Wieland Kuijken (; born Dilbeek, 31 August 1938) is a Belgian musician and player of the viola da gamba and

baroque cello A Baroque violin is a violin set up in the manner of the baroque period of music. The term includes original instruments which have survived unmodified since the Baroque period, as well as later instruments adjusted to the baroque setup, and moder ...

Biography

Kuijken started his career in music in 1952 with the Brussels Alariusensemble of which he formed part until 1972. In addition, he played with the Ensemble Musique Nouvelle which propagated avant-garde music throughout Europe. In 1972 the ensemble La Petite Bande was established and later the Kuijken Strijkkwartet (Kuijken String Quartet). Kuijken has recorded numerous works of chamber music with

Gustav Leonhardt Gustav Maria Leonhardt (30 May 1928 – 16 January 2012) was a Dutch keyboardist, conductor, musicologist, teacher and editor. He was a leading figure in the historically informed performance movement to perform music on period instruments. Leo ...

, Frans Brüggen and Alfred Deller. Today he is one of the most sought-after

Early Music Early music generally comprises Medieval music (500–1400) and Renaissance music (1400–1600), but can also include Baroque music (1600–1750). Originating in Europe, early music is a broad musical era for the beginning of Western classical m ...

performers of his generation on the baroque cello and viola da gamba. Wieland Kuijken is gamba teacher at the conservatories of Brussels and The Hague and regular jury member of international competitions. Kuijken has two brothers, Sigiswald and Barthold, who are also eminent musicians and are known for playing

baroque music Baroque music ( or ) refers to the period or dominant style of Western classical music composed from about 1600 to 1750. The Baroque style followed the Renaissance period, and was followed in turn by the Classical period after a short transiti ...

on authentic instruments. Sigiswald is a violinist and Barthold a flautist and recorder player. His third brother is Professor Eckhart Kuijken, former director of the Flemish Institute for Nature Conservation and a professor at Groningen University. He also has a fourth brother, Oswald Kuijken, who is a famous visual artist.

External links

Short Biography (in French)

Official site of La Petite Bande

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kuijken, Wieland 1938 births Living people Belgian conductors (music) Male conductors (music) Belgian musicians People from Dilbeek Belgian performers of early music Academic staff of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels Viol players 21st-century Belgian musicians 20th-century Belgian musicians 20th-century conductors (music) 21st-century conductors (music) 20th-century Belgian male musicians 21st-century male musicians