pianist / composer
Frederik Croene (°1973) is a Belgian pianist and composer whose work explores the layered and shifting identity of the classical pianist. After graduating from the Brussels Conservatory in 1999, he developed a distinctive practice in which virtuosic performance and experimental composition intersect. His concept Le Piano Démécanisé (2010) marked a turning point, opening new paths that merge piano, dismantled piano, experimental theory and conceptuality.
Croene has performed a wide range of the classical repertoire while collaborating with composers such as Michael Beil, Johannes Kreidler, Simon Steen-Andersen, Stefan Prins, Michael Finnissy, Enno Poppe and Frederic Rzewski. His solo albums cul de sac (2019) and Solastalgia (2022) received international acclaim, with The Wire praising his “expressive concentration at the keyboard, worthy of Sviatoslav Richter.”
Alongside his solo work, Croene maintains long-term collaborations with underground musician Timo van Luijk and visual artist Karl Van Welden. From 2022–2024, he was Maker in Residency at Concertgebouw Brugge, creating projects that bridged classical tradition, electronics, and cross-genre collaborations. His upcoming album sans retour (2025) completes his ‘Trilogy of Hopelesness’ begun with cul de sac and solastalgia.
He also curates small concert events like the PostX Performance series (2015-’20), Passages – Poetry, Piano & Pellicule (July ’25, with poetry and experimental cinema) and the Vierhanden Festival (Octobre ’25), all centred around the piano.
He is a piano teacher and leads the Vinim-atelier, a place for new music experiments.
Serruys Verdoodt
Frederik Croene is a pianist/composer based in Ghent, Belgium. On this website you’ll find his agenda linked to an overview of his trajectories and publications.
!!! première sans retour in Leuven, STUK !!!
final phase of my Trilogy of Hopelessness: the new album sans retour
available beginning of december 2025!!
- Cortizona Records
- live concerts in collaboration with artist Karl Van Welden (video)
Thanks to Jelle Moerman, Saori Oya, Fudetani Ryoya & Roderik Six
Thanks to Gilles Helsen (STUK) & Jan De Moor (Concertgebouw Brugge),
with the generous support of De Vlaamse Gemeenschap
MARS II, in Antwerp
10 years after the première there is a chance to go see MARS II again. Performed all over Europe before the pandemic, we perform it twice in Antwerpen during The Image Generator Festival, thursday and friday 25-26/09 at Extra City Kunsthal. More info about the project here and here.
Vierhanden Festival, 3-5 oktober, Ledeberg
PASSAGES — 3 nights with Poetry, Piano & Pellicule
Government subsidies for new solo piano album, Kamikaze
Wonderful news!!
Thanks to the Flemish Government, there will be money to work out the publication of Part III of my Trilogy for piano solo: Kamikaze. This time with a professional recording by A.R.S. (Yannick Willox) and again working with artist Karl Van Welden (image) and my beloved label Cortizona (Philippe Cortens). Also, writer Roderik Six will provide an essay about my piano music, to be included in the box set with all three LP's (cul de sac, Solastalgia & Kamikaze).
Premiere in STUK in Leuven, 18/12/2025!
upcoming: première of EARTH I
I am finishing the piano solo score for EARTH I, a truly monumental scenic performance with long time collaborator artist Karl Van Welden. This one will be special as we will use the unusually broad stage of Concertgebouw Brugge in its entirety. After Solastalgia and Counterforces, this is my third project as a resident Maker in Concertgebouw. Check it out!
Interview on Foxy Digitalis
Very glad for this interview Brad Rose did with me about Solastalgia on his incredible Foxy Digitalis website:
The Sounds of Catastrophe With Frederik Croene.
Solastalgia in the Press
Solastalgia is out!
Very happy to announce: my second solo piano album is here!
Cover concept & realisation by Karl Van Welden. Very big thanks to Philippe Cortens & Cortizona Records for tremendous effort to make it happen.
Tour starts next friday 16th at Concertgebouw Brugge. Check on the right for the other dates! Check publications for more info about the music.
listen & preorder at Cortizona.bandcamp.com
Solastalgia Tour
check my agenda for the Solastalgia new album release tour
Maker at Concertgebouw Brugge
I am honored to spread the news I will be a Maker at Concertgebouw Brugge from september '22 'till 2024. It means I will create and show new work at this magnificent venue. These projects are already planned:
• Solastalgia (release concert LP on Cortizona)
• Earth I (with Karl Van Welden)
• Counterforces (with writer Dominique De Groen and artists Lore Binon, Amina Osmanu (Amos) & IKRAAAN).
Thanks to Jan De Moor & Jeroen Vanacker for all these opportunities and their trust in my future work!
Residency at PACT Zollverein, Essen (DE)
In March ’21 I will join Karl Van Welden for an artist residency at PACT Zollverein in Essen, Germany. We will work on a new collaboration (Earth I) and probably much more.
Commission for sound & vision | Klarafestival
Joost Fonteyne, programmer for Klarafestival asked to write a piece and involve a visual artist. The result is this video/pianopiece I made with Karl Van Welden: Diamond Princess, 17/02/2020, Yokohama – Japan.
It will premiere online together with other composer/artist collaborations on 18/03/2021.
The pianopiece would also be the first part of a new album called Solastalgia, coming out maybe in 2021.
Zefiro Torna, Beethoven project
The performance on Lunalia Festival Mechelen is not cancelled yet, in Brugge Concertgebouw and Meise concerts are cancelled. Instead we will make a video recording of the project which will become some kind of documentary.
Residency with Tom De Cock
The coming week I will work with Tom De Cock and his exciting new minimal percussion-with-electronics setup at Concertgebouw Brugge, starting tomorrow!
Achter de Schermen
I am part of Achter de Schermen, an online education initiative by Nadar Ensemble. You can book an online lesson in which I will talk about new piano music, my own work and instruments.
Corona update
Concerts with Zefiro Torna and Odysseia Ensemble are canceled or postponed.
New dates!
Both gigs with Mathieu Serruys & Karen Willems have other dates now, check events tab on the right.
Summer impro gigs coming up
This summer I am invited by Karen Willems, Tom De Cock and Joost Fonteyne to engage in new collaborations, check out the events tab for dates.
La Scie Dorée on Bandcamp
You can now buy the three albums Timo van Luijk and Frederik Croene made together on the digital platform Bandcamp.