Philippe Pierlot

Philippe Pierlot was born in Liège. After teaching himself the guitar and the lute, he turned to the viola da gamba, which he studied with Wieland Kuijken. He is active in the fields of chamber music, oratorio and opera, and divides his activities between the viola da gamba and conducting. He has edited and revived the operas Il ritorno d’Ulisse (Monteverdi – a production by William Kentridge regularly staged around the world for the past twenty years) and Sémélé (Marin Marais), and Bach’s St Mark Passion. He enjoys bringing about unexpected encounters with the viola da gamba by commissioning contemporary works or revisiting folk traditions. His most recent CDs have been devoted to cantatas by Bach, Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu nostri and pieces by Marin Marais. In addition to recitals and concerts with his ensemble, he especially enjoys working with Jordi Savall and the ensemble Hespèrion XXI.
He attaches special importance to encouraging and promoting young artists. About fifteen years ago, along with colleagues, he founded a record label that invites musicians to produce their personal projects. He resides in the Belgian town of Spa, where since the autumn of 2015 he has organised an international seminar focusing on the viola da gamba, the Printemps Baroque de Spa festival and a short series of summer concerts at which young creative artists can present their vision of early music today.

Philippe Pierlot teaches masterclasses and courses at Spa and is a professor at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels.