KEYBOARD WORKS, PT. 2

To see a world in a grain of sand,
And heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.

William Blake: Auguries of Innocence -3

Nomadic Cycle is Jeroen Malaise’s personal journey through sound worlds coagulated from poetic imagery, urban legends and musical musings. Stroking and striking the keys, he makes his way through 24 tonalities in an equal number of preludes. That systematic approach is at the crux of this endeavour: a soundtrack for the now that mirrors the past as it is firmly rooted in the centuries-old Art of Preluding.

As a pianist-composer ?Jeroen Malaise (°1971, Antwerp, Belgium) focuses on contemporary music experiences. Fascinated by various traditions and forms of improvisation, he is equally intrigued by different types of keyboards, including clavichord, harpsichord and piano. As a performer and creator he learned the trade from Jan Vermeulen, Jacques Detiège, Remy Syrier, Wim Henderickx and Luc Van Hove. Ewald Demeyere guided him through the world of baroque and classical improvisation, Christoph Erbstösser showed him the ropes of jazz piano.

?Jeroen’s concerts take him to stages and happenings all over the world: from Wiener Konzerthaus and Royal Opera House London, Cage Festival Amsterdam, Ligeti Festival Amsterdam and Romaeuropa festival, to National Arts Centre Ottawa, Les Coups de Théâtre Montréal, Beijing Music Festival and Kunming Spring Festival. In projects such as Cobane Collective and Congo Echoes he explores connections between musical styles from Europe, the Middle East and Africa. 2020 saw the release of Keyboard Works Part 1 (Etcetera Records), the first album entirely performed and composed by Jeroen.

?As a teacher-researcher at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp, Jeroen specialises in improvisation techniques and The Art of Preluding. He is a piano tutor at the Music Academy of Borgerhout and the ambassador for the Pleyel Concert Grand piano (1884) kept at the Vleeshuis Museum Antwerp. His musical ventures have gained him several national and international awards.

All tracks composed and performed by Jeroen Malaise