Pieterjan Vrankx

After studying at the LUCA School of Arts in Leuven, Pieterjan Vrankx obtained his master's degree in percussion at the Royal Conservatory in Antwerp in 2005, under the supervision of teachers such as Koen Wilmaers and Carlo Willems. In the same year, he was appointed percussionist with the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. In 2010, he was appointed principal timpanist. Since 2022, he has also been teaching percussion at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp.

In recent years Pieterjan has played concerts with distinguished conductors, such as Jaap van Zweden, Edo de Waard, Lahav Shani, Elim Chann, and Phillippe Herreweghe. Since 2013, he has been invited by Herreweghe to play with the Collegium Vocale Gent and the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées.

In 2015, together with his colleagues from Antwerp Symphony, Pieterjan collaborated on the recording of "Groove". A percussion concerto by Wim Henderickx that pushes the percussionist to the limit. The recording was honored with a positive Critic’s Choice review in Gramophone Magazine. 

Besides his love for the romantic and modern repertoire, he also cultivated an interest for historical performance practice. Collecting and restoring old timpani and drums has become a passion of mine.