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The Belgian cellist and baritone singer, Pieter Stas, stated his musical career as a boy in the choir In Dulci Jubilo. Cello also followed at the Muziekacademie van Sint-Niklaas with Jan Pas and then with Jan Bontinck. He subsequently received his cello training at the Conservatories of Ghent and Antwerp with France Springuel and Ilya Laporev. He obtained his Master of Music degree in Cello from AP Hogeschool Antwerpen in 1997; and his Master of Arts degree from De Hogeschool Gent. He also received the coveted mention “Finality Chamber Music”. He attended master-classes with Anner Bylsma, Pieter Wispelwey, Sigiswald Kuijken and the European Baroque Orchestra, among others. He also took singing lessons with Lucienne Van Deyck. He received prizes for chamber music in the master-class of the Italian piano trio Voces Intimae (Zumaia-Spain).
Pieter Stas is regularly active as a cellist with Spectra Ensemble and the theater company Bronstig Veulen. In 1997, he became a founding member of the Goeyvaerts String Trio, which since its foundation has focused exclusively on the 20th and 21st century repertoire. The Trio regularly collaborates with Stef van Bellingen (art historian) in the 'Sound Colors' project, in which they investigate the relationships between music and the visual arts on the basis of comparative parameters. The Goeyvaerts String Trio was laureate of the 'Trofee Fugue 2003', a trophy awarded annually by the Union of Belgian Composers, for their constant commitment to the national repertoire. Pavane Records recently released a CD with work by Joseph Jongen, Eugène Ysaÿe and Louis De Meester. The Trio strives for authenticity in its performances and for this it consults eminent musicians and composers such as Alexander Ivashkin, Giya Kancheli and Henk Guittart (Schoenberg Quartet). Several CD's have been released by the Trio. Well-known is the CD String Trios by Arnold Schoenberg, Anton Webern and Alfred Schnittke. Their latest CD with Arvo Pärt's Stabat mater was awarded an Edison.
In addition to being a cellist, Pieter Stas is also active as a singer, as a member of the European Youth Choir, World Youth Choir, Vlaams Radiokoor, Huelgas Ensemble and is also conductor of the women's choir Ariante te Puurs. Currently, he is baritone singer in Cappella Pratensis (Director: Stratton Bull; since 2000) and La Capella Reial de Catalunya (Director: Jordi Savall).
As a teacher he is currently affiliated with the Koninklijk Conservatorium Gent, Academie voor Muziek, Woord en Dans Bornem (since 1999) and Academie Muziek & Woord Willebroek. He teaches cello, chamber music and string ensemble. He plays a copy of the 'Servais' Stradivarius, made by Frans Stas. |
