short biography

     
Tom De Cock is a Belgian percussionist, conductor, and artistic director specializing in contemporary music. He graduated summa cum laude from the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and the Hochschule für Musik Detmold, and further honed his skills at the Internationale Ensemble Modern Akademie in Frankfurt. As a doctoral researcher at VUB and KCB, he developed innovative methods for teaching and performing complex percussion repertoire.

Professionally, he has been a soloist at Brussels Philharmonic and has been a core member of ICTUS since 2014. He is the artistic director of Festival Kortrijk and was artist in residence at Concertgebouw Brugge (2023–2025). His work includes performances, premieres, and collaborations with leading composers and artists such as Pierre Boulez, Georges Aperghis, and Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, and appearances at prestigious venues such as the Lucerne Festival, Wien Modern, and the Venice Biennale.

As an educator, he is active at KASK/Conservatorium Gent within the Advanced Master in Contemporary Music (GAME) and regularly teaches and gives masterclasses both in Belgium and abroad. Tom De Cock combines performance practice with research, instrument development, sound installations, and curatorial work.

As a conductor, Tom De Cock has led ensembles such as Het Collectief, United Instruments of Lucilin, the Brussels Philharmonic, and the Ictus Ensemble (with which he won the award for Best Concert at the 2023 Venice Biennale).
        

extended biography

Artistic education

2000-2005: Master percussion summa cum laude at Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel, class of Gert François and Bart Quartier
2005-2008: Invitations for Lucerne Festival Academy (Switzerland), under the direction of Pierre Boulez and Peter Eötvös
2005-2009: Konzertexamen summa cum laude, class of Peter Prommel at Hochschule für Musik Detmold (Germany)
2006-2007: Stipendium at IEMA (Internationale Ensemble Modern Akademie, Ensemble Modern, Frankfurt am Main). Master in Contemporary Music at Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst, Frankfurt am Main (Germany)
Research and PhD
2011-2016: Research Assistant at Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel and Vrije Universiteit Brussel
2014-2015: CICI development scholarship of VIA in collaboration with Vincent Caers for Living Scores/Learn
2015: Doctor of Arts at Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel
2019-2020: Research scholarship FRArt at F.N.R.S. and CRLG: Hybridation des micro-percussions
2020-2024: Research Assistant at Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel

Professional collaborations

2007-2012: Percussionist at Nikel Ensemble
2012-2021: Solo-percussionist at Brussels Philharmonic
2014-today: member at ICTUS: Percussionist, conductor and musical director
2021-today: Artistic Director of Festival Kortrijk. Classical and contemporary music programming at Wilde Westen Kortrijk
2023-2025: Artist in Residency at Concertgebouw Bruges. Development of four artistic productions over two artistic seasons that highlight different aspects of my personal artistic career: curatorship, instrument development, sound installations and conducting
Regular invitations at: Nadar Ensemble, Triatu, Het Collectief, Champ D’Action, I Solisti, Revue Blanche, Spectra Ensemble
Invitations abroad with ensembles and orchestras such as: Radio Kamer Philharmonie under the direction of Peter Eötvös, Ensemble Modern, Musikfabrik

Invitations as a conductor with Brussels Philharmonic, Opéra National de Lorraine, Collegium Vocale Gent, Het Collectief, conducting major contemporary music works such as Einstein on the Beach by Philip Glass, Tehilim by Steve Reich, Amériques by Edgard Varèse, The Chairman Dances by John Adams or Talea by Gérard Grisey

Professional encounters

World premieres of and close collaborations with composers and artists such as: Pierre Boulez, Peter Eötvös, Georges Aperghis, Philippe Hurel, Philippe Manoury, Bruno Mantovani, Martin Matalon, Raphael Cendo, Philippe Schoeller, Dai Fujikura, Liza Lim, Yann Robin, Yann Maresz, Vassos Nicolau, David Fennessy, Simon Steen-Andersen, Christopher Trapani, Eva Reiter, Andrea Mancianti, Noé Soulier, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker

