Micro Biography - Marc Grauwels

If you think of Brussels in Belgium what comes to mind? Chocolates? The European Parliament? Poirot? I am sure most of you have not heard of Marc Grauwels and yet he is one of Belgium's biggest exports.

It started back in 1961 (when your parents were your age). Marc was seven and he heard Jean Pierre Rampal playing some Bach. From that moment, he took to the flute and with the support from his Dad (a music loving Doctor) he worked his way through the Music Academy. He did think about being an architect but when practising hard for the National flute competition he found the passion for flute playing too strong and his career was decided. Although Marc played in masterclasses with James Galway and Jean Pierre Rampal, it was his Academy teacher Herlin Van Boterdael who had the most effect on his playing.

Marc quickly became the rebel and made jokes and in his first orchestral job in the Flanders Opera (aged 19) he found that he too had jokes played on him. One player tore up his music just before he had to play! His next job was in the Brussels Opera, he took over when his old teacher retired, where he had a wonderful time playing lots of opera and dance music with many new composers. It was at this time he met the composer Piazzola who wrote Histoire du Tango for him. Over the next ten years Marc played mainly in the Brussels Radio Symphony Orchestra and although it was fun, he was spending more time playing in a trio and as a soloist with performances on TV and radio. His popularity grew and grew to the point where he knew it was time to concentrate on a solo career.

I was lucky to meet Marc on a one-day visit to London. As he is yet to become well known to British flute players he visits only rarely, but in Brussels he can't walk down the street without being stopped for his autograph. He is regularly on TV at home and his popularity comes from his desire to communicate through the music. In his teaching he tries to make his students play 'individually', not copying the teacher but showing their own characters and personality and sometimes taking some risks. This explains why he is such a hit around the world. He is exciting to listen to when he is playing or talking and is always relaxed and entertaining.

This year Marc Grauwels celebrates 25 years as a professional flute player and will be giving his usual number of concerts around the world. This is at least one hundred and he will be travelling to America, Canada, Japan, Korea, China and all over Europe. Most definitely one of Belgium's top exports!

Home for Marc is his city apartment in Brussels where he can relax before setting out on the next trip. He loves the city but "the weather is terrible" and to escape this he travels to the seaside to swim, dive and relax with a good French novel. For Marc, then, has he the prefect life? As a flute soloist it gives him the two things he wants, "I love playing the flute and I love travelling."

Written by Ben Isog, originally published in Flutewise Magazine issue 46