Curriculum Vitae

Tom Hoornaert (13 November 1972) started his musical career under the guidance of Mrs. Katrien Verbeke (piano) and Mr. Joost D’hont (organ). These musicians prepared him for his studies at “Highschool Luca Arts” in Leuven (B) under Professor Luc Ponet, and at the “Highschool of Music” in Maastricht (NL) under the late Professor Dorthy De Rooij. In Maastricht he also obtained his degree in choral conducting under Professor Ludo Claesen. In 1991, Tom became ‘First Laureate’ withgreat distinction (95 %) of the National Music Competition ‘Pro Civitate’ (now Belfius Classics).

In Tielt Tom works as organist at the church of St. Peter. He is a teacher in organ-piano-carillon-accompaniment practice and mentor at the “Art Academy”in Tielt, piano teacher at the “Art Academy”in Zwevegem, and professor organ in Brussels.

He is the conductor of the Tielt-based ‘Cantiga’ choir and of the ‘Cantando’ choir from Oedelem. As founder of and conductor at the musical company Mathea (www.mathea.be), Tom was responsible for the productions ‘Good Luck Professor’, ‘Nonsense’, ‘The Sound of Music’, ‘Annie’ and ‘Sleeping Beauty’.

In order to promote the organ not only as a liturgical but also as a concert instrument, Tom founded the organ circle ‘Chamade’ (www.orgelkringchamade.be). With Chamade he performs organ concerts together with other instrumentalists and vocalists every Saturday in September.

As organist, accompanist and conductor he has already performed multiple times in The Netherlands, Hungary, Portugal, Poland, Italy (together with the ‘Belgian Brass’ Royal Opera House La Monnaie), the United Kingdom (among others at the prestigious Town Hall and Wadham College in Oxford, and at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock), Sweden and Spain.

Together with tenor Stefaan Vandenbroucke he forms the duo ‘Quodlibet’. Trumpeter Manu Mellaerts (1stsolo trumpeter, Royal Opera House La Monnaie) and Tom Hoornaert frequently perform on stage with a varied programme.