Koninklijke Harmonie Sinte-Cecilia Zele (Bélgica) HISTORY OF THE BAND The Symphonic Wind Band was founded in 1830, the same year that Belgium was recognized as an Independent European State. However, there is evidence to suggest that there was a musical group in Zele before the French occupation, hence the motto: “Phoenix ex cinere suo renascitur” [The Phoenix will rise from its ashes]. In 1906 the title “Royal” was granted to the band. The appointment of Dirk De Caluwe as conductor in 1987 was the beginning of an intense and prosperous collaboration, which has resulted in the splendid Symphonic Wind Band we know today. The main objective of our current director, Georges Moreau, is to maintain the present level of excellence, and explore new directions for the band while keeping their own musical style. Throughout the years the orchestra has won numerous prizes, such as the gold medal from the city of Antwerp. They have also made various trips abroad to places such as Germany, France and Italy. We have proven our talent over the past four years by obtaining the highest ranking in the bi-annual competition held by VLAMO [Flemish Association of Music Bands and Musicians]. We continue to organize concerts and have never forgotten to celebrate our patron Saint Cecilia on the first weekend in December with a concert on the Friday; a visit to our members, a mass and a party on the Saturday; and on the Sunday, and again on the Monday, we organize a tour of the town and a banquet for all the musicians and honorary members. In 2005 our one hundred and seventy-fifth anniversary was celebrated with a fantastic concert along with other festivities. Our magazine “The Phoenix” has been in publication since 1991. We have recorded of our own music, for example Ceciliade. A DVD, which recounts our history and shows a selection of celebrations and various rehearsals, was published to celebrate our one hundred and seventy-fifth anniversary. Today we have five bands playing different music: “Maxamuzi” (Maximum Fun for Children through Music); a “beginners” orchestra; a youth music band; the symphonic wind band; and the “Kliek” of our percussionists and bugle players. Each of these has its own conductor and rehearsals. Several of our musicians are both conductors and composers, such as Bart Picqueur, who composed the Symphony No.0, The Battalion of the Broken Shoes. s far-a-field as Spain famous conductors can be found who started their careers in our orchestra in Zele, such as Frank De Vuyst. With our committee of advisers (President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and various other members), the technical team and our 500 honorary members, we are one of the largest organizations in the municipality. BIOGRAPHY OF THE CONDUCTOR GEORGES MOREAU Georges Moreau was born in the town of Bree, Belgium. After his secondary education and extensive training at the Music Academy of Genk, he went on to study at the Royal Conservatories of Music in Brussels and Antwerp, obtaining a total of six firsts and a teaching diploma. In 1998, he completed his higher education at the Lemmens Institute in Leuven, where he graduated with a Masters in Music in the tuba and was awarded an advanced diploma in wind band management, achieving the highest qualification in both disciplines. In 1990, Moreau was appointed Professor of Chamber Music at the Hasselt Conservatory of Music and at the Music Academy in Tongeren. He began his conducting career at a very young age. Until 2008, he was the conductor of the Symphonic Wind Orchestra in Hilvarenbeek, Holland, where he twice won the National Championship in the main section. He was also conductor of the Heineken Brass Band. Since 2008, as principal conductor, he has been in charge of the Symphonic Wind Band of Saint Cecilia in Zele and the Wiekevorst Brass Band, the two most important orchestras in Belgium. He is regularly invited to be a member of juries for competitions and festivals, and often acts as a guest conductor. He has worked in almost every European country as well as the USA. In July 1997 and 2001, Moreau successfully took part in the International Conductors Competition at the World Music Contest in Kerkrade. Since 1998 Moreau has collaborated with the music publisher Beriato, which publishes his works with wind orchestras and have appointed him as producer and music director for the company’s CD recordings. He has also worked with the Rundfunk Blasorchester of Leipzig, the Danish Concert Band, the Belgian Guides Symphonic Wind Band, the Swiss Symphonic Wind Band, the Flemish Wind Symphony Orchestra,the Polizei Musikkorps de Baden-Würtemberg, the Symphonic Wind Band of the Antwerp Conservatory, the Belgian Music Band, and the Musikkorps der Bundeswehr Deutschland. |
