Celis, Frits

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Celis, Frits

Celis, Frits, Belgian conductor and composer; b. Antwerp, April 11, 1929. He studied composition at the Royal Flemish Cons, in Antwerp and harp at the Brussels Cons.; also attended the summer conducting course at the Mozarteum in Salzburg (1949–51) and similar courses at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne (1953–54). He then conducted at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels (1954–59). In 1960 he was appointed to the faculty of the Royal Flemish Cons, of Antwerp.

Works

Music for Strings (1951); Violin Sonata (1951); String Trio (1958); De Geestelijke bruiloft for Voice, and Piano or Chamber Orch. (1958); Cello Sonata (1963); Élégie for Orch. (Antwerp, Dec. 8, 1967); 3 Symphonic Movements (1969); Toccata for Oboe and Piano (1972); Episodes for Viola and Harpsichord (1973); Variazioni for Chamber Orch. (1974); Trio for Flute, Viola, and Harp (1977); 3 syms.: No.1 (1979), No. 2 (1986), and No. 3,no and Orch. (1983); Musica per Undid for 10 Percussionists and Synthesizer (1984); S Incanti (1987); Cantilena for Orch. (1980); Preludio e Narrazione for Sopraonatina for Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1986); Incantations for Clarinet Choir (1987); A Hypocritical Funeral March for Brass Quartet (1987); Quartet for Flute, Violin, Viola, and Cello (1987); choruses; songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire