“I learned so much from this amazing piccolo player! Peter Verhoyen was absolutely wonderful, watching his performance was the highlight of my summer!” – Leanna Keith
“I’m still in piccolo shock. I had such a wonderful time at the International Piccolo Symposium, I can’t really believe it’s over! I had the pleasure of working with some of the best piccolo players in the world and I made some really awesome new friends. I can’t wait to practice what I’ve learned!”
“One of the absolute best parts thus far: having a masterclass with Peter Verhoyen!”
“Peter Verhoyen’s piccolo recital tonight was one of the most inspirational hours i’ve ever experienced. my face hurts from smiling so much out of utter happiness, awe, and enjoyment.” – Kristy Glaser
FACEBOOK IMPRESSIONS INTERNATIONAL PICCOLO SYMPOSIUM OMAHA
“Royal Flemish Philharmonic piccolo soloist Peter Verhoyen left the audience breathless with Derek Bourgeois’ spectacular Piccolo Piccante. The composition is good, however the performance of Verhoyen is what stick in the memory. His playing was flawless and subtle, with great dynamic variation, and wonderful intonation. He has produced three CDs of music we have rarely heard. They are an outstanding guide for phrasing and musicianship.” – Kathleen Dyer and Jan Gippo, Flute Talk, November 2010
“It is now almost a month after I returned from a wonderful trip to Las Vegas, where I was a performer at the 2012 NFA flute convention. It was such a pleasure to meet and make friends with Peter Verhoyen. Watching him teach and perform was inspiring and heartwarming. What a warm soul and what a piccolo player. One of the best I have ever encountered.” – Sergio Pallottelli, Daily, September 03, 2012
NFA CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS
“The out-of-the-box and super virtuosic programme by Peter Verhoyen gave us all boundless oppurtunities to hear why he has won the hearts of many as Principal Piccolo of the Royal Flanders Philharmonic Orchestra and winner of a plethora of competitions.
His balanced programme included the music he loves to play, and he explained to us in clear and curious vignettes why we would want to listen to and maybe even play the music we were about to hear. The original twentieth century compositions were by British and Flemish composers who captured their respective nationalities with spinning melodies and clear harmonies, all played with ease and delightful musical sensitivity.
The second half of Verhoyen’s programme was built around extraordinary transcriptions. He explained to us that he loves to play music composed for other instruments both in orchestral and concerto settings. The piccolo and piano shared lovely impressionist sonorities and melodies in the arrangements from Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite. We hardly missed the orchestra and were given the rare pleasure of hearing a piccolo play a low C.
The show-stopper of Verhoyen’s concert was a short version of the Saint-Saëns Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso originaly for violin and orchestra, where Verhoyen matched the violin talents of the last 150 years as he played passages faster than we could ever imagine. All with the aplomb of a master piccolo player and more.” – Esther Tilford, Pan, (Journal of the British Flute Society) November 2018 .
BFS FUTURE FLUTE FEST 2018
“I found the most musically interesting programme to be the Recital of Flemish Music given by Peter Verhoyen, who performed four pieces by his fellow countrymen and left me reflecting upon the fact that I know little of Flemish music after the Renaissance, when it was such a powerful influence upon the development of Wetern music. Peter fully engaged the audience both with his introductions to the pieces and with his charmingly understated skill and superbly controlled dynamics. I enjoyed especially Le Tombeau de Ravel by Piet Swerts, to which ëter gave an amusing and illustrated introduction with the us of a bird cage and two singing soft toys, before performing the sonata in a wonderfully balanced ensemble with Tim Carey. Peter invited us to cover our ears during the third movement and its complex rhythms.
The next morning, Peter Verhoyen let us into the secrets of his technique at his masterclass, which was very well attended. Insightful and entertaining, his comments were detailed and thorough, demonstrating his own complete understanding and mastery of the piccolo. He focused on how to communicate the music to the audience with stance, projection, and suitable clear articulation. ‘The piccolo is an expressive instrument’, he said, whilst advocating the use of a little vibrato, not too much or it will ‘sound like a bird with an elephant’s vibrato.’ He demonstrated how octaves sound out of tune if you ‘stay with an unhappy face on the upper note’, helped us rehearse the ‘cat scaring exercise’ wwhich he uses a lot with his students of piccolo in Antwerp, and showed us how the little finger could be used as a ‘pinky colouring tool’. And his tip for being a successful piccolo player: ‘work on being professionally happy!’ ” – Roz Trübger, Pan (Journal of the British Flute Society) September 2014
CONVENTION BRITISH FLUTE SOCIETY 2014
“Peter Verhoyen is widely regarded internationally for his piccolo playing. He is principal piccolo for the Royal Flemish Philharmonic Orchestra but equally comfortable as a chamber musician, a role in which he has frequently recorded. In La Gazza Ladra, his talents are on full display, and the result is stunning.
Verhoyen’s playing is at all times exemplary: he is sinuous in his expression and can change characters at will, always to great effect in the music. His soft playing in the high register is crystal clear and silky, and his command of pitch is absolutely superb. He is a master piccoloist who has done an admirable job of “selling” these arrangements as piccolo pieces in their own right.” – Nicole Riner, The Flutist Quarterly, Spring 2017
CD LA GAZZA LADRA
“Dreizehn Musiker sind auf dieser Einspielung (Robert Groslot: Chamber Music) zu hören und sie alle überzeugen durch feines und reflektiertes Spiel. Es gelingt Ihnen, auf musikalische Weise miteinander zu kommunizieren und lebhaft herüberzubringen, was Groslot intendiert. Herauszuheben ist Peter Verhoyen an der Flöte, welche das Hauptinstrument aller hier zu hörenden Stücke ist: Mühelos bewegt er sich durch die virtuosen Passagen und brilliert durch klaren Rhythmus. Als Solist wie auch in den Kammermusikkonstellationen überragt er, gliedert sich in jede Besetzung ein und schafft ein reibungsloses Miteinander aller Beteiligten.” – Oliver Fraenzke, The New Listener, July 2018
DIE FLÖTE IM DIALOG
“Peter Verhoyen is the principal piccolo with the Royal Flemish Philharmonic, and in this CD of works by Belgian composer Robert Groslot, he performs with virtuoso technique these beautiful and difficult works. Groslot is interested in exploring the borders of instrumental possibilities, which he does in all the works on this CD, and he writes in a beautiful and accessible style as well. The CD features works for Flute and Ensemble as well as the Concerto for Piccolo and Ensemble, and Four Dance Sketches for piccolo, clarinet and piano among others. Groslot is skillful in his writing for both instruments, clearly understanding the differences between flute and piccolo in his orchestration, ensemble and solo lines.
Verhoyen is astonishingly accomplished on both flute and piccolo and plays these pieces to perfection. I hope more of our readers will take the time to learn Groslot’s music as they make a welcome addition to flute repertoire for both flutist and audience. The packaging is beautiful as well with cover artwork by Robert Groslot. I listen to new CD’s in the morning and this one inspired some joyful modern dance aswell as deep listening!!” – The Flute View, June 7, 2014
“On the present CD, Groslot had the good fortune to work with the fabulous piccolo and flute player Peter Verhoyen, principal piccolo with the Royal Flemish Philharmonic. He is a brilliant player and the very helpful (by the way) booklet notes suggest that he and Groslot have worked with each other before. The music is really interesting and entertaining!” – Daniel Coombs, Audiophile Audition
ROBERT GROSLOT – WORKS FOR FLUTE AND PICCOLO
