KRISTOF Kristof Van Grysperre, a native of Belgium, has an international career as pianist, chamber musician, and vocal coach. This past decade he emerged as a thrilling talent in the conducting world. The Orange County Register hailed him as "gifted and stylistically impeccable." After a three year intermezzo in Belgium where he worked as full-time piano professor, Van Grysperre returned to Southern California. He is currently artistic director of Angels Vocal Art, a platform dedicated to fostering young vocal talent through education and performance. A highlight was a series of workshops with Italian tenor legend Carlo Bergonzi. As a pianist Van Grysperre collaborated with leading instrumentalists and singers, such as violinist Maria Newman, tenor Philip Webb and sopranos Juliana Gondek, Ollie Watts Davis and Susan Mohini Kane. Van Grysperre recorded for the René Gailly and Phaedra labels, the Flemish and Suisse Radio and Television and K-Mozart. As a vocal coach, he established a flourishing studio in Pasadena and Long Beach. With a strong vocal background and a repertoire of over forty operas Van Grysperre served as music director and conductor of several operatic organizations, such as SongFest's Young Artist opera program and the Intimate Opera Company, where he conducted critically- acclaimed productions of Tosca, La Tragédie de Carmen, La Traviata, The Mikado, Die Fledermaus, The Abduction from the Seraglio, Hansel and Gretel and Amahl and the Night Visitors. Van Grysperre worked as assistant conductor for Opera Pacific where he assisted John DeMain and Edoardo Muller in the productions of L'Elisir d'Amore, La Bohème, The Magic Flute, Susannah and Il Barbiere di Siviglia. In 2005, the Baltimore Opera appointed Van Grysperre as music director for their Young Artist program, where he conducted L'Elisir d'Amore. The Bakersfield Symphony engaged him as music director for their operatic concerts, such as Fidelio, highlights of Le Nozze di Figaro and Carmen, and concerts centered around Puccini and Wagner. In 2003, named acting Music Director of the USC Opera, he prepared and conducted The Magic Flute, The Impresario, Gianni Schicchi and Cosi fan Tutte. Van Grysperre served as chorus master and associate conductor for Volo di Notte, Il Tabarro, Jenufa, La Périchole and Trois Opéras Minutes at the Long Beach Opera. In 2003 he returned as guest conductor and premiered Nicholas Chase's Twenty-two (Taker of the Total Chance). In 2006 he was assistant conductor for The Ring of the Nibelung. As Music Director of the Belgian Royal Choir De Mandelgalm and founder of his own orchestra Arte Nobile, Van Grysperre conducted Haydn's The Creation among others. Van Grysperre served as chorus master at the Aspen Opera Center and also participated in the Tanglewood Music Center Vocal Program, where he coached Ligeti's Grand Macabre. He was on staff at the California Conducting Workshop where he taught vocal coaching. Van Grysperre has been honored with numerous awards and fellowships, including the prestigious Fulbright Grant. At the USC Thornton School of Music, he completed a Doctorate and two Master of Music degrees, all with highest honors, with major fields in keyboard collaborative arts and orchestral conducting. He also studied at the Conservatories of Liège and Ghent (Belgium) where he obtained Concert Diplomas for both piano and chamber music.