Jean-Claude Wilkens

Born of a family where music was an important part of life, Jean-Claude Wilkens studied music and mathematics at Seraing Music School and at Liège Royal Conservatory both in Belgium. Later, he studied choir conducting with Pierre Cao at the Luxemburg Conservatory and attended workshops of choir conducting with maestros Lucien Jean-Baptiste, Philippe Caillard, Fernando Eldoro and Eric Ericson.

His teaching career in secondary schools was diverted to that of cultural management, first with Jeunesses Musicales where he was director for four years and then as Executive Director of the International Center for Choral Music in Namur, Belgium. Presently, Mr. Wilkens is serving as the Secretary General of the International Federation for Choral Music.

Mr Wilkens professional activities are closely linked with choir music and choral musicians and therefore make him well known on the international choral scene. Jean-Claude Wilkens has always considered his conducting activities as a hobby, as an amateur passion in the best meaning of the word. He is conductor of the choir Hodie in Belgium.