Theo Loevendie

Theo Loevendie, born on September 17th, 1930, studied composition and clarinet at the Amsterdams Conservatorium. Up to 1968 he dedicated himself almost exclusively to jazz and he performed with his own ensemble at the main European jazz festivals. For one of his jazz records he received an Edison (Dutch equivalent of Grammy) in 1969. He was awarded the 1979 Wessel Ilcken Prize for all his jazz activities through the years. For more than three decades Loevendie has been a professor of composition at conservatories of Rotterdam, The Hague and Amsterdam in his home country The Netherlands. He was central composer at many festivals and he has given master classes all over the world. From the late sixties, Loevendie began to focus more and more on contemporary chamber music and orchestral works. He has composed four operas with orchestra and choir and three chamber operas. Loevendie won many international prizes. In 1988 he was the first composer to receive the prestigious 3M Music Award for his entire output and his great merits in musical life. In 2016 he received the Andreas Medal of Honor of The City of Amsterdam for his lifetime achievements. Loevendie continued to play jazz and improvise throughout his long career. His album Grounds features his most recent improvisation devices based on baroque-like Passacaglias.The so-called Grounds are alternated with some of his classics and new works played with musicians of multiple generations, named The Wellingtonians.