Merel

Merel Van Hemelryck (°2000) started to play cello at the age of 9. From 2009 till 2018, she followed cello courses with Steven Caeyers at the music academy of Leuven. As a young cellist, she followed several summer courses with Steven Caeyers and Melissa Cassiman.
In 2016, she had the opportunity to play in the city theater of Leuven on the occasion of ‘The sound of C’, organized by 30CC Leuven, to introduce the cello for the first Queen Elisabeth Competition for cello.
In 2017, Merel became a finalist in the music competition 'Vakman', which was organized by the music academies of the Province of Flemish Brabant.
Enjoying chamber music, Merel played in a cello trio, cello octet, and string quartet. In 2018, the cello trio became ‘Laureate in the honorary department for chamber music of Flanders’ of the ‘Vlamo’ music competition.

Passionate by music, Merel continued music studies with Geert De Bièvre at ‘LUCA School of Arts’ in Leuven, Belgium. (2018-2023). In 2023 she went on Erasmus Exchange to the ‘Kunst Universität Graz’, Austria where she studied with Tobias Stosiek. She also followed masterclasses with Maria Kliegel, Pieter Wispelwey, Roel Dieltiens, Johannes Krebs, Raphaël Bell, and Tom Landschoot.
At the occasion of the 2nd Queen Elisabeth Competition for cello in 2022, Merel was selected as one of ‘DeZes’, six students who represent the youth jury and have the opportunity to follow the entire 2022 Queen Elisabeth Cello Competition in Brussels (9 May - 4 June 2022).
As a cellist, she plays in several orchestra and chamber ensembles, such as the LUCA Philharmonic orchestra, the LUCA Chamber Orchestra, the LUCA String ensemble, the Accademia della Speranza, the Mahler student festival orchestra, the Brussels Young Philharmonic, …
Merel Van Hemelryck plays on a marvellous cello ‘Jérôme Thibouville- Lamy’, constructed in Mirecourt, France.