Hans Helsen

Biography

Training

Hans Helsen (Turnhout, born 1989) studied at the Lemmens Institute in Leuven (LUCA School of Arts) where he completed the training in music pedagogy, composition (class of Jeroen D'hoe), teacher training for music and classical singing. The combination of all the aforementioned disciplines gives him the opportunity to develop himself in all areas.

Composer

Professionally, Hans seeks to strike a balance between teaching, composing and performing, based on the conviction that these different skills complement each other. Choral music is what drives him and it is the common thread throughout his work. He has already written compositions for many different and diverse line-ups, but focuses on vocal music. In recent years, he has mainly written for young choirs. Hans won the Koor&Stem Composition Competition in 2011 with the work Parafrasie Paranoica. In 2014, he won the European Award for Choral Composers with his Missa Brevis. Helsen composed all the songs for the project Pluis het uit, a Koor&Stem project for musical education in the second grade of primary education. His music has been published by music publisher Euprint and by Koor&Stem.

Music teacher

Hans is a teacher at the Municipal Academy for Music, Word and Dance in Lier and at STAP Roeselare. In the latter school and with the Bruges-based family of Cantores choirs, he has several choirs under his direction. As a teacher, he is also responsible for the development and teaching of various educational projects at the Bruges Concertgebouw to introduce all ages to the world of classical music and sound art. As a researcher, he worked at the Leuven Lemmens Institute (LUCA School of Arts) and at the KU Leuven for the project The Singing Sofa, a European VOICE project to promote and support awareness of voice use and hygiene in young choirs.

Choral work (selection)

• Seize the night (2019), for SSA and piano, published by Euprint
• Winter skies (2019) from Elementary Seasons, for SATB and piano, published by Euprint.
• Be like the bird (2019), for SSAA, published by Euprint
• Avond (2019), for SAA or TTB, published by Euprint
• Sanctus Amor (2019), published by EMJ
• Kuja Hebu Kuimba (2018), for SS, piano and percussion (optional), published by Euprint
• Pluis het uit (2014), story, didactic assignments and songs or for a children’s choir, published by Koor&Stem. Set to lyrics by Sien De Smet and drawings by Joey Stijven.
• Missa Brevis (2013) for SATB, published by Euprint
• Fumeux fume par fumé (2012) for SmSATBarB, published by Euprint
• Laetentur caeli (2012) for SATB, published by Euprint
• Parafrasie, paranoica (2011) for SABar, published by Koor&Stem
• Je adem, je naam (2011) for SATB, unpublished, available from the composer