Véronique Bizet (solo)
PIANO, IMPROVISATION, JAZZ, COMPOSITION
Véronique Bizet started playing the piano and classical music at the age of seven. She played Bach at the Gunther Competition at the age of 13.After five years of studies at the Brussels Institute of Translators and Interpreters, she developed a long experience in the fields of jazz, improvisation and composition. She explored free improvisation and all the colours of the grand piano, like a searcher in a laboratory of sounds, in a very creative approach. Her music includes personal compositions as well as jazz standards or compositions by contemporary jazz musicians.
During ten years, she was a producer for the « Jazz Club » label. She produced jazz musicians who became internationally famous, such as : Joe LOVANO, Eric LEGNINI, Kris DEFOORT, Michel HERR, Bert JORIS, Michel HATZI, Stéphane GALLAND, Erwin VANN, Dré PALLEMAERTS, Jean-Louis RASSINFOSSE…
As a musician, Véronique studied with Barre Phillips(US), Boyan VODENITCHAROV (Bulgaria), John TAYLOR (GB), Garrett LIST (US), Fabrizio CASSOL (B), Nathalie LORIERS (B), Billy HART (US), Kenny WHEELER (CA), Dhruba GHOSH (Indian music), Arnould MASSART (B), Steve COLEMAN (US), Pierre VAN DORMAEL (B)…
She studied at the Conservatories of Namur and Liège, at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, at the Banff Center for the Arts (Canada), and she participated in numerous jazz seminars in Belgium and abroad.
She has played with well-known musicians such as Barre PHILLIPS, a « master » in free improvisation, Chris JORIS, Eric THIELEMANS, Bert VAN DEN BRINK (known for his collaboration with Philip CATHERINE and Toots THIELEMANS), Cécile BROCHE, ERWIN VANN, Philippe REUL, Nicolas THYS, André KLENES, Pierre BERNARD, Lieven VENKEN, Nicola Lancerotti…
During four years, she was a member of the board of directors of the « Lundis d’Hortense », the association of Belgian jazz musicians.
Her passion for philosophy, psychology and spirituality, a master in sophrology, the practice of yoga, non-violent communication, mindfullness and meditation have a permanent influence on her music.
In her concerts, Véronique Bizet proposes music which combines free improvisation, jazz, original compositions and elements derived from contemporary classical music.
Some thoughts about improvisation :
« Improvising is to play inside the energy of sound, fully conscious of the present moment. It is juggling with an infinity of musical materials, of which we extend the sound palette at each new improvisation. It is a permanent exploration, a perpetual laboratory.
The music creates itself progressively, as we play, independently of our will. Each player nourishes the playing of the others. There is a permanent interaction of multiple energies in motion.
Improvising is to get freed from the memories, the musical conditioning, and the known patterns, to possibly make room for something new that perhaps has never been played that way and will never be replayed in the same manner.
Every moment of improvised music is unique, sometimes magical…
It is important not to judge if it sounds good or bad, because while we play, we don’t always know if it is a good idea. Most of the time, it is only later, when a recording is available, that we can have a more objective judgment on what happened. This approach requires a lot of autonomy, tolerance and an open mind.
Improvising requires to let go and to be all ears to what is being played. It is a rational and an intuitive process, where the balance between the two creates unity.
Creativity occurs in the constraint. Improvising does not mean playing anything. It is an instant composition : choosing a musical idea, hearing how the form, the structure and the musical logic can be developed.
I also think that the genuine creativity is playing with the heart. Of course, the musical material is important, it is our tool. We carry with us a luggage of rythmic, harmonic and melodic experiences, as well as techniques that all together create our own sound and colour. But beyond all this musical intelligence, the intelligence coming from the heart is the most important. »
