Harp & Bones
He founded the duo “Harp & Bones” with harpist Karen Peeters. Together, they made three different music theater programs, including “What if Bach sent a letter to Gershwin” and “Music through the eyes of an instrument builder, manager and musician”. The audience was allowed to decide which turn the story would take. This way, every performance always turned out to be slightly different.
(Live excerpt concert at Beirnaerts)
When the CD was released, the comments were absolutely positive and endearing. Karen and I set out to make a CD that you could just leave on and apparently that is what people do. This CD is still in playlists every day, especially in practice and reflection rooms.
We are happy to share some examples that touched us deeply.
…Today, got a patient in the practice with a horrible story: divorce, severe depression, suicide attempt, hospitalized, psychiatrists… During the session, the patient told me that he had been extremely down. I had your CD (Lullaby) on and at one point he said there were two things that had got him through: his dog and your music.
I had once given him that CD as a present and he was really emotional when he told me that he had been listening to this music so often and that it had been absolutely important to him.
Consolation… finding the courage to continue… during sleepless nights, some warmth anyhow… some fighting spirit again…
…Dear Karen, I am a friar tasked with receiving guests at the guest house of the St. Sixtus Abbey and we listen to classical music (in silence) during meals. In our CD collection we have a CD by you (harp) and Carlo Mertens (trombone): 'Lullaby', recorded in the little church of Millegem-Ranst in 2018. It is a very nice CD and very suitable for during our meals. It carries silence and attention in it.... Do you have other performances that are of such 'quality'? Thanks in advance, Sincerely, Brother J….
A kindergarten teacher from Turnhout sent this message:….“Today, I put on your CD in the classroom and after 2 seconds a child was crying. The music reminded her of her late grandmother. It keeps going straight to the heart that music of yours”…