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Babette Craens
Babette Craens is a Belgian pianist active as a soloist, chamber musician and collaborative artist, with a particular affinity for Lied, ensemble work and concept-driven recital formats.
Her musical practice moves between solo, vocal and ensemble contexts, with a strong focus on listening, interaction and sonic imagination. Alongside her recital work, she is active within orchestral, operatic and interdisciplinary projects, where flexibility, colour and collaboration form an essential part of her artistic approach.
Babette is known for her refined touch, sensitivity for nuance and broad musical interests.
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Solo & Chambermusic
Babette is active as a soloist and chamber musician, performing regularly throughout the Belgian classical music scene.
In addition to her recital and chamber music activities, she regularly collaborates within ensemble and orchestral contexts, including projects involving piano and celesta. She has appeared at venues including De Bijloke, AMUZ, DeSingel, Miry Concertzaal and Muziekgebouw Eindhoven.
Recent projects include the solo recital Le Faux Miroir — a program inspired by perception and illusion through music by Debussy, Ravel, Durlet and contemporary composers — and the album Lacunes with soprano Fleur Strijbos, released on Etcetera Records and featured twice as Klara’s Choice on Klara radio. Since 2022, she has formed a Lied duo with Fleur Strijbos, with whom she was selected for the Udo Reinemann International Masterclasses and the semi-finals of Supernova 2024.
She regularly collaborates with Muziektheater Transparant and Zonzo Compagnie in the productions Virginia and Pianoscope.
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Background
Raised in a musical family, Babette began her piano studies at a young age with Heidi Hendrickx and Levente Kende.
At 17, she was admitted to the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp, where she studied with Sergei Edelman and Eliane Rodrigues, under the guidance of Jozef De Beenhouwer.
She completed both her Bachelor and Master degrees magna cum laude.
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Lied
"It is an interplay underpinned by Craens’ subtle sense of rubato and flexibility.
She breathes and phrases in perfect harmony with the vocal line, constantly anticipating the breathing, timing and enunciation of the text."
- Opus Klassiek
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The Liedgenre plays a central role in Babette's artistic work. She has been praised by leading pianists in this field including Malcolm Martineau, Roger Vignoles, Hans Eijsackers, Susan Manoff and Aäron Wajnberg.
Since 2018, she has formed a duo with mezzo-soprano Herlinde Van de Straete, with whom she gave a debut recital in 2025 at Miry Concert Hall. They were selected for the Udo Reinemann Masterclasses for the 2024-2025 season.
Since 2022, she has also collaborated closely with soprano Fleur Strijbos. Their duo has been selected for several international competitions, is featured in the Vrienden van het Lied artist database, and has performed at venues including Lied Festival Zeist as well as recording for Klara radio - highlighting the duo's growing international recognition.
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