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Dominique got a higher degree Trombone (Magna cum laude) at the Royal Music conservatory of Ghent in the class of Michel Tilkin. From 1991 on, he was the first soloist Trombone at the New Flemish Symphonic Orchestra (momentarily Flemish Symphonic Orchestra), a place he left in 2000 to be the First Soloist Trombone at the Flemish Radio Orchestra (Previous BRTN-Philharmonic Orchestra). He worked freelance with different national and international orchestras and ensembles (Beethoven Academy, Rotterdam’s Philharmonic Orchestra, I Fiamminghi, de Munt, Il Novecento, …) and composed for different instruments and occupations. Nowadays, he profiles himself mainly as arranger for different occupations.

You know Dominique Vanhaegenberg as trombone player at Il Novecento, but let’s hope you also know him from his compositions and arrangements, and by his contagious influence on the good mood of the musicians and audience. From the first look, his roguish eyes are standing out and you want to go on about it; but the seriousness witch which he realized many things in the music world, asks for respect. At the conversation after, Dominique stated: “Wind instrument players are sprayers”, as being proven by the picture below. In a good mood, we started the interview.



Bernard: You’re playing the trombone as a profession, I have been told that you’re a graced piano player, and according to the internet all brass bands and fanfares across Europe have played some of your compositions or arrangements. Yet you’re only 41 years old. So, you’re probably a musician in heart and soul since you were a kid. How did it all start?
Dominique: I got the germs when I was young from my father (who played euphonium) when I joined him to the weekly rehearsal of the local fanfare. As a result, I was enrolled in the ‘Stedelijke Academie’ for music and literature ‘Peter Benoit’ in Harelbeke when I was 9 years old. First one year reading scores, added from the second year with trombone and piano. After that, the contrabass was added, but I ended that after a year again. Three instruments at such young age was a bit too much. When I was 13 years old, I moved to Ghent, the Secondary in Art-Music, a combination of general courses and musical courses. In the last year (the sixth year of secondary school) of the Art school, I got the first prize in reading scores, Magna cum laude. After that I went on with my studies at the Royal Music Conservatory in Ghent, which resulted in first prizes Trombone, Euphonium, Chamber Music and the higher degree Trombone, and finally also the educational degree in Copper Wind Instruments.

Bernard: Impressive. At the Royal Music conservatory of Ghent, you were taught by Michel Tilkin. Your career seems to evolve like the one of Tilkin: he started as soloist trombone or orchestra musician, and later on he started with other things in the music business, to end up as conductor; do you also conduct?

Dominique: Indeed, my teacher in Ghent was Michel Tilkin; I had a wonderful time over there where I learned a lot from him. Our ‘careers’ evolve somewhat similar, but for the rest the similarities are hard to find. At that time, he was the best that could be found in our country and also abroad. Michel finally became conductor, something I (at least I think) never will become. I have more interest in playing or composing/arranging music then conducting; probably due to the lack of patience.

Bernard: You played both classical music, jazz and big band (Mucho Gusto). Your colleague trumpet player at Il Novecento, Olivier Bodson, is doing just the same. Do the symphonies from Beethoven, salsa and pop music look so much alike?
Dominique: I have had an education with mainly classical priority, in contrast to Olli, who (I think) quickly switched to a jazz/pop-education. But, it’s still very interesting to combine the classical repertoire with the lighter genre. It results in a satisfactory change between both genres, at least for me. Let us say that I’m a classical musician with a (big) ‘disability’ to the lighter genre.

Bernard: You rather play live with Mucho Gusto?
Dominique: No, I only played on the CD, and liked it very much. For years I was the piano/keyboard-player in a dance orchestra, (many, many, many years ago…), and we played covers from several artists in all genres. I learned a lot there about chords and how they were played, and I also made my fist arrangements.

Bernard: How long are you playing in the shows of Night of the Proms? Since the start of Il Novecento or already before that? How did you join? Did you played all shows since then?
Dominique: As trombone player I’m part of ‘Night of the Proms’ since 1992. Michel Tilkin played there as wel, I knew Robert Groslot before that (Youth orchestra, and from the time Robert conducted the Flemish Symphonic Orchestra), and that’s how we joined. I didn’t play all show since then because I had to fit the ‘Proms period’ into my work schedule with several other orchestra which I joined before. But most of the editions, I played every show.

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	Bernard: Do the trombone players of the orchestra also form a ‘section’ like the Trumpet players?
	Dominique: Our trombone group is rather big, so we can’t really talk about a ‘fixed’ section. Of course it are mainly the same people, and every one has his/her preference of colleagues to play with on the trombone, but that depends of course on a personal base.
Bernard: Is it because the group spirit that you all wear the same wonderful shoes?
Dominique: That’s indeed something nice; we can get along quite well with each other.
Bernard: It stands out that many musicians from Il Novecento return every year. Why is that? Is this always a challenge, or is it because of the atmosphere, or isn’t the money as good somewhere else???

