician. His performances have been recorded by countless radio and television channels and he has released over twenty-five CDs. He is a professor at the conservatories in Amsterdam and Zwolle.

Frank van de Laar (Laren, 1965) completed his studies with Jan Wijn at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam in 1989 with the highest possible distinction. He continued his education in Hannover with Karl-Heinz Kämmerling and in Amsterdam with Naum Grubert. In 1987, he won the 3d prize at the International Brahms Competition in Hamburg and in 1988, he won the first prize at the Postbank-Sweelinck Competition. He made his debut in the Grote Zaal of the Concertgebouw that same year, and numerous performances in The Netherlands and abroad followed in high tempo. He has given concerts in the United States, Asia, and almost all European countries, winning many prizes and distinctions. His repertoire spans from the entire Baroque era to contemporary music, with an interesting role for lesser known early and contemporary works. He is also an active chamber musician. His performances have been recorded by countless radio and television channels and he has released over twenty-five CDs. He is a professor at the conservatories in Amsterdam and Zwolle.