"I couldn’t imagine a better way to promote the city of Ghent by brass players. Very fine and artistic concert and a big thank you for the cooperation."

- Daniel Termont, mayor of Ghent

Crossbones trombone collective is a professional trombone setting from Belgium. 4 young and motivated professional musicians found each other, in an attempt to channel their passion for music, and in order to pass this passion on by means of rehearsals, concerts and master classes. They gave birth to an ensemble named Crossbones Trombone Collective. Any performance will guarantee you a refreshing, high-quality musical happening.

Over the years to come, Crossbones wishes to establish itself increasingly as a household name within the national and international world of brass music, prioritizing musical quality at any time. The collective was extended by a piano player and a 5th trombonist. This composition ensures its greatly diverse sound and a wide range of possibilities on stage. At that point, they are working its way upwards in the world of music as an ensemble bringing music of all periods and genres.

Crossbones played already concerts in Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Greece and Estonia. All members are professional trombone players in different professional orchestra’s or chamber music groups. But also professor at the conservatory of music in Belgium. Together, they have chosen to play different kinds and style of music where trombones get in touch with each other.

Cooperated orchestras: South-Netherlands Philharmonic, Chamber orchestra of Europe, Concertgebouworkest Amsterdam, Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra, Brussels Jazz Orchestra, Belgium National Orchestra, Orchestra of the opera Belgium, Flanders Symphony Orchestra, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra.

Lode Smeets, alto & tenor trombone

Lode began his study at the Conservatory of Amsterdam in 2009 with Ivan Meylemans, Jörgen Van Rijen, Pierre Volders and Remko De Jager. During this study he managed to get an internship in the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2014 Lode started his study for Master in Music at the Conservatory of Antwerp with Jan Smets, where he graduated in 2016. He has taken masterclasses with Michel Becquet, Joseph Alessi, Harrie Ries, Ian Bousfield and Christian Lindberg. To broaden his horizons as a trombonist he is taking lessons with Wim Becu on the sackbut. As a freelance trombone player Lode performed with orchestras in Belgium, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Finland, Denmark and Sweden, working with conductors like Bernard Haitink, Valeri Gergiev, Gerd Albrecht, Jun Märkl and Jaap van Zweden. From 2013 until 2017 Lode was Co-soloist trombone with Brussels Philharmonic and from september 2017 he is Principal trombone with South-Netherlands Philharmonic. He is also a guest soloist at the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, conducted by Bernard Haitink. Lode is also Professor of Trombone Performance at the LUCA School of Arts, the former Lemmens Institute in Leuven.

Pieter Vandermeiren, tenor trombone

Pieter studied at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent in 2005 with Luc De Vleeschhouwer. In 2013, he also graduated at the Conservatory of Tilburg with Nico Schippers. As a Freelance trombone player Pieter played with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, Turku Philharmonic, Brussels Philharmonic, the Belgian National Orchestra with conductors like Pierre Boulez, Mariss Jansons, Walter Weller, Stéphane Denève and many others. Pieter teaches brass at the school of arts Antwerp and conducts wind bands in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Søren Brassaert, tenor trombone

Søren studied at the Royal conservatory of Ghent and graduated with highest distinction in 2012. After his studies in Ghent, he went to the ‘Conservatoire Regional de Paris’ where he studied with Jacques Mauger. Søren took masterclasses with Brent Phillips, Elliot Chasanov, Jacques Mauger, Miguel Angel Sanchez Chacon and others. Søren played in orchestra’s such as the Belgian National Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, L’Opéra Royale de la Wallonie, Il Novecento, Ensemble Orchestral 'Les Voyages Extraordinaires‘, De Munt/La Monnaie. Next to the classical repertoire, Søren played also pop, jazz and other music styles in different bands and groups.

Bram Meese, bass trombone

Bram was a student at the royal conservatory of Ghent from 2007-2012. He studied with Luc De Vleeschhouwer and took masterclass with Tim Van Medegael, Brandt Attema, Ben van Dijck, Paul Milner and Stefan Schulz. As a freelance bass trombone player he played with the national Belgian orchestra, Orchestra of the Flemish opera house, Il Novecento, …. Bram is also founder of prizewinning brass ensemble ‘O’Brass’ and played concerts in Belgium, France, Germany, China, Japan and Korea. Next to playing music, Bram is also a teacher. Since 2015, he has a policy job at the School of arts Geraardsbergen.

Arno Tri Pramudia, tenor trombone

Arno Tri Pramudia, born in Antwerp (Belgium), is a first-year Trombone Fellow at the New World Symphony. Before moving to Miami Beach, he held an internship position with the Bern Symphony in Swit zerland.

Mr. Tri Pramudia has worked with the Belgian National Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, Belgian Royal Opera, Netherlands Symphony, North Netherlands Symphony, Biel/Solothurn Theatre Orchestra and Bern Symphony. During his career he has worked with conductors such as Vladimir Jurowski, Lahav Shani, Edo de Waart, Stéphane Denève, Giancarlo Guerrero, Kazushi Ono and Hartmut Haenchen.

As Principal Trombone of the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, founded by Claudio Abbado, Mr. Tri Pramudia toured Europe during their Easter Tour 2018, led by Vladimir Jurowski. He was also part of the Gustav Mahler Academy in Bolzano (Italy), National Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands and the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra Academy.

Mr. Tri Pramudia performed in concert halls across Europe and Asia, with personal highlights being the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Musikverein Vienna, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Philharmonie de Paris and Oriëntal Arts Centre in Shanghai. Mr. Tri Pramudia completed his bachelor’s degree at the LUCA School of Arts in Leuven (Belgium) with Michel Tilkin, and his master’s degree at the Hochschule der Künste Bern (Switzerland) with Ian Bousfield and Rex Martin.