Benjamin-Joseph Steens

A native of Bonheiden (Belgium), Benjamin-Joseph Steens obtained a master's degree in musicology at the Catholic University of Louvain and at Paris-IV Sorbonne. At the same time, he studied at the Lemmens Institute (Louvain) and at the Conservatoire d'Orléans, then at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris, where his studies were crowned with several First Prizes and Higher Education Diplomas in organ (class of Michel Bouvard and Olivier Latry), harpsichord (class of Pierre Hantaï then Olivier Baumont) and basso continuo. In addition, he obtains the Organ Aptitude Certificate (pedagogy department).
His attraction to old keyboards was enriched by contact with Jos van Immerseel, with whom he studied at the Conservatory of Antwerp. He developed a passion for the clavichord, becoming one of the few contemporary keyboardists to play this instrument in recital and to use it in chamber music. His natural curiosity for all repertoires also led him to take an interest in 19th, 20th and 21st century music and to collaborate with composers to prepare creations, including the Ricercar for organ by Bert van Herck given in Reims in 2006. One of the first organists to play the monumental work of Jean-Louis Florentz Debout sur le soleil, he was able to perform it in particular on the great organs of Notre-Dame de Paris in 1998 and 1999.
Holder of the great Cattiaux organ of the Saint-Remi Basilica in Reims, of which he is also curator, responsible for the Bernard Aubertin organ in Vertus (Marne), Benjamin-Joseph Steens is regularly invited by European festivals (Festival de Flandres, Toulouse- les-Orgues, Flâneries Musicales de Reims ...) for recitals, chamber music concerts or orchestral productions. Its performances are periodically recorded by radio or television. He teaches organ, harpsichord and basso continuo at the CRR in Reims and at the Levallois Conservatory (Paris region), as well as the clavichord as part of the Master in Interpretation of Ancient Music at Paris Sorbonne University. He is also regularly requested as a guest professor or jury in renowned institutions such as the Opéra Bastille or the CNSMDP.
His discography includes several CDs made for the Epr-classic Label. In 2007 the CD / DVD Bach - Buxtehude appeared on the great organs of Saint-Martin de Vertus and Saint-Remi de Reims. His clavichord recordings: the Goldberg Variations by JS Bach (2010) and Bach and Sons, sonatas for flute and obligatory keyboard of the Bach family with Jacques-Antoine Bresch au traverso (2011) are a great public success and are acclaimed by critics international, especially in France with 5 tuning forks.