Peter Van de Velde (3)

Titular Organist of Our Lady's cathedral of Antwerp. Peter Van de Velde ranks as the fifth organist of the romantic Schyven organ of Antwerp Cathedral. Joseph Callaerts was the first organist (from 1891 to 1901), followed by Gustaaf Brees (from 1901 to 1926), Alex Paepen (from 1926 to 1962) and Stanislas Deriemaeker (from 1962 to 2002). Peter Van de Velde (* 1972) started his organ-studies by himself at the age of nine. At the age of twelve he became organist at the local church in the little Flemish village of Doel. He received his first musical tuition at the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts. He was awarded first prize for music notation and concluded his organ studies at the Academy with highest honours. He went on to pursue his studies at the Royal Antwerp Conservatory of Music where he won several first prizes in addition to other comparable awards. In 1996, as last pupil of Stanislas Deriemaeker, his studies at the Conservatory earned him a Masters degree. During the course of his studies, and also thereafter, he followed various master classes for the organ with emphasis on the art of improvisation and performance technique. Since early 2002, in his capacity as Cathedral organist he plays regularly on both the romantic Schyven organ (1891) and the classical Metzler organ (1993). He also holds the position of organist at the church of Saint Michael in Antwerp.