Lode Leire obtained a first prize and higher diploma in double bass and chamber music with high distinction at the Brussels Conservatory in the class of Maurice Aerts in 1990 and a first prize pro civitate. He pursued further studies with Franco Petracchi and Gary Karr.
As solo bassist of the chamber orchestra Beethovenacademie (1989-2007) and 15 years as permanent substitute in the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, he played under great conductors such as Christopher Hogwood, Bernard Haitink, Valerie Gergiev, Gustavo Dudamel, Simon Ratlle and others. He is also solo bassist of the ensemble Champ d'Action.
Lode Leire has been principal professor at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp since 1993. There he taught Wies de Bouvé (solo bassist Bayerische Rundfunk orchester and Professor in Zurich and Madrid), Jonathan Focqaert (substitute solo bassist Rotterdam Philharmonic), Simon Verschraege (solo bassist Orchestre Philharmonique de Liege) and many others.
He was professor of double bass for Summer Masterclass at the Conservatory of Valencia between 2008 and 2010 and for years teaching masterclass at the Academy d'Eté de Wallonie in Libramont and still at the International Music Academy in Dinant. He currently works as substitute solo bassist in the Belgium National orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic and Sinfonia Rotterdam.
Chamber music with cello in the duo Bernardel with Peter Devos and in duo with piano with Michael Boel. He is also a member of the Euterpe Barokensemble since 2012 and ensemble The Party since 2013.
He organizes events such as Bass Only and various master classes with Jeff Bradetich, Duncan Mc Tier, Thomas Martin and Rick Stotijn and Dominic Seldis, among others.
Lode Leire plays a Gand et Bernardel double bass (1870) for classical, solo and contemporary repertoire and a Hillaire Charotte double bass (1840) with gut strings for baroque performance and a modern double bass by Bram De Man (2023)
Website: www.lodeleire.be
Course components: Double bass, Chamber music, Literature study and repertoire double bass