Biography of Bert Langeler

 

“My motto is to bridge the gaps in the world of wind music.”

 

Bert Langeler

 

Education

Bert Langeler started his Trumpet studies at “Koninklijke Harmonie” in ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NL), with Peer Severijns and at the same time at the ‘s-Hertogenbosch city Musicschool with Peter van Helvoort. During this time, he had the opportunity to play in a symphonic wind orchestra, a symphony orchestra, a brass ensemble, and a big band (piano and trumpet). After musicschool, at the age of sixteen he started his BA and MA studies in trumpet and wind orchestra conducting at Tilburg Conservatory (NL), graduated in 1984 (teachers Florent van der Hauwe and Beatrijs Korevaar, trumpet; Jean Pierre Laro and Anne de Vries, conducting), additional instruments were piano and double bass.

In 2010-2011, he did his MA studies at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with Jüri Alperten (EE) and Peeter Saan (EE). Additional courses, in Spain (1992) and the Netherlands with Jan Cober (NL) and at the University of North Texas (USA) (2000-2002) with Eugene Migliario Corporon and Dennis Fisher. In 2015, diploma, level 1 of the Suzuki trumpet course in Sweden.

 

Work

Conductor, lecturer, brass, and woodwind teacher and conductor of several wind orchestras, organizer of international events, arranger, manager, consultant, and instructor for more than 40 years in the Netherlands and abroad. After moving to Estonia in 2008, activities continued in his new homeland.

Orchestras:

  • 1978-1981 Youth Wind Orchestra “Hintham”, Hintham (NL)
  • 1980-1982 Youth Wind Orchestra “Harmonie Drunen”, Drunen (NL)
  • 1982-1984 Wind Orchestra “De Burcht”, Leiden (NL)
  • 1982-2008 Fanfare Orchestra “Concordia Juliana”, Gameren-Nederhemert (NL)
  • 1983-1987 Fanfare Orchestra “Cromvoirtse Fanfare”, Cromvoirt (NL)
  • 1984-2002 Youth Fanfare Orchestra “Andels Fanfare”, Andel (NL)
  • 1985-1989 Symphonic Wind Orchestra “Kunst Adelt”, Helvoirt (NL)
  • 1987-2008 Fanfare Orchestra “Nooit Gedacht”, Almkerk (NL)
  • 1989-1996 Brassband “Harp en Luit”, Vuren (NL)
  • 1989-2004 Fanfare Orchestra “Prins Hendrik”, Aalst (NL)
  • 1992-1999 South Netherlands Youth Fanfare Orchestra “Zuid Nederlands Jeugd Fanfare Orkest (ZNJFO)” (NL)
  • 1992-2004 Symphonic Wind Orchestra “TOG”, Berlicum (NL)
  • 2005-2008 Symphonic Wind Orchestra “Valkenburg’s harmonie”, Valkenburg (NL)
  • 2006-2008 Wind Orchestra “General Karel van der Heijden”, Zaltbommel (NL)
  • 2008-… Viljandi Musicschool Wind Orchestra, Viljandi (EE)
  • 2013-… Estonian Conductors Wind Orchestra “VOP” chief conductor (EE)
  • 2014-… Võhma Wind Instrument Studio Wind Ensemble (EE)
  • 2019-… Tõrva Musicschool Wind Orchestra (EE)
  • 2023-… Tallinn Music and Ballet School MUBA Wind Orchestra (EE)

 

Musicschools:

  • 1985-2004 Zaltbommel Musicschool (NL) – brass department chair, brass teacher
  • 1986-2003 Almkerk Musicschool (NL) – brass teacher
  • 2008-… Viljandi Musicschool (EE) – wind music department chair, wind orchestra chief conductor, brass teacher
  • 2016-… Võhma Musicschool (EE) – brass teacher, wind ensemble teacher/conductor
  • 2019-… Tõrva Musicschool (EE) – wind orchestra conductor, brass teacher
  • 2023-… Tallinn Music and Ballet School (EE) – symphonic wind orchestra conductor

Academic:

  • 2009-… University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy (EE) – lecturer, didactic and brass teacher
  • 2021-… Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (Tallinn, EE) – lecturer for wind orchestra repertoire

 

He is been a guest conductor and brass teacher at orchestras of various countries, at home and abroad: The Netherlands, Spain, Germany, USA, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Argentina, Colombia, Malta, Costa Rica, Israel, Slovenia, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Africa, and Australia.

  • 2005-2010, 2014-… Youth Fanfare Orchestra summer festival “Trakai Fanfare Week”, Trakai (LT)
  • 2007-2014 Summer festivals “Võsu Viis”, Võsu (EE)
  • 2009 Guest conductor of Palanga Professional Wind Orchestra, Palanga (LT)
  • 2010, 2012 Guest conductor of the Lithuanian professional Brassband “Trimitas”, Vilnius (LT)
  • 2013-… Youth Wind Orchestra summer festival “Tammefestival” conductor, Võru (EE)
  • 2014-2016 Working in the Academy of Baltic Brass Bands, where Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian Brassbands participated in summer events
  • 2015 Guest conductor of Kaunas professional wind orchestra “Azuolynas”, Kaunas (LT)
  • 2015 Guest conductor of Christopher Newport University “Honor Band”, Newport News, Virginia (USA)
  • 2020-2022 Youth Brassband summer festival “Paganamaa Brass” conductor, Paganamaa (EE)
  • 2022-… Nõmme Brass Quintets Festival brassband conductor, Tallinn (EE)
  • 2023 Nõmme Low Brass Days, low brass ensemble conductor, Tallinn (EE)

 

Membership and executive functions

  • 1983-… Member of WASBE (World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles), board member 2013-2019, repertoire commitee member 2022-…
  • 1989-… Member of IGEB (International Society for the Investigation and Promotion of Band Music)
  • 1992-2008 LSK (Dutch national foundation for quality control of music education) examiner
  • 2007-… CISM (Confederation Internationales Sociéte Musical) representative
  • 2006-2008 Member of the city council of Zaltbommel (NL), in the field of cultural policy
  • 2009-2016 Board member of the Estonian Wind Music Society
  • 2013-… Chief conductor of the Estonian Conductors Orchestra
  • 2017-… Board member of Estonian Chamber of Wind Music
  • 2017 Conductor of the Estonian Youth Song Celebration “Mina Jään” Wind Orchestras
  • 2019 Chief conductor of the Estonian Song Celebration “Minu Arm” Wind Orchestras
  • 2023 Conductor of the Estonian Youth Song Celebration “Püha on Maa” Wind Orchestras
  • 2025 Chief conductor of the Estonian Song Celebration “Iseoma” Wind Orchestras

 

Recognitions

  • 1998: Woudrichem city (NL) Culture Award
  • 2004: Zaltbommel city (NL) badge of honor and honorary citizen medal
  • 2004: Honorary FKM (Dutch Catholic Wind Music Federation)
  • 2010: Viljandi city (EE) teacher of the year
  • 2013: Pedagogical scholarship of the Estonian Cultural Foundation
  • 2014: Letter of thanks from the Estonian Ministry of Culture to the Viljandi music school wind orchestra
  • 2016: Recognition by the Ministry of Culture of Lithuania for conducting the international summer academy “Trakai Fanfare week”.
  • 2017: Letter of thanks and an annual award from the Union of Estonian Music Schools
  • 2019: Viljandi county (EE) “Culture pearl” award
  • 2019: Estonian conductor of the year