DANIEL WILLEM

Born: March 6th, 1957, Auderghem, Brussels (Belgium)

Nationality: Belgian

In due course, the short impression below will be replaced with a more extensive career overview

BIOGRAPHY

As a child, Daniel ‘Dany’ Willem studied the piano, violin, chamber music, and solfège at a music academy before starting his studies at the Conservatoire Royal in Liège, following courses with Romanian violin virtuosos Richard Pieta and Lolo Bobesco. As a student, he played in the quartet Les Cordes Mosanes, which specialized in ancient music, and in orchestras in Brussels and Lausanne. In the 1970s, he co-founded folk group Triskan as well as being a member of several other bands in different genres, ranging from jazz to rock. In 1978, Willem travelled to the United States for the first time; he has spent several spells of a couple of years in the USA since. 

As a composer, arranger, producer, musician, or sound technician, he worked in studios in Belgium, France, Canada, Great Britain, and the United States with many different top artists, including Marvin Gaye, Alison Moyet, Viktor Lazlo, Soulsister, Alain Stivell, Philippe Lafontaine, and Pierre Rapsat. Nowadays, besides his work as a violin soloist and studio musician, Daniel Willem teaches music in Liège.

EUROVISION SONG CONTEST

Daniel Willem co-composed, arranged, and conducted the 1988 Belgian entry to the Eurovision Song Contest, ‘Laissez briller le soleil’, sung by Reynaert (Joseph Reynaerts). Unfortunately, this ballad failed to catch on with the international jurors, finishing in the bottom half of the scoreboard.

EUROVISION INVOLVEMENT YEAR BY YEAR

1988 Dublin

Country – Belgium

Song title – "Laissez briller le soleil"

Rendition – Reynaert

Lyrics – Philippe Anciaux / Joseph 'Jef' Reynaerts

Composition – Joseph 'Jef' Reynaerts / Daniel Willem

Studio arrangement – Daniel Willem

Live orchestration – Daniel Willem

Conductor – Daniel Willem

Score – 18th place (5 votes)