About

Sybrand Valentijn Maertens (Flemish [siːbrɑnt vɑləntɛɪn maːrtəns]; born 18 April 1997) was born in Leuven, Belgium, with a profound love for vocal music. He firmly believes in the close connection between the human voice and individual and collective consciousness, as well as the transformative power of singing to foster emotional and social well-being.

From an early age, Sybrand was immersed in music, growing up in a warm and musical family. His mother, an avid flautist, pianist, and singer, introduced him to a rich repertoire of traditional Flemish songs, while his father nurtured his interest in rhythm through percussion. It would be unjustified not to also mention the impact his two older brothers had on his early musical development, since they introduced him to many a musical genre. In later years, they would play together very often.

Sybrand began formal music education in 2005 at the Academy for Fine Arts in Leuven (SLAC), starting with solfège and later learning the trombone under Johan Van Iseghem and Bart De Lausnay. Completing his studies in solfège, he progressed to music history and played in various academy ensembles.

A defining moment in his musical journey came in 2010 when he studied music theory and classical harmony with Belgian composer Erika Budai. This experience opened his eyes to the boundless possibilities of music and inspired him to pursue a career in the field. In 2014, he was admitted to the music program at the Lemmens Institute (now LUCA School of Arts), where he majored in trombone under Tim Van Medegael.

In 2016, Sybrand shifted his focus to composition, studying under esteemed mentors such as Jan Van der Roost, Lut Verbeke, Piet Swerts, and Kurt Bikkembergs. Wanting to explore more aspects of vocal music – as Sybrand already loved singing, in group as well as individually – his master's program also included choir conducting, under Kurt Bikkembergs.

Sybrand graduated in 2022 with his cantata Song of Songs for Voices and Sand Art, a collaborative project with sand artist Immanuel Boie. The performance featured men’s choir Terpander (which included his brother) and women’s choir Cappella Concinite (of which his mother was a member), symbolically bringing his musical journey full circle with family by his side.

After completing his studies, Sybrand took a year-long composing hiatus, as he had to creatively recharge from years of mandatory composition. During this time, he honed his skills as a choir conductor, leading mixed choir MusicAmi (near Antwerp) for three years and chamber choir Koordinaat (in Leuven) for two years.

In 2022, Sybrand joined Euprint, a music publisher specialising in primarily Belgian repertoire, where he developed expertise in sheet music engraving, both as an employee and as a self-employed professional. Immersed daily in new music, his passion for composing rekindled, driving him to continue exploring and growing as an artist. For Sybrand, music remains an ever-evolving journey of discovery and expression.