Dominique: It’s true that with Il Novecento there is a large core of musicians that are playing together since may years and return every year. The friendships that are formed are causing this as well, people start to see each other outside the orchestra as well. It’s more or less logic that the same faces return. If you start a tour during one month each year with a group of people, there are always the ones that feel good and can adapt themselves perfectly, and also others. You can almost say it’s a ‘natural selection’, with which I mean that the people that don’t feel themselves at home there (in the group, the orchestra, during the tour) automatically start to drop out, and to let the chance pass the year after. It’s not a matter of money. Ok, you prefer to be paid more than less, that’s everywhere the case, but musicians aren’t suppose to be ‘bounty hunters’ or ‘graspers’.

Bernard: Since 2001, you also right arrangements for Night of the Proms. Couldn’t Franck van den Heijden handle it all alone anymore?
Dominique: I think that the activities with and around “Il Novecento” back then only grew in number, so the extra man power was very welcome. And as with many, different assignments regarding composing/arranging are running through each other, also those of Franck, I think, so he can plan everything as good as possible, and not causing alarm with the organizers (Jan and Jan) when extra unexpected arrangements are needed.

Bernard: Which pieces did you arrange? Is everyone a good memory? Are artists grateful for your arrangements? Do you consult with the artists? Do you divide the work with Franck and Geert Keysers, or do you each have your own specialty? Where can the differences be found in those of Frank and Geert?
Dominique: Naming all arrangements would be too much. There are many, both classic, jazz-based and poppy numbers. The artists know most of the time in advance what and how they want to do with their songs, but the arranger has still the freedom to be creative. One time everything gets agreed over email, other times over telephones to all parts of the world to (try to) enter the vision of the artist. Each arranger has a different style with different ideas, preferences and knowledge. So it’s only normal that it comes back in the songs. Franck might have a more “poppy” way of seeing thing and for me it might be more playful. But what does it matter: everyone his own taste and style.

Bernard: At Night of the Proms we have an assuring quality that can be found every year again. Can we speak of a Night of the Proms sound, a unique music color where the arrangements are forming the foundation?
Dominique: Indeed, an arrangement gives color to the orchestra, but to say that there is a NOTP-sound? No, I don’t think so. Everything depends on the available musicians during that period. For example, if you have 30 different musicians in an orchestra compared to the previous year, than it will sound different. And amongst those musicians and their sound there are different grades, related to the general NOTP-orchestra-sound. To specify a bit: one instrument has a bigger influence then another, – if you replace for example a few group instruments like the violin, the sound of that orchestra will not be drastically changed compared to when you would change the lead-trumpet.

Bernard: Insiders tell me that you’re one of the experts when it comes to practical jokes on stage during the Night of the Proms shows. Since the shows are always a party, I expect you’ll have hundred of memories like that. Can you give us some examples of what can happen on stage?

Dominique: Many things have happened on that stage, that’s for sure…. One year, all trombone players fell from their chair on the floor, another year we gave Robert the fear of his life by sneaking behind his back and start playing full force, and of course there are the annual ‘dress up’ events, imitations, and suddenly jumping up, clapping hands above the head, dance moved, etc… Too much to mention, but almost a form of top sport, that requires a lot of energy, and of course demands a lot of skill and coordination… A general fact in our neighborhood: “we go for it!”.

Bernard: Any particular example?
Dominique: Once, at the opening of the show we played ‘Also Sprach Zarathustra’ one key lower; everyone pas perfectly transponded! It was wonderful, because after a few noted, Robert Groslot started pulling his ear; he thought there was something wrong with the sound of the monitors, but it was all of us!

Bernard: And how did Robert Groslot reacted?
Dominique: In a way we didn’t expect. At the opening of the second part we played Rossini’s overture of ‘Wilhelm Tell’. From the first notes – where only the copper wind instruments are playing with rhythmical forte-sound- everyone knew what time it was, for sure the strings. Robert has chosen for a very fast rhythm, probably to pull the same joke with us. The stings where shaking on their chairs, knowing that they had to finish the piece without any errors, thinking how to play the sixteenth notes in such a way that it still would sound logical in the piece. The fingers of the wind instrument players, moved like hell, never seen before, and we could almost smell the burned horse hair from the bows of the strings. In the end, we reached the finish together, tired but glad. And with lots of laughter.

Bernard: How should the future of NOTP evolve?
Dominique: I’m not the right guy to judge about that, for me it’s already an honor to participate in the NOTP-success through the arrangements!

Bernard: Thank you very much for this interview!

Links

Dominique on Facebook
Franck van der Heijden is working with the notation program Sibelius, but Dominique is using Finale for his arrangements.
The pieces of Dominique are released with Les Editions du Nord and also with Golden River Music

Left an ostrich, right Dominique