The Flanders Clarinet Quartet, founded in 1989, consists of musicians having perfected their skills under the guidance of Walter Boeykens. Flanders Clarinet Quartet’s stylish, dynamic interpretations and their crystal-clear ensemble allowed them to occupy a leading position in the Belgian music scene in practically no time.

The quartet has regularly been seen as a guest on festivals at home and abroad, giving a widespread attention to the interpretation of Flemish compositions. Several successful concerttours have brought them to Japan (1996, 1997) and to South-America (1997).

The impressive range of instruments they play (a.o. the very rare Ab piccolino clarinet and the unique and delicate basset-horn) always assure variated and high-standing concertprograms : their excellent interpretation of Mozart’s chambermusic for basset-horns as well as their very inspired creations of contemporary compositions often result in an enthousiastic co-operation with other art forms such as the well-known "Dance Company Aimé de Lignière". Besides, more and more composers are attracted to the sonority of this clarinet quartet : Frits Celis, Jan Van Landeghem, Paul Beelaerts, Patrick Hiketick, Kris Daelemans and Masato Tajino are just a few of the composers having dedicated compositions to the quartet.

1989

Foundation of the ‘Flanders Clarinet Quartet’

02/90: First public concert in Antwerp, Belgium

04/91: Admitted to the concert circuit of ‘Live Music Now’, under the chairmanship of Sir Yehudi Menuhin.

06/91: First international appearance (Festival Eindhoven)

12/91: Presentation of the first CD ‘The Flanders Clarinet Quartet In Concert’ (Pyramid)

First concerts for Radio and Television

10/93: Première of the Production ‘They Shoot People’ in collaboration with the ‘Dance company Aimé de Lignière’ (More than 30 performances followed)

CD ‘Robert Groslot: Works for Clarinet’ (Vanguard Classics)

CD ‘Live for Japan’ (Digi Classics) with cooperation of the "Kansai Clarinet Ensemble" (Osaka), Hideaki Iwai, Walter Boeykens, Jan Guns

04/96: Concert tour to Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya,...)

02/97: Concert tour to Ecuador (Quito, Guayaquil)

03/97: CD ‘Flanders Clarinet Quartet; the 20th Century’ (Digi Classics)

03/97: Second concert tour to Japan (Osaka, Wakayama,...)

Over the last five years, Flanders Clarinet Quartet played more than 300 public concerts !

- Recording the programme ‘W.A. Mozart: Chamber Music with basset-horns’

- 07/98: Third Concert Tour to Japan

- 1998: Concert Tour South-America and/or U.S.A