“Peter Verhoyen, piccolo solo du Royal Philharmonic, bien entouré nous offre une excellente évocation de la Belle Epoque du piccolo avec des maitres de l’age d’or de la petite flûte (Balleron, Damaré, Donjon, Pillevestre) et nous fait découvrir une des orientations que prend le répertoire de l’instrument. Plusieurs trios avec le piano où le piccolo associé au tuba tourne des valses burlesques (Huylebroeck, Kling) la clarinette l’entraine aux différents genres et rythmes du Jazz (Groslot) beaucoup seront sensibles à la pastorale berceuse avec le cor anglais (Matthys). Ces plaisants et distrayants morceaux joué par une phalange d’artistes talentueux et complices comblera les personnes gourmandes de ces musiques de divertissements” – Les Traversières 2013
“Een groot deel is echte salonmuziek, het zijn toegankelijke, goed geschreven composities, maar niet te diepgravend … zeer geïnspireerd en virtuoos gemusiceerd … Beslist interessant is dat er naast werken voor piccolo en piano ook combinaties met bastuba, klarinet, althobo en met een tweede piccolo opgenomen zijn. Op de cd staan drie eigentijdse composities. Hoewel deze hier wat uit de toon vallen, vind ik juist deze werken het meest boeiend. Voor liefhebbers van goede salonmuziek zeker een aanrader!” – Bart Schmittmann FLUIT 2013-3
PICCOLO POLKAS
“Des les premières notes, l’enchantement est en marche. Le colibri, extrait d’Impressions exotiques de Sigfrid Karg-Elert, vient sautiller sous notre nez pour nous inviter à la découverte des compositeurs modernes qui se sont interessés au piccolo. Le travail sur la sonorité est très impressionant et efficace. Parfois brut, accentué la côté “boisé” de l’instrument, il devient tout d’un coup aussi clair et feutré que celui de la flûte. Tout est travaillé minutieux : le timbre, le détaché, les nuances, tout contribué à mettre en valeur cette pièce magnifique … Un incontournable pour les amoureux de la petite flûte” – Les Traversières
“Peter Verhoyen entfaltet ein ganz erstaunliches musikalisch-kunstlierisches Ausdrucksspectrum. Vibrato, Phrasierungen und musikalische Deklamation sind sowohl von stilistischer Seite als auch von der instrumentaler Kompetenz her von feinsten. Dazu überraschen manche Kompositionen auf der CD mit besonderen stilistische Lekkerbissen.” – Flöte Aktuell 4.2009
“Peter Verhoyen heeft zich door de jaren heen ontwikkeld tot een echte piccolo-specialist. Deze cd laat horen dat de piccolo tot veel meer eigen expressie en klankkleuren in staat is. Opmerkelijk vind ik ook dat Verhoyen zonder noemenswaardige veranderingen in klankkleur van register kan wisselen. Een verrijking voor het piccolorepertoire. Peter Verhoyen en de uitstekende Stefan de Schepper houden er een warm pleidooi voor.” – FLUIT 2009-4
CD ‘THE BIRDS!’ ENTHOUSIAST ONTHAALD DOOR HET PUBLIEK
“This CD is a very interesting collection of works for piccolo and piano. I found it thoroughly enjoyable in that the music explored lyrical, virtuosic and agressive possibilities of the instrument. The solists seem united in their musical purpose, the ensemble perfect, which gives a very satisfying musical experience. All of this is played with superb artistry and musical commitment by both musicians. Verhoyen has a wonderful control of the legato line,even in the top octave with clear limpid tones. Light articulation and a sense of mischief make this a thoroughly pleasurable hour’s listening.” – Patricia Morris, Pan, Journal of the British Flute Society, 2007/3
“Peter Verhoyen speelt fraai, met een warm, soms zelfs melancholiek geluid, zeer virtuoos, en het samenspel met Stefan De Schepper is top; een pianist die muzikaal voluit durft te gaan terwijl hij met zo’n klein instrument samenspeelt. Kopen deze cd en de werken die erop staan !” – Wieke Karsten FLUIT 2006-4
“Le disque nous dévoile non seulement ses talents de virtuose de l’instrument, mais aussi un répertoire nouveau créé pour son instrument….” – La Traversière, 2007-1
“It turns out that indeed it was a whole disc of contemporary piccolo music, but the surprise was that it was very pleasant to listen to. Anyone who is at all serious about playing solo works for piccolo would do well to learn about these pieces. Verhoyen does an excellent job of taming the tiny beast that is the piccolo. His playing is quite lyrical and musical. Tone is resonant and nice, especially in pianissimo passages. There is also some very impressive technical playing. Piccolo Tunes is well worth owning, even if you are not a fan of solo piccolo. You may be, as I was, pleasantly surprised.” – Keith Pettway, The Flutist Quarterly Summer 2007.
PICCOLO TUNES
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