Etienne Houben

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Etienne Houben (b. 1982) studied classical percussion and earned his Bachelor degree with highest distinction and Master Degree at the Conservatorium Maastricht, The Netherlands. During this period he was timpanist and percussionist at the Dutch National Youth Orchestra and had masterclasses with Rainer Seegers (timpanist Berlin Philharmonic), Bert Flas (timpanist Düsseldorfer Symphonic), Tatiana Koleva (marimba), Ruud Wiener (vibraphone) and Franz Lang (snare drum). He worked as timpanist at the Dutch Customs Orchestra and as a percussion teacher. He performed with numerous Dutch professional orchestra, such as the Limburg and Gelders Symphony Orchestra, Orchetra of the East, André Rieu and the Dutch Royal Marine Band. As a soloist in 2010 he won the international snare drum competition from the Percussive Arts Society in Fermo, Italy. In 2012 he was accepted at the prestigious Royal Symphonic Band of the Belgian Guides, where he currently works as percussionist. 

Under Etienne’s leadership various ensembles won several major national and international championships such as the World Music Contest. As a composer he has written works for Bart van Grinsven (timpanist Symphony Orchestra of the East), Inge Smedts (Flutist Royal Band of the Belgian Guides) and Nico Schoeters (percussionist Belgian National Orchestra). The piece Vertigo, commissioned Inge Smedts and Nico Schoeters, has been recorded on the CD ‘Cocktail Maison’ in 2018 and is available from Tapspace publications. Furthermore, Etienne composed numerous commissions for large percussion ensembles and percussion ensemble contests like the World Music Contest and Dutch Open Percussion Championships (ONSK). 

More information about Etienne and his compositions can be found at www.etienne-houben.nl