KEVIN HOUBEN


Kevin Houben was born in Peer (Belgium) in 1977.

From a young age, Kevin had a strong fascination for music. After high school in Peer, he studied at the Lemmens Institute in Leuven, where he won a first prize for trumpet (with Leon Pétré) and pedagogy. He also obtained a master's in Concert Band Conducting (with Jan Van der Roost), Symphonic Band Conducting (with Edmond Saveniers), Composition and Orchestration (with Jan Van der Roost), Chamber Music and Solfège.

Kevin Houben's oeuvre, from 2001 composed only on commission, comprises works for solo instrument, brass quintet, brass ensemble, percussion ensemble, wind orchestra, fanfare orchestra, brass band and symphonic orchestra.

In 2003, he won the Sabam and the audience prize at the '2ième Concours International de composition pour orchestre a vent de Comines-Warneton' for his work 'Arcana'. With this same composition, he won the '3rd European Composer's Competition 2006 European Brass Band Association' in Belfast (Northern Ireland) in April 2006.

With 'The Lost Labyrinth', a piece commissioned from Houben, the 'Koninklijke Fanfare Kempenbloei Achel', conducted by Ivan Meylemans, won the concert division for fanfare orchestra at the World Music Contest in Kerkrade (the Netherlands) in 2009.

In 2011, his first compilation CD, 'Procession to Calvary - The music of Kevin Houben', was released.

Kevin Houben is also conductor of the Youth Wind Band of the Koninklijke Harmonie van Peer, Brassband Retie and Fanfare Orchestra St. Jozefsgilde Mol-Sluis. He is assistant conductor to Ivan Meylemans at the Koninklijke Harmonie van Peer. With the Youth Wind Band of the Koninklijke Harmonie van Peer, he won first prize at the International Competition for Youth Wind Bands at the Mid Europe Festival in Schladming (Austria) in July 2010. Also with this orchestra, he obtained the highest score - Summa Cum Laude - at the European Music Festival for Young People in Neerpelt (Belgium) in May 2011.

Recordings of his works have brought him to various countries, such as Norway, Ireland, Slovenia, Luxembourg, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Japan. He is frequently asked to play in projects, and to be a guest conductor and jury member at soloist, ensemble and orchestral competitions in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Kevin Houben also works as a teacher for brass, chamber music and hafabra conducting in the academies of Mol, Genk and Neerpelt (Belgium).

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