Annelien Van Wauwe - Biography

Annelien Van Wauwe received support from BBT between 2018 and 2022. For an up-to-date biography, please go to sonoramusic.eu/

The Belgian clarinettist Annelien Van Wauwe, former BBC New Generation Artist, is known for her expressive, intensive, lyrical and honest performances. She is considered to be one of the most fascinating and original clarinettists of her generation.

The Dutch record company Pentatone signed a long-term partnership with Annelien in 2018. Her debut CD Belle époque with the Orchestre National de Lille under Alexandre Bloch was released in 2019.

Annelien Van Wauwe has won numerous international competitions. Her joint first prize award at the 61st International Music Competition of the ARD in Munich in 2012 was a decisive step towards international recognition. Since then, Annelien has performed with many leading orchestras across Europe and appears at major festivals, including the BBC Proms, Lucerne, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schleswig-Holstein, Kissinger Sommer, Cheltenham, West Cork Chamber Music and the Festival de Radio France in Montpellier.

As an inspired chamber musician, Annelien co-founded the Brussels chamber music ensemble CAROUSEL in 2018 and, in 2021, the woodwind quintet BREEZE. Her chamber music partners include Pavel Kolesnikov, Cédric Tiberghien, Severin von Eckardstein, Victor Julien-Laferrière, Amihai Grosz, Tabea Zimmermann, Quatuor Danel, Schumann Quartet, Aris Quartet and Amatis Trio.

Her passion for music, and the clarinet in particular has inspired a number of composers to write for her. Her intensive practice of yoga and its positive influence on her clarinet playing prompted Annelien to commission SUTRA, a Clarinet Concerto based on breath and meditation, written by Wim Henderickx and co-commissioned by the Borletti-Buitoni Trust.

Annelien Van Wauwe originally studied with Sabine Meyer in Lübeck. Among her teachers are international performers, including Yehuda Gilad, Pascal Moragues, Alessandro Carbonare, Wenzel Fuchs and Ralf Forster. Annelien has a strong affinity for early music and studied historical clarinet with Eric Hoeprich and Ernst Schlader.

She is an avid pedagogue, regularly gives masterclasses and teaches at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague.

As an honoured winner of the 2018 Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award, I would like to express my deep gratitude towards the BBT Trust. The award has not only offered me crucial financial support to enable me to reach many artistic goals such as my first solo recording for Pentatone, but has also blessed me with feedback, exchange and advice about my career from a highly qualified and charismatic team. I sincerely thank each one of you for your continuous support, your infinite trust and confidence in me as an artist and for giving the music that I care for so deeply a chance to develop and be heard.

Photographs by Joëlle Van Autreve