Arie Van de Moortel

Who is Arie Van de Moortel?

Arie Van de Moortel was a Belgian viola virtuoso, composer and music teacher.

Van de Moortel studied at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels receiving first prize in viola and chamber music in 1937. He continued his studies on viola with François Broos receiving a further degree in 1939. He then went on to study counterpoint at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent and composition with Prosper Van Eechaute.

He performed in several ensembles including the Trio of the Court of Belgium, the London Piano Quartet, the M. Raskin String Trio, a viola-piano duo with his wife Lydie Lequeux, and was violist in the Orchestra of the National Institute for Radio Broadcasting. He taught chamber music at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent and was director of the Music Academy in Anderlecht.

Van de Moortel won awards for his compositions including the Staf Nees Prize in 1951 for Variations on the Flemmish Folk Song "The Was a Little Snow Bird", a composition for carillon, the Società del Quartetto G.B. Viotti composition prize in 1954 for his Trio for Reed Instruments, and the City of Rotterdam Prize in 1957 for his carillon composition Capriccio rondom "Het viel een hemels dauw".