Pieter Pellens started to play the saxophone at age seven. He took lessons with Koen Maas at the Kunstacademie Noord-Limburg. He studied at the conservatories of Ghent, Milan, Vienna with teachers Rik Vaneyghen, Raf Minten, Koen Maas, Mario Marzi and Lars Mlekusch.
During his studies he was a laureate of various competitions such as Axion Classics (Brussels), Concours pour des jeunes Saxophonistes (Dinant), Prinses Christina Concours (Den Haag), Premio delle Arti (Rome), Fidelio-Wettbewerb (Wenen).
From 2014 to 2016 he followed an intense postgraduate course in contemporary music at School of Arts Ghent, coached by Ictus and Spectra Ensemble.
Since 2017 he is a saxophonist in BL!NDMAN, with this ensemble he collaborated with International Theater Amsterdam, NTGent, Toneelhuis, Muziektheater Transparant, Vokalconsort Berlin, Nederlands Kamerkoor.
He is co-founder of the saxophone quartet Scarbo, a collective where a strong emphasise is put on creative collaborations with composers and other forms of art.
After winning Supernova in 2018, Scarbo toured in Belgium with PAGINE, a performance with dancer Yuika Hashimoto (Rosas).
Since 2010 he has been highly demanded as a saxophonist in orchestras such as Brussels Philharmonic, Symfonieorkest van de Munt and Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. He also participated in productions of Teatro della Scala, Orchestra del ‘Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Nadar Ensemble, Casco Phil, Wiener Jeunesse Orchestra.
As a pedagogue he wishes to pass on his knowledge and experience to the next generation of young saxophonists. He is a saxophone teacher at the Kunstacademie Ghent and assistant saxophone teacher at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles.
Further more, during summer break he teaches at the Saxofoonstage Kunsthumaniora Brussel and the Asia Pacific Saxophone Academy, Bangkok.
Since 2017 he is a member of the artistic committee of the Association Internationale Adolphe Sax, Dinant.
In September 2022 he starts as principal study teacher saxophone at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp.
Picture: Io Cooman