Welcome

… to my website!

On my website you will find fragments of scores and also listen to extracts from recordings of my work. Check the menu for more options to look for.


Then something about myself…

I was born on the 19th of February 1974 and have been involved with music since the age of five. When I was seven I went to the “Muziekacademie” in ‘s Gravenvoeren in Belgium. There I learned Theory of music and Harmony, and also to play the trumpet and church organ. After this I studied conducting of wind, fanfare and brass bands with Pierre Kuijpers,  organ with Dorthy de Rooij and symphony orchestra conducting with Jan Stulen at the Conservatory of Maastricht. I also took additional courses in conducting with several well known conductors. I have been conducting actively since 1994 and at present I am the conductor of two symphony orchestras and two wind bands.

Since 1985 I have been experimenting with sound and have been developing as a self-taught composer. I have quite a wide number of compositions to my name amongst which are more than 100 pieces for wind bands. My works have a romantic character and often consist of only a few motifs from which the entire work develops. Counterpoint and a transparent instrumentation play a very important role in this. My work is, like that of all composers, influenced by past masters. The biggest influences on my work have been Johann Sebastian Bach, Anton Bruckner and Richard Strauss.

I am regularly asked to write a piece or make an arrangement for a wide variety of ensembles, from chamber groups to wind bands and symphony orchestras. To an increasing extent my compositions are being performed by renowned orchestras and ensembles such as, Fanfare band Brass-aux-Saxes Westerlo (B), Royal Wind Band of Thorn (NL), Royal Wind Orchestra St. Michael Thorn (NL), Royal Philharmonic Wind Orchestra Bocholtz (NL), Royal Old Wind Band of Eijsden (NL), Royal Wind Orchestra Sainte Cécile Eijsden (NL), Gran Canaria Wind Orchestra (ES), Royal Symphonic Band of the Belgian Guides (B), Royal Military Band “Johan Willem Friso” (NL) and many more…

I hope you’ll enjoy reading and listening to my work!

Christiaan Janssen



Some highlights

In 2014, → LBM Jubel-mars was the winning composition at the composition contest of the “Limburgse Bond van Muziekgezelschappen” (LBM) in the occasion of their 75th anniversary jubilee. 

In 2015, → Cortège received a special mention by the Atlantic Reed Consort, during the annual Calefax Composers Competition of the famous Dutch wind ensemble Calefax. (→ website Calefax)

In 2017, → Capriccio was the test piece in the 1st division for windbands, during the 2nd European Contest for windbands, fanfarebands and brassbands in Luxembourg.

Also in 2017, → Suite #6 received a special mention by the Atlantic Reed Consort, during the annual Calefax Composers Competition 2017.

In 2018, → Festmusik des LBO was the winning composition during the composers contest “Logo in Sound” by Landesblasorchester Baden-Württemberg (D).

The end of 2018 I was given the prestigious commission to write a new multidisciplinary composition commemorating the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Dutch province of Limburg. The work → 75 Jaor Vreej with the beautiful text of the Limburg writer Frans Pollux, premiered in mid-2019.

During the worldwide Covid-19 pandemie (2020) I was asked to write a multidisciplinary composition for ensembles which can be combined into a full windband. The work → Revived, commissioned by WMC Kerkrade & “Royal Military Band Johan Willem Friso” and written on the occasion of 50 years Adams Music Centre in Thorn (NL), was broadcast online during a live streamed concert worldwide.

In 2021, → Der Arme Poet (the poor poet) was the winning composition during the Composition Competition by “The Valley Winds” (USA).

In 2023, I was winner of the “III Concurso Internacional de Composición para Banda Sinfónica ‘Estepona, Jardín de la Costa del Sol’”. An award of a grant for writing a composition for wind orchestra with the aim of telling the musical story of the city of Estepona (Spain). The result is the colorful composition “→ Impresiones de Estepona“.