SOV Composers' Academy 2025-26 selected three composers at different stages of their education or career. The chosen composers will be challenged to write new works that dialogue with the repertoire of our concert programmes. They will again work together intensively with our orchestra and directly experience how notes come to life in the concert hall. This collaboration provides room for adjustments and valuable feedback from our musicians, creating a stimulating trial-and-error experience.

During the “Mozart Central” project, Obe Vermeulen (°2001) composes a work that fits perfectly within the concert programme. Linde Huygens (°1997) will compose a one-minute-symphony for SOV Young's autumn project. Finally, Adrien Sassier (°1996) will draw inspiration from his musical roots for the “Roots” concert series.

Obe Vermeulen

Obe Vermeulen (born 2001) has already studied at some of the most prestigious classical music institutes in Europe. A new composition department was created especially for him at the Lemmens Institute when he was 15. He obtained his Bachelor's degree at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent, where he studied under Dirk Brossé and Daan Janssens. In 2024, he graduated with degrees in composition, film composition, and orchestral conducting from the Royal College of Music in London. He was the first recipient of the Andrew Downes Award there. He is currently studying 'Writing & Production for Musical Theatre' at Berklee NYC.

His creation will be performed during the “Mozart Central” concert series in November 2025.

Linde Huygens

Linde Huygens (born 1997) is in her third year of a Bachelor's degree in Classical Music Composition at the Brussels Conservatory, studying under Annelies Van Parys. She grew up in a musical family and studied the piano at the SAMWD Academy in Lier as a child. Her musical influences range from world and folk music to jazz, hip hop, pop and classical. She also holds a Master's degree in Architecture from Sint-Lucas Ghent and Brussels. To further expand her musical knowledge, she is taking electives in jazz and jazz trumpet at the Schaarbeek music academy.

She is currently working on a one-minute symphony for the autumn project of SOV Young.

Adrien Sassier

Adrien Sassier (born 1996) combines 20th-century French influences with Russian, American and even Germanic influences. He is also open to electronic extensions. His music is colourful and lively and contains flashes of humour. He composes for film, theatre and concerts.

His creation will premiere at the “Roots” concert series in March 2026.

SOV Composers' Academy 2024-25

Emile Daems & Siebe Thijs
- Emile Daems (1996)studied at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels under the direction of Annelies Van Parys. He composed 'te kaap'ren' for the ‘Bolero’ concert series in autumn 2024.
- Siebe Thijs (1999) studied at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent and Antwerp and the University of Arts in Graz, Austria. He composed 'auf die Straße…' for the ‘Protest’ concert series in spring 2025.

SOV Composers' Academy 2023—24

Murielle Lemay, Pieter De Vos & Jonathan Pinchuk
- Murielle Lemay (1990), student of composition at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels under the guidance of teacher Annelies Van Parys. Her composition ‘augur’ was heard during ‘Martijn opens with Dvořák’ in October 2023.
- Pieter De Vos (1996), student of composition at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp under the guidance of teacher Bram Van Camp. His composition ‘Dieser Verdammte Krieg!’ was heard during the Easter project of youth orchestra SOV Young.
- Jonathan Pinchuk (2001), student of composition at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp under the guidance of teacher Bram Van Camp. His composition ‘Werden de jaren stil’ was premiered during the ‘Mozart and Aho’ concert series.

SOV Composers' Academy 2022-23

Noé Gillerot, Emile Daems & Benjamin Windelinckx
- Noé Gillerot (2000), composition student at the ARTS2, École supérieure des Arts de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles. Under the guidance of teacher Geoffrey François. His composition 'Hope exists, fortunately...' was performed during the production Emperor.
- Emile Daems (1996), composition student at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels. Under the guidance of teacher Annelies Van Parys. His composition 'Rerun' was performed during the production Chopin 1.
- Benjamin Windelinckx (1999), composition student at the Royal Conservatory in Ghent. Under the guidance of teacher Daan Janssens. His composition 'ch'a nullo è noto' was performed during the easter production of SOV Young.

SOV Composers' Academy 2021-22

Ward De Jonghe & Richard R. He
- Ward De Jonghe (1990), composition student at the Royal Conservatory in Ghent. Under the guidance of teacher Daan Janssens. His composition 'Ansatz' was performed during the production of Petroesjka (May 2022).
- Richard R. He (1996), composition student compositie aat the Royal Conservatory in Antwerp. Under the guidance of teacher Wim Henderickx. His composition 'Introspect' was performed during the production Johannes Moser speelt Dvořák (November 2021).

SOV Composers' Academy 2020-21

Ward De Jonghe & Tim Mulleman
- Ward De Jonghe (1990), composition student at the Royal Conservatory in Ghent. Under the guidance of teacher Daan Janssens. Due to COVID restrictions the composition of Ward was postponed until season 21-22.
- Tim Mulleman (1993), composition student at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels. Under the guidance of teacher Annelies Van Parys. His composition 'Anacrouse', was performed during the SOV Conducting Masterclass.

SOV Composers' Academy 2019-20

Siebe Thijs & Eliott Delafosse
- Siebe Thijs (1999), composition student at the Royal Conservatory in Gent. Under the guidance of teacher Dirk Brossé. His composition, 'Temporalitas', was performed during the production Haydn-Mozart-Stravinsky (November 2019).
- Eliott Delafosse (1994), composition student at the Conservatoire Royal de Mons. Under the guidance of teacher Claude Ledoux. His composition 'Solastalgia' couldn't be performed live due to COVID but it was recorded in June 2021.

SOV Composers' Academy 2018-19

Karel Stulens & Jawher Matmati
- Karel Stulens (1997), composition student at the Royal Conservatory in Ghent. Under the guidance of teacher Daan Janssens. His composition, EXPIRED - miniature for orchestra, was performed during the production Tripel Beethoven (autumn 2018).
- Jawher Matmati (1993), composition student at the Conservatoire Royal de Liège. Under the guidance of teacher Michel Fourgon. His composition, Entre-Tons, was performed during the production Festa Italiana! (spring 2019).

Talent development

As a young artist, you need talent to stand out from the crowd, but playing opportunities and a professional environment with room for experimentation are at least as important. Through various programmes, Flanders Symphony Orchestra offers talented composers, conductors, musicians and aspiring soloists a taste of orchestral life.

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