Since a musician can only move if he himself is moved, it is imperative that he be able to empathize with all the moods he wishes to induce in his audience.
- Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788)
Harpsichordist Ewald Demeyere is convinced that the transmission of the emotional content of a composition is the most important task of a musician. However, since each period has its specific characteristics, he wants to link to this the historically informed keyboard technique and performance practice. His research, which resulted among others in the publication of his book 'Johann Sebastian Bach's Art of Fugue-Performance Practice Based on German Eighteenth-Century Theory' (Leuven University Press, 2013) and his article 'On Fedele Fenaroli's Pedagogy: An Update' (Eighteenth-Century Music 15/2, Cambridge University Press, 2018), is never an end in itself but is always in the service of the eloquence of musical discourse.
As a performing musician, Demeyere recorded over 100 CDs, a large number of them in solo or chamber music repertoire (including with Barthold Kuijken).
Today he is considered one of the specialists in the field of partimento and historical improvisation.
In 2013 he was a jury member for the Paola Bernardi International Harpsichord Competition in Bologna.
In 2018, he won the CPEB:CW Counterpoint Contest where the jury was unanimous in judging that his 'Ricercar a 5 per cembalo' is "the most accomplished and natural in its flow".
Demeyere teaches partimento, improvisation, oratorio, historical performance practice, and is head professor of counterpoint at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp. He is also senior lecturer in harpsichord, partimento and improvisation at the Institut Supérieur de Musique et de Pédagogie in Namur, where he also heads the Early Music Department. Associated within the RCA as: teacher of Practical Harmony and Improvisation, oratorio, partimento, historical performance practice and head teacher of counterpoint.
Foto © Hans Morren