Alexandre Debrus is born in 1976, into a family of musicians: his father Raoul Debrus (viola) and Eliane Debrus-Boucher (cello), both Soloists to the "RTBF Symphony Orchestra".
At the age of three he received his first violin lesson by his uncle Marcel Boucher (composer and violonist) and at the age of four he started to play the cello under the guidance of his mother.
He studied with Luc Dewez (Royal Conservatory of Music of Mons and to the Queen Elisabeth Chapel of Belgium), Mischa Maisky (Chigiana Accademy of Siena Accademia Chigiana), Marc Drobinsky (Siena Accademia Chigiana and Paris), Yvan Monighetti (Musikhochschule de Bâle), Mstislav Rostropovitch (Belœil).
Several scholarschips have been awarded to him such as in 1995, he received the “Cultural Deserve” in Waterloo, he won in 1999 the first prize of the "Mathilde Horlait Dapsens" competition with the pianist Giovanni Mastroserio, he was also awarded the SABAM prize for the best Belgian composition. He received in 2001, from the public of Waterloo, the "Cristal Lion" awarded to the "Best Musical Prospect". Alexandre was winner of the 2004 scholarship of the "Belgian Foundation of Vocation (VOCATIO) and received in 2007, the title of honorary citizen of the city of Nagakute in Japan.
Between 1999 and 2006, he was appointed to give chamber music lessons at Andre Siwy's side to the "Royal Conservatory of Music of Brussels".
In 2005, he founded the Carlo Van Neste Trio, composed this day by Karin Lechner (piano) and Maya Levy (violin), thanks to the support of the Association (asbl) Carlo Van Neste.
Alexandre gives numerous concerts in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Germany, Serbia, Italy, Spain, Greece, the United States, Russia, Argentina, Japan, China and Israël. He is invited in different Festivals such as that of Biarritz, Novossibirsk Cello Festival in Siberia, Martha Argerich Festival in Buenos Aires, "Projetto Martha Argerich" Festival in Lugano, Montenegro Music Festival, Musical Summits of Gstaad, in Belgium, in the Musical July of Aulne, in the “Eté Mosan” Festival, in the “Midis Minimes” Festival, The Belgo-Festival, The “Concerts de Midi” of Brussels, The “Concerts de Midi” of Liège, etc.
Alexandre Debrus performs to the "Henri le Boeuf Concert Hall" (Palais des Beaux-Arts" of Brussels), the Royal Conservatory of Brussels Concert Hall, the Jules Bastin Concert Hall in Waterloo, the Novossibirs Philharmony Concert Hall (Siberia), the "Biarritz Casino Barrière" Concert Hall (France), the Gaveau Concert Hall in Paris, the "Grand Auditorium de l’UNESCO" in Paris, the Basel Musikhochschule Concert Hall, the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, the Suntory Hall of Tokyo, the Nagakute City Cultural Hall (Japan), to the Sapporo Yamaha Concert Hall (Japan), to the Nanjing Concert Hall (China), to the Xi'an Symphony Hall (China), the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center (Israël), etc.
Alexandre Debrus often played in the presence of members of the Royal Family of Belgium, in soloist or as chambrist.
He recorded twenty one CD’s as soloist and with chamber music ensemble under different labels, such as Pavane Records, EMI Classics, RCA Victor Red Seal (BMG), Warner Classics, etc. He recently records, always under the Label Pavane Records, the Six Cello Suites from Johann Sebastian Bach as well as the Trios 1 & 2 of Félix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, inside of the Trio Carlo Van Neste.
Alexandre Debrus plays with a Georges Heynberg cello (Liège 1934) "Pegasus", and a Jan Strick cello (Brussels 2004) "Alexandre".
Academic career
Between 1994 and 2008 : Cello teacher at the school "Musica Libre" in Ohain in Belgium.
In 1998 : Master Classes in Japan whilst on tour.
In 1998 : Master Classes whilst on tour at the Biarritz festival.
Between 1999 and 2006 : Chamber music teacher
at the Royal Conservatory of Music of Brussels at Andre Siwy's side.
In 2000 : Interim teacher at the Academies of Rixensart and Ath for cello classes, chamber music
and conducter of instrumental groups.
Between 2001 and 2007 : Cello teacher at the "Petite Chapelle Musicale d'Argenteuil".
In 2002 : Appointed as interim teacher for chamber music
at the Royal Conservatory of Music of Mons at Luc Dewez's side.
In 2002 : Interim teacher at the Academies of Rixensart and Ath for cello classes, chamber music
and conducter of instrumental groups.
Awards
In 1994 : First Prize of Musiktheorie,
to the Royal Conservatory of Music of Mons. (Roger Verstraeten's Class)
In 1995 : First Prize of Cello with "Big Distinction",
to the Royal Conservatory of Music of Mons. (Luc Dewez's Class)
In 1995 : First Prize of Chamber Music with "The Biggest Distinction",
to the Royal Conservatory of Music of Mons. (Eliane Debrus-Boucher's Class)
In 1995 : Awarded the Cultural Merit award "Fifty One" to the City of Waterloo.
In 1999 : "The Upper Diploma" of Chamber Music with " The Most Biggest Distinction ",
to the Royal Conservatory of Music of Brussels. (André Siwy's Class)
In 1996 : "The Upper Diploma" and received the Scholarship grant
to the Chigana Academia de Sienne Scholarship. (Mischa Maisky's Class)
In 1999 : "Mathilde Horlait Dapsens" award with the pianist Giovanni Mastroserio.
In 1999 : "SABAM" award for the better interpretation for a Belgian masterpiece.
In 2000 : The Brussels Rotary Club award him a grant for his previous accomplishments.
In 2001 : Awarded Waterloo's "Crystal Lion" for best musical hope.
In 2004 : Alexandre became the winner of the Class of 2004, and received a grant
from the « Belgian Fondation of the Vocation ».