What makes Phil Collins’ "In The Air Tonight" so recognizable? The drums, of course. And what makes Maurice Ravel’s Bolero so recognizable? Once again, the percussion. Sander De Keere observes many similarities between the signature sound of pop artists and that of classical composers. Just like a skilled producer, a composer uses various tools and clever tricks to develop a unique sound. The reverbs and echoes of Tame Impala or the muted tone from a rubber bridge guitar found in many indie tracks are sound effects that are also present in classical music. What the recording studio is to a producer, the symphony orchestra (or even a solo instrument) is to a composer.
Sander De Keere
Sander De Keere (°1992) is a musicologist, composer, and radio presenter for Klara. With nearly 50 episodes, he delves into a classical music piece each week with Clara De Decker in the podcast Eerste Hulp bij Klassiek (First Aid for Classical Music). A podcast for anyone who starts to panic at complex terms and doesn’t know where to start or how to listen to classical music. On Iedereen Beroemd (VRT1), Sander spent three seasons hosting the music segment Klassiekers alongside Thibault Christiaensen (Studio Brussel, Equal Idiots).
In 2022, Sander released his debut EP Primitive Structures on W.E.R.F. Records: a repetitive journey for various ensembles, with influences from minimal music, without falling into epigonism. On November 17, 2023, he released his new single For Ruth Crawford, a piano composition paying tribute to the American composer Ruth Crawford, who passed away 70 years ago. In the meantime, Sander continues to work on his first full album as a classical composer.
February 20, 2025, will also mark the official launch of Sander De Keere’s new solo project: SANSANSANDER. Expect dreamy synth-pop with the single New Beginning as your first introduction.