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Johan Hermans - Biography
Johan Hermans is at the front of his generation of organists in Europe. He owes his reputation to successful recital performances in cathedrals, abbeys and concert halls in cities such as Paris, New York, Moscow, London, Hong Kong, Brussels, Milano, Rio de Janeiro, Osaka, St. Petersburg and Washington D.C.
He
also has given presentations at, among other venues,
the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; the
University of Houston, Texas; the University of Arts in Osaka, Japan; the National
Music Academy in Riga, Latvia, the Gnessin Academy in Moscow, Russia and the
Cultural Center in Hong Kong.
Johan has recordings to his credit for Austrian, Belgian, Canadian, Dutch, German, Latvian, Polish and
Spanish Radio and TV Broadcasting Corporations
and has made recordings for Motette-Ursina, Sony Belgium, Vision-Air and Pavane
Records - receiving notable recognition for his work.
He masters a vast repertoire containing works from the 14th to the 21st century and premiered new organ compositions, some of them having been dedicated to him.
The recording of the newly restored historic organ of Hasselt Cathedral which he made for the national classic Radio Broadcast "Klara" got published in the CD series "Flemish Organ Treasures" in November 2005 (label Vision-Air).
Highlights of the recent past were his recitals as an organ soloist at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris; the Kaiser Dom in Frankfurt; St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland (Celebrity Recital series); the Cathedrals of Canterbury and Lincoln (Celebrity Recitals) in England; the "Festival Internacional de Organo Arte Organica" in Valladolid, Spain; the Philharmonic Hall of St. Petersburg, Russia ("Best Organists of the World" series); the Cultural Center of Hong Kong and his two concert tours through South America.
Johan studied at the Lemmens Institute in Louvain and at the Royal Conservatory of Liège, both in Belgium. He completed his education with a thesis on "Rethoric and Affects in the music of J.S. Bach" and the "Diplôme Supérieur" (the equivalent of a "Doctor of Musical Arts" or "Prix d'Excellence") in Organ Performance. He was granted scholarships from both the Flemish and the French community of his country to attend international master classes by famous organists in France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and Italy.
Johan
Hermans teaches Organ Performance, Chamber Music and Keyboard Harmony at the Conservatory of Hasselt, Belgium. He
is Cathedral Organist of St.
Quintinus Cathedral and serves as Civic Organist in the same city. He is the founder
and director of the International Organ Festival of
Hasselt and is artistic director of several organ concert series in and around
this
city.
He is a board member of the organ committee of the Diocese of Hasselt. He is also a board member of the Limburg Chapter of the Royal Dutch Organists Association and he is Sub-Dean of the European Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.
In April 2005 he was honored by the Academic Society of “Arts - Sciences – Lettres” of Paris.