Memorial Concert Kristiaan Van Ingelgem

On 15 February it was exactly one year ago that the 'all-round' musician, the warm-hearted comrade of everyone, the pedagogue, the sharp mind Kristiaan Van Ingelgem exchanged the temporary for the eternal a few months before his 80th birthday. Everyone knew him in 'his' Dendermonde, but also in the 'rival' city Aalst where he later lived, worked and departed to the heaven of musicians. All of Flanders mourned with him. On 16 February he will be commemorated in a special concert in the Sint-Martinuskerk of Gijzegem (Aalst). His daughter Tineke, acclaimed and internationally sought-after soprano and since recently presenter on Fridays at Klara will sing, Patrick Beuckels plays flute and Peter Thomas performs works dedicated to the composer on organ. Koen Uvin wrote the following text:

Last year, on 15 February 2024, Kristiaan Van Ingelgem passed away. His funeral on 24 February in the far too small Sint-Martinuskerk in Aalst proved how well-known, beloved and admired he was as a person and musician. And especially how many people held Kristiaan close to their hearts.

In the week preceding what would have been Kristiaan's eightieth birthday, two posthumous tribute concerts followed. In Sint-Gillis-bij-Dendermonde, Peter Thomas and Stijn Hanssens presented a selection from Kristiaan's organ works and the "Liber Amicorum", a group work by fellow composers dedicated to Kristiaan, premiered.

In Aalst, the organ works had to be omitted due to the lack of a suitable instrument. The ensemble BachPlus conducted by Bart Naessens therefore delved into the other, much less well-known oeuvre of Kristiaan and presented a programme with his songs, choral works and chamber music. This choice surprised the again numerous audience; the high quality and originality of Kristiaan's works aroused admiration among listeners and performers.

Today Kristiaan's passing lies exactly one year and one day behind us. Now that the grief over his departure gradually makes way for grateful memories, it is time for the third, more intimate part of this commemorative triptych. In addition to atmospheric chamber music by Kristiaan, organ works dedicated to him will also be performed.

Kristiaan van Ingelgem left behind a treasure trove of compositions that is being further explored through research by his son Maarten. In order to do justice to Kristiaan's musical legacy, to illustrate the wealth of his oeuvre and the rich palette of his musical language, a triptych is insufficient. The organisers of this concert hope that this three-part work may grow in the future into a musically multi-coloured polyptych as a lasting and grateful tribute to a great musician.