Ward Opsteyn
Ward Opsteyn began his musical career at the music academy of Lanaken and continued his studies at the Lemmensinstituut in Leuven in the trumpet class under Léon Pétré. He earned First Prizes in music theory, harmony, and practical harmony, as well as a Master's Diploma in chamber music and a Specialization Diploma in trumpet. After his studies at the Lemmensinstituut, he combined teaching with postgraduate studies in trumpet with Peter Masseurs, the former trumpet soloist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. During this period, he frequently performed as a freelance musician, collaborating with ensembles such as the Philharmonic Orchestra of Flanders (now Antwerp Symphony Orchestra) and the VRT Orchestra (now Brussels Philharmonic).
Since January 2000, Ward has been a permanent member of the Belgian National Orchestra as a trumpet soloist. In addition to his orchestral work, he was actively involved in various brass ensembles for a long time, not only as a performer but also as an arranger. With the Gabriëli Brass Quintet, he recorded several CDs featuring his arrangements and transcriptions.
Jazz and light music have been integral parts of his musical world from a young age. As a teenager, he participated in various jazz courses, and during his studies at the Lemmensinstituut, he received instruction from, among others, Bert Joris and played in the big band under the direction of Frank Vaganée. More recently, he took jazz piano lessons from Stan Driesen. In his music, one often hears a distinctive blend of various musical styles. His broad knowledge of jazz and classical harmony, as well as orchestration techniques, has proven valuable in several unique projects. He collaborated with jazz trumpeter Sam Vloemans and pianist Florian Verschueren, translating their compositions into the wind band world. As part of United Music of Brussels, he provided special arrangements for music by Marocking Brass and Zwangere Guy to be performed with the wind players of the BNO. Additionally, for the Belgian National Orchestra, he regularly adapts music for educational and other productions.