Willem Tanke

Willem Tanke

Genres: pipe organ, Classical

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About Willem Tanke

Willem Tanke, born in 1959, studied organ and improvisation with Jan Welmers, music theory with Joep Straesser and electronic music with Ton Bruynel at the Utrecht Conservatory. In 1985, he finished his studies with the Performance Diploma for Organ with full marks (the grade of 10 and honours), and also with diplomas for music theory and improvisation. From 1988 until 2000, Willem Tanke was a professor of organ as a main subject at Utrecht University of Professional Arts Education. Presently, he is a professor of theory and improvisation at Rotterdam Conservatoire, where he also organizes annual Messiaen Study Days, including masterclasses for organ. Willem Tanke is a critically acclaimed performer of organ works by J.S. Bach, Joh. Brahms, Max Reger, Olivier Messiaen, Györgi Ligeti, Luciano Berio, Jan Welmers, Ton Bruynel, Joep Straesser en Roderik de Man. His recording of Messiaen's complete oeuvre on eight CDs has been selected as Star Recording in The Organ. For this achievement, the Société académique 'Arts-Sciences-Lettres' in Paris awarded him the Diplôme de médaille d'argent. From the early 90's, as an improviser and a composer, he developed an original and innovative vocabulary, based on Western classical and contemporary music, jazz, world music and pop. This is represented by the Cds Spiritual Homeland (1996), Variations for organ, keyboard and processors (1999), My friend the Indian (2000), Imaginary day (2005), the SACD Reger-Op. 73/ Tanke-Two wind fantasies (2006), the DVD Ways of Intensity (2006), the SACD Meditations for a lent (2007) and the scores of Ways of Intensity (for piano solo, 2006) and Things to come (for organ solo, 2007). As a pianist, Willem Tanke invented the rolling wrist technique, a subtle way of playing fluent clusters, suggesting micro-tones. This can be seen in the TV-show Vrije Geluiden ('Free Sounds'), in which he appeared with Mike Garson. Heading for new directions, Mike Garson and Willem Tanke formed a duo, both on organ and piano.

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