On this CD two of Mathieu van Bellens 'all-time favourites': Bach's second Partita (with the famous Chaconne and Bartóks Solo Sonate. The third pieces is from the Zeeland composer Christian Blaha and makes a connection between Bach and Bartok. We hope you'll enjoy it as much as we did during the recording. Mathieu Van Bellen was born in the Netherlands, Hulst, 1988, and started studying the violin when he was 4. He studied in Belgium with Nico Baltussen, at the Amsterdam Conservatoire and at Chethams School of Music, Manchester, with the help of a scholarship of the VandenEnde Foundation, with Jan Repko, Royal College of Music, London with Itzhak Rashkovsky and Hochschule für Musik, Berlin, with Ulf Wallin. He had masterclasses with Ida Haendel, Shlomo Mintz, Pinchas Zukerman, Maxim Vengerov and Bernard Greenhouse. Laureate of Yehudi Menuhin Competition, Wieniawski Competition, Prinses Christina Competition and Oskar Back Competition he is also a recipient of MBF, RPS Emily Anderson Prize, Philharmonia Martin Musical Scholarship Fund Awards and Making Music Awards. He was also awarded the Bach Prize and the String Player of the Year 2008 at the Royal College of Music. He has given concerts in Europe, Asia and the USA, playing in major music festivals like Festspiele MV in Germany, Haagse 3daagse, and Chamber Music Festivals in Manchester. He has appeared several times on television and radio, and he performed in halls like the Purcell Room at the Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall London, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Tel Aviv Opera House, and Megaron in Athens, performing as a soloist with orchestras such as the National Orchestra of Belgium, Holland Symfonia, Southbank Sinfonia, Philharmonia Chamber Orchestra, and Camerata Athena. Co-Founder of the Busch Ensemble, Mathieu is an active chamber musician, having played chamber music concerts with artists like Shlomo Mintz, Ani Schnarch, Mark Padmore, Roger Vignoles, among others, as well as with his ensemble, the Busch Ensemble. Graphic design by Paul & Menno de Nooijer. Photography Mathieu: Henri Berlize (Brussels). This CD was made possible with the support of Het Kersjes Fonds.