Jeroen Malaise (°1971, Antwerp, Belgium) is a pianist-composer and teacher at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp.
As a performer and creator he's fascinated by various traditions and forms of improvisation.
He's concerts took him to stages and happenings all over the world: from Wiener Konzerthaus and Royal Opera House London, Cage Festival Amsterdam, Ligeti Festival Amsterdam and Romaeuropa festival, to National Arts Centre Ottawa, Les Coups de Théâtre Montréal, Beijing Music Festival and Kunming Spring Festival. In projects such as Cobane Collective and Congo Echoes he explores connections between musical styles from Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Jeroen played several keyboard instruments from an early age including clavichord, harpsichord and piano. He studied with Jan Vermeulen, Jacques Detiège, Remy Syrier, Wim Henderickx, Luc Van Hove and graduated master and bachelor degrees with the highest and great distinctions for piano, harpsichord and composition. He took lessons in baroque and classical improvisation with Ewald Demeyere and in jazz piano with Christoph Erbstösser.
He released two albums: Keyboard Works Part 1 & 2 (Etcetera Records), entirely performed and composed by Jeroen. As a teacher and researcher at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp, he specialises in keyboard improvisation techniques. At the Music Academy of Borgerhout he teaches piano, practical harmony and improvisation. He is ambassador for the Pleyel Concert Grand piano (1884) at the Vleeshuis Museum Antwerp and member of the steering commitee of Metric (modernizing European higher music education through improvisation). His musical ventures have gained him several national and international awards.
(c) Koen Broos