CAREER
Conductor. Music Director. Author. Connector.
Throughout his career as a conductor and musicologist, Jan Caeyers developed an inspirational vision on Beethoven's life and work, one that he wants to share as widely as possible. Jan inspires with Le Concert Olympique to engage a broad European audience. His credo? Dream big, take the stage and enjoy life to the fullest, close to music, people and society. Explore the musical facets of Jan Caeyers.
CONDUCTOR of international orchestras and choirs
The foundations of Jan Caeyers’ conducting skills were laid in Vienna, the musical epicentre of Europe, where Jan studied and worked for many years. From 1994 to 1997, for instance, he was assistant to conductor Claudio Abbado at the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester and worked closely with Bernard Haitink and Pierre Boulez.
Until 2003, Jan stood at the cradle of the Beethoven Academy and since 2010 his singular focus has been Le Concert Olympique, an internationally-renowned Beethoven orchestra. Finally, as a freelance conductor, Jan has performed in Europe’s greatest concert halls, from Berlin and Paris to Prague and Madrid.
Starting from 2024 until 2027, Jan Caeyers will once again take the stage as conductor for Beethoven27, an ambitious project in which he will perform Beethoven's 27 most important choral and orchestral works in the 27 EU countries together with pianist Kit Armstrong, Le Concert Olympique and the Arnold Schoenberg Choir from Vienna.
MUSIC DIRECTOR of Le Concert Olympique
His extensive research of Beethoven’s oeuvre and passion for high-quality performance inspired Jan Caeyers to found Le Concert Olympique, a unique Beethoven orchestra of international musicians, in 2010.
From deSingel in Antwerp to the Konzerthaus in Vienna and the Philharmonie in Berlin: several times a year, Le Concert Olympique fills renowned European concert halls with the enchanting repertoire of Beethoven and other musical masters of his time. Besides the world-famous Viennese classics, lesser-known works are also featured in their concert programmes. Each performance is characterised by compelling virtuosity and energy, ensuring instant goosebumps and lasting memories.
AUTHOR of the Beethoven biography
Jan Caeyers has taught at the university of Leuven (KU Leuven) since 1985, where he shares his expertise and passion for Viennese classics with a new generation of musicologists.
He combined his established knowledge with his innate talent for storytelling in Beethoven. A Biography, published in Dutch by De Bezige Bij in 2019 and translated into English, German, Hungarian, Italian and, soon, Chinese. Covering the historical zeitgeist of 19th century Vienna and Beethoven's rebellious and idiosyncratic way of composing, Jan Caeyers' Beethoven biography is internationally recognised as the reference work on Beethoven's life. Both The Financial Times and Times Literary Supplement crowned the biography ‘Best Book of the Year 2020 – Classical music’.
CONNECTOR of musicians and music lovers
Through his work as a conductor, Jan Caeyers wants to connect audiences and liberate them from the realities of everyday life. But to fully appreciate Beethoven’s music, it is important to consider its broader historical context.
Jan Caeyers provides that context by giving introductions at concerts, giving lectures, making podcasts, writing theatre monologues and collaborating on documentaries. This way, he wants to highlight the humanistic dimension present in Beethoven’s music. His work illustrates how art and beauty can help conquer setbacks in life and increase its value and beauty.
Do you want to book Jan Caeyers as a keynote speaker? Or do you have a question for him?
