Christian Leroy, born in Belgium in 1952, has proven himself for 30 years now one of the most creative composers in our country. He begins very early with piano accompaniment for silent movies. He explores in that way the silent films repertoire as an improvisor for about 200 movies. Furthermore, he has been invited abroad in various Festivals and National Stages : Italy, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Swiss, Spain, Tunisia, Romania, Bulgaria, Morroco, Syria, Egypt, North and South America, Cameroun, Algeria.
From his early youth, he showed a strong interest in music and more particularly in impressionist movements.
He practiced piano technique, studying at the same time percussion with private tutors. As a teenager, he started playing in many musical ensembles. Later, he worked as a composer for the national and international networks.
In 1979, he created the ensemble Musique Vivante, becoming later the prestigious Métarythmes de l'Air ensemble, with Philippe Saucez, José Bedeur, Jeannot Gillis, Pierre Narcisse, etc...
Christian Leroy has taken part in the most fascinating Belgian and international stage experiences : Festivals, theatre, cinema, poetry, events, etc. He has come across many contemporary artists : painters, sculptors, poets, stage people, film directors, to say nothing of purely musical collaborations with, among others : Pierre-Alain Volondat, Fred Van Hove, Barra Phillips, Louis Sclavis, Boyan Vodenitcharov, Stéphanie Houtzeel, Marylin Crispeel, Steve Lacy, Christine Wodrascka, Ernst Ryseger, Sam Bennet, Rona Hartner, Jacques Cambra, Pascal Ducourtioux and of course, most of the Belgian musicians.
He is one of the founders of the Belgisch Pianokwarted ( Fred Van hove, Walter Hus, Eddy Loozen ).
His works have been published by Polydor, Igloo, Emi, Gega new, Cristal records,...
In 1994, he created with the Metarythmes ensemble the original soundtrack of the legendary Tod Browning : movie « Dracula ». After the succes of this undertaking, he decided to compose the original soundtrack of Robert Flaherty's cult movie « Nanouk l'esquimau ». Quite exceptionally, The Société des Grands Films Classiques of Paris will release a new copy of the film with his musical composition.
In 2003, he created the original soundtrack for W.F. Murnau movie « Le dernier des Hommes », final part of his first trilogy dedicated to great movies belonging to the silent films world heritage.
In 2005, he created the original soundtrack of the documentary relating the construction of the Atomium ( 1958). He also composed the original soundtrack of Febo Mari movie « Cenere », based on Grazia Deledda's novel, Nobel Prize for Literature.
In 2006, he created the music for Yasujiro Ozu movie « Gosses de Tokyo » (1932).
In 2007, he wrote the film score of « The Adventures of Prince Ahmed » (1926) with Irène Jacob, French actress.
In 2008, he started to compose for Carl Theodor Dreyer« La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc »(1927).
In 2010, he started the composition of Manuel Sobrevilla « El Sexto Sentido »(1929).
In 2011, he wrote with Pascal Ducourtioux a new soundtrack for the movie « La Belle et la
Bête » ( Cocteau, 1946).
In 2013, he composed the music of a 13 short-films program (silent), « les pionniers » for the national body Ecole et Cinéma and the CNC.
In 2015, he also composed the music of « Au bonheur des Dames » by Julien Duvivier (1930) as well as the musical soundtrack for the animated movie « Pornography » by Eric Ledune.
In 2016, was born the music of Buster Keaton's « Sherlock Junior ». (1924) ;
In 2017, he wrote the music of « Fiancées en folie », also by Buster Keaton (1925) and worked for Méliès « Voyage dans la Lune » ;
In 2018, he composed for Murnau movie « l'Aurore » in collaboration with the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie and the Ensemble Metarythme de l'Air with the singer Mélanie de Biaso ;
In 2018, he also recomposed a new work on the movie « The Adventures of Prince Ahmed «
(1926) with Amal Ayouch, Marrocan comedienne ;
In 2019, he composed for movie » Coups de Génie » Laurel et Hardy »( 1921).
In 2023, he composed for Murnau et Flaherty « Tabu » (1931).
In 2023, he composed for Dziga Vertov « L’Homme à la caméra «
Besides his compositions for silent films, Christian Leroy has worked on about 50 film scores : animations, documentaries, auteur cinema selected and awardedin the most important festivals : Roma, New-York, Istambul, Hyderabab, Taiwan, Cannes, Clermont-Ferrand, Berlin, Torento, Annecy, Bogota, Montecatini, Brussels, Namur, etc.
Distinctions :
In 1997, he ceates the music of the first documentary in the history of the cinema « Nanouk l'Esquimau » ( Grands films classiques/CNC) ;
In 2005, he is selected by the City of Brussels among many composers for the music writting of a documentary relating the building of the Atomium in 1957 ;
Prix du Hainaut in 1982, Prix special mention in the Festival of Caracas for his film scores in 1983, Press Award in the Festival of Spa, Prix de la pensée Wallone, Prix Achille Béchet 2012, Best documentary Award in the Festival of Bogota.
Magritte Award of Brussels in 2016 for the animated movie « Pornography » by Eric Ledune.
Link :
https://soundcloud.com/christianleroycompositeur (la musique)
https://www.facebook.com/christianleroypianiste (facebook) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHws_-nydLAZYc6-kwuBU2Q (les vidéos)