Roel Dieltiens

Roel Dieltiens began his cello studies at the age of 15 after he had already become an accomplished pianist. In 1979 he started studies with André Messens at the Royal Flemish Conservatory in Antwerp and the Music Chapel of Queen Elisabeth in the suburbs of Brussels. The next year he studied with Pierre Fournier at the Geneva Conservatory, and from 1980 to 1982 with André Navarra in Siena, Wolfenbüttel, and at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Detmold. In 1992 he was acclaimed Artist of the Year by the Flanders International Festival.

As a soloist he has appeared with conductors such as Frans Brüggen, Jan Caeyers, Philippe Herreweghe, Peter Maag, Lev Markiz, Josep Pons, Mendi Rodan, Jerzy Semkof, Michel Tabaschnik, Jos van Immerseel, and Reinbert de Leeuw. His recordings of the Bach solo suites (Accent), the Kodály solo sonata (HMF), and virtuoso music by Franchomme (HMF) have won rave reviews in Diapason, Grammophone, Classic CD and Fanfare magazines, and his recordings of cello concerti by Vivaldi (HMF) won the Diapason d’or Prize of 1998 and the Caecilia Prize of 1999.

Mr. Dieltiens has been particularly interested in contemporary music, collaborating with Belgian composers Luc van Hove (a sonata, aria, and chamber concerto), Victor Legley (duo, cello concerto), Jacqueline Fontyn (cello concerto), and the American composer William Bolcom (suite). He performs with the French pianist Frank Braley, and in 1995 founded the ensemble Explorations. He is currently a professor of cello at the Lemmens Institute in Leuven, Belgium.