Wannes Vanderhoeven (30/12/1971), a Belgian composer and organist. He discovered the beauty of music at an old upright piano in his parents' home. Listening to Bach's Brandenburg Concerti (by Karl Richter) and organ music (by Helmut Walcha) was a milestone in his development as a young music lover. After a few years of piano lessons in the class of Louisa Hesbain, he got fascinated by the sounds of the organ in his home parish. Around the age of 12, he started his first activities as a church organist, mentored by Geert Hendrix. He got involved in the choir world as a singer in the chamber choir Helicon, for which he's still working as a répétiteur. He got his first organ lessons by the very inspiring Jos Peeters, who gave an excellent initiation in pedal playing and baroque articulation and phrasing. His first steps in improvisation and composition were guided by Albert Veithen. As a young teenager, Wannes got overwhelmed by the organ music of Liszt performed by Jane Parker-Smith, an experience which would be significant for his development as an organist. As a choir accompanist, he got acquainted with the liturgical texts of Huub Oosterhuis and compositions of Bernard Huijbers, Antoine Oomen and Tom Löwenthal; his own music for liturgy is inspired by the same principles, paying much attention to melodies which are very accessible for assembly singing and to profound perception of the text.