Belgian pianist Frans Brouw, the longest-living laureate of the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition, has died.
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VRT News reports that the beloved musician passed away at his home in Québec City, Canada, where he had been a citizen since 1975. Brouw was 96 years old.
“With a sad mind, I want to announce that Frans Brouw, my dearest husband, passed away on July 8. We retain a wonderful memory of his artistry, his strong personality, and the love he radiated for everyone,” Brouw’s widow, violinist Greta Tinel-Brouw, told the VRT. “Frans looked back very positively (on his time at the Queen Elisabeth Competition). He was then at the peak of his ability; it completely launched him.”
Frans Brouw was born in 1929 in Veurne, Belgium, as the third of eight children. He learned piano from his father and later studied with Marcel Maas and Jenny Solheid at the Brussels Royal Conservatoire from 1946 to 1952, per classical music outlet The Violin Channel.
After earning his Higher Diploma from the Brussels Conservatory, he decided to enter the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition. This bold move came despite his teacher’s advice, who believed it was too soon.
“Why not? I considered it a test, I had nothing to lose,” Brouw recalled, per VRT. He secured an impressive fourth place in the competition.
In the same year, he debuted with Beethoven’s Concerto No. 4 alongside the Orchestre national de Belgique. He went on to perform 60 concerts per season across Europe, Africa, the US, and the USSR. In 1959, he performed at Carnegie Hall in New York and also completed his mandatory military service.
Frans Brouw Relocates to Canada
Between 1962 and 1964, he served as a teacher at the Ghent Royal Conservatoire before relocating to Quebec City. In 1964, he joined Laval University as a faculty member and later secured a permanent position at the University of Quebec in Canada, where his family had emigrated. In 1975, Brouw proudly became a Canadian citizen.
He toured Canada several times and performed for CBC radio and TV from Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. In 1956, he recorded Raymond Chevreuille’s Concerto for Piano and Orchestra with Decca Records.
Throughout his career, Brouw maintained a strong connection with the Queen Elisabeth Competition, serving as a jury member on three separate occasions.