Westerlinck, Wilfried

Wilfried Westerlinck is a composer, conductor and former radio producer. After studying in Brussels and Antwerp with, among others, Legley, Louël, Verbesselt and Sternefeld, he further refined his craft in Monte Carlo with Igor Markevitch. From 1970 onwards, he taught music analysis and form at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp, yet his professional career was primarily centred at the VRT (Flemish Radio and Television), where he supervised classical music productions and initiated projects such as De Nacht van Radio 3.

At the same time, he developed a wide-ranging oeuvre, spanning orchestral works (Metamorfose, 1971) and the extensive series Landschappen (1977–2020), as well as string quartets, piano sonatas and chamber music with winds. Notable compositions include Kijk, een basklarinet in mijn tuin! for bass clarinet and Talisman for clarinet.

His style draws on twentieth-century modernism, with a strong emphasis on colour, timbre and thematic development. Westerlinck often works from limited material that is extensively varied. Counterpoint plays a relatively minor role; melodic lines and sound colour take precedence. His music sounds modern yet remains accessible, avoiding avant-garde experimentation.