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The Belgian choral conductor and music pedagogue, Paul Dinneweth, studied organ, piano, singing, music history, fugue, choir and orchestral conducting and improvisation at the Lemmensinstituut in Leuven, where he obtained his Master of Arts degree in organ, conducting, teaching, improvisation; and then at the Conservatoires of Utrecht and The Hague.
Paul Dinneweth taught at various music academies in Flanders for many years. From 1982 to the end of 1997, he conducted the Kortrijks Gemengd Koor Altra Voce. He was founder-conductor of the Amarylis-kamerkoor from Kortrijk and the Zeffiretti Consort from Antwerp. Between 2005 and 2015 he also conducted the mixed choir Musica Nova from Boom. He is also active as a freelance organist and as a coach for creative workshops.
In 1991 he became laureate of the international improvisation competition in Knokke-Heist. An intense postgraduate course at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London influenced him to look more for creative approaches in teaching and music makin. He currently teaches improvisation and ear training at the LUCA Muziek - Campus Lemmens in Leuven (LUCA School of Arts); and ear training, improvisation, keyboard harmony, teachers department, creative work with groups at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in Antwerp (since 1993).
Since 2002, Paul Dinneweth has taken over the choral direction of deCHORALE in Antwerp. From when he took office he resolutely opted for a dynamic and innovative approach, with respect for the historical foundation of this legendary oratorio choir. Through his innovative artistic leadership, he has succeeded in raising deCHORALE on a high musical level and placing him at the top of the agenda of the choir life in Flanders. The repertoire of deCHORALE includes find the well-known classical oratorio program, such as Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 (J.S. Bach), Paulus (Felix Mendelssohn), Requiem (Verdi, Johannes Brahms, Gabriel Fauré), Die Schöpfung (Haydn), Coronation Anthems (George Frideric Handel), etc. In addition, he constantly pays attention to more contemporary work such as Le Roi David (Arthur Honegger), Carmina Burana (Orff), but also Mirror of Perfection (Blackford) or work by Maurice Duruflé, Jenkins, Lloyd Webber, etc.
Paul Dinneweth emphasizes the importance of continuous choral training, both musically and vocally. The choir members are expected to become familiar with a score quickly (eg through self-study based on practice files) and are also open to changing arrangements, memory work, elementary staging, challenging programs and locations. It makes the rehearsals (and performances) fascinating and groundbreaking meetings with a unique atmosphere, specific to the current drive within deCHORALE. Through vocal screening and tuning for all choir members, led by voice coach Kristien Vercammen, and the permanent and enthusiastic hand of the rehearsal director Peter Maus, the unique quality of this famous oratorio choir is being improved with increasing success. In the Flemish choir world, deCHORALE has taken a unique place today. He currently lives in Brussels, Belgium. |
