PHILIPPE PIERLOT-DIRECTOR & VIOLA DA GAMBA
Philippe Pierlot was born in Liège, Belgium. After studying guitar and lute, he decided to concentrate entirely on the viola da gamba family.
He directs the Ricercar Consort, ensemble with whom he interprets mostly works of the 17th century, revealing unknown compositions to the public in prestigeous venues like “Palais des Beaux-Arts” Brussels, “Semaine Sainte à l’abbaye de Fontevraud”, “La Folle Journée” in France, Spain, Japan, “Het Concertgebouw te Amsterdam”, Gulbenkian Lisboa, “Boston IF”, “Villa I Tatti” Florence, International Festival Edimburgh, Seoul, Helsinki...
Several contemporary pieces were written for him, and he is also one of the rare
«barytone» players,very peculiar instrument for which Haydn wrote more than 150
trios and other pieces, and the ancient english lyra-viol repertoire has all his affection.
Among his first recordings specially should be mentionned Schütz’ oratorios «Auferstehung» and «Sieben Worte», «German 17th Century Works for Viols» and works for viol by Marin Marais. More recently in the chamber music field Purcell, Couperin, Marais, Bach sonatas and cantatas...
In 1998, the KunstenFestivaldesArts of Brussels asked him to realise an adaptation for viols and plucked instruments of the opera «Ritorno d’Ulisse»,given in important European festivals with great success (Berlin,Vienna...) and on tour in 2004 and 2008 (New York, France, Australia, Spain, Italy) .
As a soloist he is invited throughout the world for recitals and masterclasses.
Philippe Pierlot often directs important works which he restores or adapts. For example, Marais’ «Sémélé», which hadn’t been performed for 300 years, and for which he recomposed the missing instrumental parts.
As a director most of his career is dedicated to Bach’s works, Passions, Cantatas and Missas, but works like the Stabat Mater of Pergolesi or Haendel’s opera arias are frequently given under his baguette throughout Europe with the Ricercar Consort Orchestra.
Philippe Pierlot teaches in The Hague and Brussels, and lives in the belgian Ardennes.
He loves to play occasionally in Jordi Savall’s and Philippe Herreweghe’s productions.
With his collegues and friends Rainer Zipperling and François Fernandez, he created a label called FLORA CD, a personal choice of intimate works and original encounters in music
( for example, works by Lawes, The Passion of Musicke)