Stages

Belgium: Concertgebouw Brugge, De Singel, De Bijloke, BOZAR, Flagey, Kaaitheater, C-Mine, Cultuurcentrum Hasselt, Schouwburg Kortrijk, 30CC Leuven

Abroad: Festival d’Automne (F), Bang on a Can (NY), Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (GB), Wien Modern (A), Klangspuren Schwaz (A), Donaueschinger Musiktage (D), Internationale Ferienkurse Darmstadt (D), Ultraschall and Maerzmusik (D), Elbphilharmonie (D), Roma Europa (I), Milano Musica (I), Venice Biennale (I), Lucerne Festival (CH), Warsaw Autumn Festival (P), Tel Aviv Biennale (IL)

Teaching

2006 : Assistant in the class of Peter Prommel at Hochschule für Musik Detmold (Germany)
2014: Substitute Professor Percussion at Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel
2016-2021: Assistant-Professor in the percussion class of Conservatoire Royal de Liège
2018-today: Artistic Director of GAME within the Advanced Master in Contemporary Music at KASK/Conservatorium Gent
Invitations for masterclasses and workshops in the Conservatoria of Oslo, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Tilburg, at Artesis Hogeschool Antwerpen and at “Hochschule für Musik” Detmold, Freiburg and Frankfurt am Main
Recordings (selection)
2004: Wim Henderickx - Confrontations, Zuiderpershuis - CD
2008: Bart Van Hecke - Close My Willing Eyes, Fuga Libera - CD
2012: Stefan Prins - Fremdkörper, Sub Rosa - CD
2013: Bram Van Camp - The Feasts of Fear and Agony, Fuga Libera - CD
2014: Jacqueline Fontyn - Jacqueline Fontyn und das Konzert, Cybele Records - CD
2014: Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker - Drumming & Rain, a Choreographer’s Score - Rosas/ Mercatorfonds - Book & DVD
2015: Leos Janacek - Rikadla, Alpha Classics - CD
2018: Pierluigi Billone - Mani, Sub Rosa - CD
2018: Pierluigi Billone - Mani, Les productions du Verger - Film
2020: Gustav Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde - Alpha Classics - CD
2020: Christopher Trapani - Waterlines, Bandcamp - Online Release
2024: Jean-Luc Fafchamps - BXL - Film Music
2025: Philip Glass - Einstein on the Beach, Vlek - CD/Online Release

Research Publications

-DE COCK Tom, CAERS Vincent, ‘Franco Donatoni’, ADEM Nr. 2 2013
-DE COCK Tom, CAERS Vincent, Kristin Van Den Buys, ‘The solo Percussion Music of Franco Donatoni’, Percussive Notes March 2014
-DE COCK Tom, CAERS Vincent, Kristin Van Den Buys, ‘An examination of Philippe Hurel’s Loops II’, Percussive Notes May 2015
-DE COCK Tom, Doctoral Thesis ‘Improving the Efficiency of Practice and Performance in Contemporary Percussion Repertoire’, Online Publication on www.living-scores.com/learn 2015. http://www.living-scores.com/learn/phdtomdecock/phdthesis/
username: phdTomDeCock
password: loginphd2015
-DE COCK Tom, FLORIN Simon, ‘A historical view of Iannis Xenakis’ “Psappha" instrumentation’,
Percussive Notes May 2017
-DE COCK Tom, ‘Mani’, Sub Rosa CD [SR451], 2018 https://www.ictus.be/mani
-DE COCK Tom, ‘Curatorial Practice in Contemporary Music’, Internal Publication, Subject development at KASK/Conservatorium Gent, 2020
-DE COCK Tom, ‘Micro-Percussion Hybridization’, Research Publication by Art et Recherche about the F.N.R.S.-funded research project conducted in 2019-2020. Revue de Art et Recherche #3, 2020

