Stijn Dierckx

Biography

Education 

Stijn Dierckx (Malle, °1990) took his first steps into the world of music as a child when he became a member of children's choir De Fideeltjes in Wijnegem. Instruments quickly became a part of his life. He took lessons in classical guitar (Walter van der Ven), piano (Minneke Struyf and Wim Kets) and bass guitar (Wout Michielsen) at the municipal music academy in Wijnegem. In the neighboring town of Schoten he also took lessons in jazz vocals (Nel Ponsaers). He derives most pleasure however, from learning in a self-taught way. This is how he gained experience in drum, percussion, melodic percussion, alto saxophone, clarinet, accordion and even theremin: he certainly is not one to shy away from a challenge. He is also a self-taught arranger, composer, and conductor.  

Conducting and singing

In the past Stijn Dierckx conducted the children's choir Aloha! (2009-2014) and church choir Aanhef (2012-2018), both in Wijnegem, where he learned the tricks of the trade under the wing of Mon Saveniers. Between 2014 and 2021, he has been associated with the University Choir of Antwerp (UKA) as pianist-guide during rehearsals and substitute conductor when resident conductor Dirk De Nef is indisposed. He is an active singer himself with vocal ensemble Zoveel Hertz, Chamber Choir Waelrant and project choir Fine Fleur.

After years of membership as a musician in the Royal Harmony Orchestra (De Wijngaard Vrijheidsvrienden), he was appointed conductor of the pupils' orchestra in 2019 and of the main orchestra in 2020. In order to specialise even further he is following a course in instrumental conducting at the Podiumacademie in Lier (Erwin Scheltjens and Tom De Haes). He has taken master classes with Mario Bürki (CH) and Jan Van der Roost (BE), among others.

Composing

In 2011 Stijn Dierckx was honored as Laureate in Tijl Uilenspiegel, a competition for instrumental composing, organised by the municipal music academy of Schoten. He won with a piece for clarinet, oboe, violin, viola, cello and piano. He has also written countless arrangements, including about ten tracks for the cd-recording of Vettige Vlomse Volksliekes in collaboration with Jos Smos (Katastroof) in 2015. 

In 2016 he composed the suite Phenomenae Naturae for SATB and piano, where five natural phenomena are portrayed through texts of British and American authors. In 2018 he authored the diptych Winterlandschap (a winter's landscape) for SATB a cappella based on texts by Paul van Ostaijen. The UKA premiered both pieces and performed parts of them during the European Choir Games respectively in 2017 (Riga, Latvia) and 2019 (Gothenburg, Sweden). As a  commission for the men’s student choir of Louvain, Lovanienses, Dierckx made a version of the folk song Ik zag Cecilia komen for three-part male vocals a capella.  

In 2020 he won the first edition of Koor&Stem’s composing competition Vic Nees, in the category for students of music schools with the piece Luce Prima, that was written as an addition to and the beginning of Phenomenae Naturae. It portrays the sunrise and nature’s awakening (literally translated: the moment of first light). In 2023 he also won the second edition. Both pieces are free downloadble at this page.

Choral works (selection)

• Phenomenae Naturae (2016), suite for SATB and piano, available through the composer
  • Pluvia In Tempore Vesperi
  • Turbo ventorum
  • Arcus Caelistis
  • Eclipsis Lunae
  • Aurora Borealis 
• Winterlandschap (2018), diptych for SATB a cappella, available through the composer
  • Winter
  • Landschap
• Ik zag Cecilia komen (2019), for TBarB a cappella, available through the composer 
• Luce Prima (2020), for SATB and piano, click here
• Lorem ipsum (2022), for SATB a cappella, click here

Stijn Dierckx took part in the first edition of the Vic Nees Composition Contest, an initiative of Koor&Stem, ComAV, Vlaams Radiokoor, and the European Music Festival for Young People. It is made possible through support of Sabam for Culture.