between sound and perception

Black and white portrait of a woman with short, wavy hair and earrings, looking directly at the camera against a dark background.

Babette Craens is a Belgian classical pianist with a particular fascination for French Impressionism, Belgian repertoire and contemporary music.

She regularly collaborates with living composers and performs on both modern and historical pianos, exploring how the unique character of each instrument shapes the listening experience.

Drawing on these artistic interests, she creates concept-driven concert programs in which sound, colour, and imagination form the guiding thread.

A laureate of several national competitions, including the Steinway Competition, she is recognised for her poetic playing, refined touch, and exceptional sensitivity to colour and nuance.

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“A poetic nature with a fine-tuned sensibility for nuance”
— Opus Klassiek
“An incredible mastery of jeu perlé!”
— Sorodha review
“Babette stands out not only for her solid and precise technique, but also for her colorful piano playing.
In addition, she possesses the unique ability to deeply understand any musical style and convey it to her listeners in a compelling way. She has a wonderful way of inspiring both her colleagues and the audience, making her performances a delight for both the ears and the eyes.”
— Eliane Rodrigues

Current programs

LE FAUX MIROIR

Close-up black-and-white photograph of a coiled wire with parallel lines and a reflective surface.

Le Faux Miroir — a 60-minute solo piano program

exploring perception and illusion through Debussy, Ravel, Durlet and contemporary music.

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Femmes de légende

Femmes de Légende — an artistic research project exploring the remarkable role of women in the French and Belgian musical landscape at the turn of the twentieth century.

Through performances and historical research, the project highlights the contributions of women as composers, pianists and artistic muses, bringing their stories into dialogue with today's audiences.

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histoire perdue

Histoire Perdue — an exploration of French and Belgian musical heritage through forgotten repertoire from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and contemporary compositions.

By bridging the past and the present, it offers new perspectives on music that continues to inspire today’s audiences.

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Recent higlights

  • Le Faux Miroir was met with standing ovations for the Emmanuel Durlet Fonds and Love2Arts Gallery (May & June 2026)

  • Lacunes was featured three times as Klara’s Choice on Klara Radio

  • Museum Vleeshuis recording project featuring pianoworks by Belgian composer Paul Gilson