Felix Joseph Ceunen Resume

      Biography: CEUNEN, Felix Joseph (Phil Eastland)

Felix Ceunen was born in Heusden, a small village in the Belgian province “Limbourg”
He took the opportunity of learning to play the tuba at the musical school of Beringen in the same province.
After he ended his high school studies, he embarked on musical studies at the Royal Flemish Conservatory of Antwerp and at the Conservatoire Royal of Liège.
He took lessons from:
•François Dubois (solfeggio)
•Gilbert de Greeve (harmony)
•Norbert van der Jeught (tuba)
•Frits Celis (transposition)
•Theo Mertens (chamber music)
•Fernand Terby (symphonic orchestra)
•Yvon Duchêne (conductor of symphonic band)
•André Jadot (counterpoint - fugue)
•Marcel Mattheessens (piano)
•Karl Smits (trombone)

At the moment, Felix Ceunen is retired as a musician of “The Royal Belgian Navy Band”.

In 1976 he conducts for the first time a small symphonic band; the “K.F. Heidegalm” from Heusden-Berkenbos.
In the following years (till today), Felix remained conducting several symphonic bands:
•“K.F. St.-Jozef” (Kleine-Brogel)(B)(1980-1990)
•“K.H. St.-Laurentius” (Bocholt)(B)(1987-2002)
• “Harmonie Waterschei-Zwartberg” (Genk) (B)(2001-2007)
•“K.F. St-Lambertus” (Eindhout)(B)-“K.M. Ste.-Barbaragilde” (Balen (B)(2002-2009)
•“K.H. Hoeverheidegalm” (Lillo-Houthalen)(B)(1995-)
•“K.F. Hoop in de Toekomst” (Hoepertingen)(B)(2007-)

He's also the coach of the woodwinds and the brasses of the symphonical orchestra “Limburgs Orkest Jeugd & Muziek” (LOJM)(Hasselt)(B)(2003-).

Further, he's being asked several times as guest-director and coach in Belgium, the Netherlands en Germany.


Felix was swayed by various enthusiasm including an overwhelming urge towards music that led him to compose more than 100 compositions of various kind.

In 2007, after he attended a concert of “playing modern techniques on the violin” in Mirecourt (France), his composition style changed, and he concentrates more and more on composing contemporary music

He participated in master classes with Jan van Landeghem, Prof. Composition at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, Stefano Gervasoni, Prof. Composition at the "Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris", and Clarence Mak, Head of Composition and Electronic Music at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts (HKAPA).

•In 2008, Felix Ceunen became finalist of the “2° International ISME-IVME Composition Contest” with 'Akhlys', a composition for violin solo.

•On August 11, 2009, " Poème sur le Rêverie” a composition for 4 violins, was created during the International Summer Course at Monthureux-le-sec (Fr.).

•Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo, composed in the spring of 2009, was performed on March 13, 2010 by "The University of Mary Washington Symphony Orchestra" in Fredericksburg, Virginia (USA)

•The National Composition Contest "Jef Van Hoof Prijs 2010" was awarded to Felix Ceunen for "Parcae", a composition for solo violin.

•International Harp Competition & Festival Composition Contest Utrecht (NL) 2010": 1st prize; Prosa in Miniatura (Harp solo).
Creation of "Prosa in Miniatura" during the 1st International Harp Competition & Festival, on Wednesday the 24th of March 2010,
(Performing by Astrid Haring).

Writing compositions of 'the light genre', Felix uses the pseudonym “Phil Eastland".

Updated:  March 3, 2010

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