Online

https://www.ictus.be/decock
https://www.wildewesten.be/nl/festivals/festival-kortrijk
https://manamaghent.wordpress.com
https://schoolofartsgent.be/en/study/courses/contemporary-music
http://www.living-scores.com/learn/
https://soundcloud.com/decocktom
https://soundcloud.com/gerrit-nulens/sets/explorations
https://vimeo.com/919203192/93a89618ad?share=copy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ntv_ohRPgQ

Languages

Dutch: mother tongue
English: fluent
French: fluent German: good
Chinese: notions

Tom De Cock is een Belgisch percussionist, dirigent en artistiek leider, gespecialiseerd in hedendaagse muziek. Hij studeerde summa cum laude af aan het Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel en de Hochschule für Musik Detmold, en vervolmaakte zich aan de Internationale Ensemble Modern Akademie in Frankfurt. Als doctoraatsonderzoeker aan de VUB en KCB ontwikkelde hij innovatieve methodes voor het aanleren en uitvoeren van complex slagwerkrepertoire.

Professioneel was hij onder meer actief als solist bij Brussels Philharmonic en is sinds 2014 kernlid van Ictus. Hij is artistiek directeur van Festival Kortrijk en was artist in residence bij Concertgebouw Brugge (2023–2025). Zijn werk omvat uitvoeringen, creaties en samenwerkingen met toonaangevende componisten en kunstenaars zoals Pierre Boulez, Georges Aperghis, en Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, en optredens op prestigieuze podia zoals Lucerne Festival, Wien Modern, en Venice Biennale.

Als docent is hij actief aan KASK/Conservatorium Gent binnen de Advanced Master in Contemporary Music (GAME) en geeft hij regelmatig les en masterclasses in binnen- en buitenland. Tom De Cock combineert uitvoeringspraktijk met onderzoek, instrumentontwikkeling, klankinstallaties en curatorschap.

Als dirigent heeft Tom De Cock onder andere Het Collectief, United Instruments of Lucilin, Brussels Philharmonic en Ictus Ensemble geleid (waarmee hij de prijs voor Beste Concert van de Biënnale van Venetië 2023 heeft gewonnen).

Tom De Cock est un percussionniste, chef d’orchestre et directeur artistique belge, spécialisé dans la musique contemporaine. Il est diplômé summa cum laude du Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel et de la Hochschule für Musik Detmold, et s’est perfectionné à l’Internationale Ensemble Modern Akademie de Francfort. En tant que chercheur doctorant à la VUB et au KCB, il a développé des méthodes innovantes pour l’enseignement et l’interprétation des œuvres complexes pour percussion.

Sur le plan professionnel, il s’est produit en tant que soliste avec le Brussels Philharmonic et il est membre d'Ictus depuis 2014 (percussion et direction musicale depuis 2020). Il est directeur artistique du Festival Kortrijk et a été artiste en résidence au Concertgebouw Brugge (2023–2025). Son travail comprend des performances, des créations et des collaborations avec des compositeurs et artistes majeurs tels que Pierre Boulez, Georges Aperghis et Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, ainsi que des apparitions dans des lieux prestigieux tels que le Festival de Lucerne, Wien Modern et la Biennale de Venise.

En tant que pédagogue, il enseigne au KASK/Conservatorium de Gand dans le cadre du Master Avancé en Musique Contemporaine (GAME) et donne régulièrement des cours et des masterclasses en Belgique et à l’étranger. Tom De Cock associe la pratique d’interprétation à la recherche, au développement instrumental, aux installations sonores et à un travail de curateur artistique.

En qualité de chef, Tom De Cock a dirigé l’ensemble Het Collectief, United Instruments of Lucilin, le Brussels Philharmonic et l’ensemble Ictus (avec lequel il a obtenu le Prix du Meilleur Concert de la Biennale de Venise 2023).