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Jean-Marie Simonis was born on November 22, 1931.
After completing his classical studies in Greek and Latin, he entered the Royal Conservatory of Music in Brussels, where he won numerous First Prizes, primarily in composition (harmony, counterpoint, fugue), as well as the Gevaert Prize.
A recipient of the Prix de Rome and numerous composition prizes, including the SABAM Prize in 1989 for his entire body of work, he won the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 1975 and 1978 (the required piece for the second round) for his works “Evocations” and “Notturno,” both for piano.
His “Cantilène” for violin and orchestra was chosen as the required piece for the final round of the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 1985.
His work “Eclosions” won First Prize at the competition organized by the Belgian Guides Band in 1991 to celebrate the 60th birthday of King Baudouin and the 40th anniversary of his reign.
He is an honorary professor at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels (harmony) and at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel (harmony, counterpoint, and fugue).
Since 1985, he has been a member of the Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium. He was director of the Fine Arts Section in 1997.
Jean-Marie Simonis is the composer of symphonic, vocal, and instrumental works; some have been performed worldwide. Most have been published, and about twenty have been recorded on records or CDs.
Some works:
- Orchestra: “Three Sketches”, “Autumn”, “Little Satirical Suite”, “Escapes”, “Cantilène” (concerto for violin and orchestra), “Espressioni”, “Eclosion” (for wind orchestra).
- String Orchestra: “Sinfonia da camera”, “Polyphonies”, “Intrada alla francese”
- Chamber Music: “Duetti” for viola and piano, “Séquences” for clarinet and piano, “Suggestions” for flute and percussion, “Boutades” for 4 saxophones, “Mouvements” for two pianos, “Trois poèmes” for violin and piano, “Canzoni a cinque” for brass quintet, “Résonances” for percussion and piano, “Fantasia a due” for violin and piano, “Parcours” for 2 violins and piano, “Escapades” for 4 keyboard percussionists, “Fabliau” for bassoon and piano, “Ateliers 1920” for 4 cellos, “Incontro” I for violin and piano, II for viola and piano, III for cello and piano, IV for double bass and piano, “A la Belle Epoque” for 9 wind instruments.
- Piano: “Historiettes”, “Evocations”, “Notturno”, “Incantations”, “Le Secret des Images”
- Vocal works: “Gens de maison” (opera buffa), “Trois Lagu Dolanan” for soprano and percussion, “Exultet terra” for choir and orchestra
- Music for theater, film, and television
“Deeply attuned to contemporary musical trends, he is nevertheless not an avant-garde musician: he establishes himself as a resolutely modern composer marked by a classical spirit and balance” (D. von Volborth)
“While not avant-garde, Jean-Marie Simonis nevertheless offers an essentially personal, vibrant language, capable of treating material with partially traditional components in a new way” (M-P Cantarella in “La Libre Belgique”)