Gast Waltzing

Composer and Conductor

Born in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Gast Waltzing’s defining passion has always been music. At the age of 7 he began his studies at the Conservatoire de Luxembourg, continued his classical training at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles and completed his studies at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris. “I am always a musician” he states, “it’s not like I wake up and decide where to schedule music in. It is always present.”
He was named Professor of Trumpet at the Conservatoire de Luxembourg in 1982, and in 1986 founded the Jazz Department of which he remains the head.
He has many of albums ranging from Classical (Film Music for George and the Dragon and for JCVD) to Jazz to Dance, notably his early jazz groups, “Atmosphere” and “Life’s Circle” and more recently his jazz group “Largo”, which released 2 albums on Warner Jazz, London, and has most recently released the third “Largo” album titled “It’s All About Us” in October 2009 on his own label WPRJazz. “I am so tired of all the backward looking that goes on in Jazz right now. The original innovators were just that… innovators, and they took influence from everything that was around them. They didn’t try to sound exactly like anyone else. Jazz is a living music, and it doesn’t belong in the past. It needs to move on. Hip-Hip, DJ culture, dance music, it all plays a part in my composing”
He began composing at 15, with the Luxembourg Jazz Five, and has always composed original music for his many formations, expanding into the composition and production of music for Film and Television in 1989, with the original score for “A WOP BOP A LOP BOP” for which he was nominated for Best European Film Composer. Since that time he has composed and produced over 160 original scores for Film and TV.
Many of his Film music scores were written for Symphony Orchestra and he has conducted and recorded them with the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg. He has also conducted several very special public productions with Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, such as a coronation celebration concert for Luxembourg’s Grand Duke in 2000 with Patricia Kaas, and the opening of the Tour de France in 2002 with the Scorpions.
In 2004 Waltzing founded WPR (Waltzing-Parke Records), the mother company of his “WPR Jazz” label. To date Gast has recorded and produced 8 new jazz artists on this label, with 3 more released by fall of 2010. WPR Jazz is distributed throughout Europe. A second label, WPR music was started in 2005 with two pop/rock artists. For more information on Waltzing or his recording label visit: waltzingparke.com
In 2005 Gast has composed and conducted the first concert of his newly founded “Orchestre National de Jazz, Luxembourg” (ONJL for short) with guest star George Duke, for the opening of the newly built Salle Grand Duchesse Charlotte (also known and the Philharmonie). He also composed, conducted and produced the fireworks music for Luxembourg’s National Day celebration and conducted the large outdoor concert of the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg featuring renown French jazz violinist Didier Lockwood.
It was quite natural for the Salle Grand Duchesse Charlotte to choose Waltzing to program and conduct the first “Pops At The Phil” in May 2006, a newly founded series at the Philharmonie in which the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg performs a more popular program with popular soloists. This first concert was more than sold out (they actually added chairs in the hall) and enjoyed a huge success with local soloists and the famous Belgian jazz singer Maurane. He is now head POP’s conductor for the Salle Grand Duchesse Charlotte, in Luxembourg and has each year organized a concept program for the POPs concert with the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, and such artists as the New York Voices, James Morrison, and Dionne Warwick. This year Waltzing also conducted the Deutsche Radio Orchester, both in Saarbrucken and at the Salle Grand Duchesse Charlotte in Luxembourg for this POP’s concert event with the award winning Contra-tenor Adreas Scholl and Orlando.
In 2008 Cast composed film music for several films, notably “JCVD” with Mabrouk El Mechri, produced by Gaumont/Samsa Films, “Humains” produced by Iris Productions and “Les Dents de la Nuit” with Delux Productions. During this year he also continued producing jazz artists for his own record label, conducted Pops Concerts and performed with his jazz formation Largo.
In 2009 he composed and produced film music for House of Boys, produced by Delux Productions and directed by Jean-Claude Schlim, a film which was been awarded numerous prizes, and for the same production company composed and produced the music for “Black Out” a film for TV. He also composed and produced the music for “A Deux c’est plus Facile” for Tarantula films. He orchestrated several well known rock classics, including Kashmir, for the OPL and conducted them with the OPL for the huge National Day Concert.
2010 has been a full year, with Waltzing releasing his 3rd album with his jazz formation Largo, titled “It’s All About Us”, and a reunion with JCVD director Mabrouk El Merchi, this time to compose and produce music for the daring Canal+ TV series “Maison Close” which debuted to a huge market share, and great reviews.  Waltzing produced and composed the music for 2 other films this year, “The Runway”, produced by Lucil Films/Fastnet and “Dernier Etage Gauche Gauche”, for Iris Productions.
He also performed in Shanghai at the World Exposition for the official presentation of the Luxembourgian Pavilion with his Largo formation in October. He wrote the symphonic orchestrations for 16 songs for pop artist Amy McDonald, and conducted the live recording of this performance with Ms. McDonald and the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, sponsored by the Saarländisches Radio, at the Rock Hall in Esch/Alzette Luxembourg. A live CD of this event has been released on Melodramatic Records titled “A Curious Thing-Special Orchestral Edition”.
2011 film compositions by Gast Waltzing include the French film “De Force” produced by Iris Productions Luxembourg and “Hysteria” produced by Delux Productions. Also in this year Gast composed all the symphonic arrangements for the Great African Singer Angélique Kidjo. This was a challenging project blending traditional African music and melodies with symphony orchestra. It was performed to a sold out hall at the Philharmonic in Luxembourg with the OPL, Kidjo and her band with Waltzing conducting.
2012 was a rich year for Gast Waltzing. He wrote and recorded the soundtrack for the second season of Maison Close. The serie was shown in February 2013 on Canal+ and was as successful as the first one.
Gast Waltzing was in charge of the musical production of the TV show ‘The One’ for RTL. The winner got the sing at the yearly concert in Knuedler with the symphonic orcherstra conducted by Gast Waltzing.
Gast Waltzing also recorded the film music for ‘Dead Man Talking’ from Patrick Ridremont, ‘Adieu Paris’ from Serge Bozon, ‘Clinique d’Amour’ from Artus de Penguern and two TV episodes ‘Air Force One Is Down’ from Cilla Ware.
For the first time, Gast Waltzing & Largo performed in Japan (July 2012). They played twice at the Cotton Club (both shows were sold out) and open the Sapporo City Jazz festival.
Early 2013, Gast Waltzing went to New Orleans to record his 4th album with Largo. The brass band The Soul Rebels participated on four tracks. To launch the album a concert was organized on the 8th of May at den Atelier. The Soul Rebels were also here and the concert was a big success.
He is currently writing two new film music: ‘Belle Comme la Femme d’un Autre’ from Catherine Castel and ‘Les Ames de Papier’ de Vincent Lannoo.
In the meantime he also went to Harbin (China) where he performed with Largo and conducted the Orchestra for a special concert. From there he went to Russia to perform with the Orchestre National de Jazz (ONJL) and onwards to Sapporo in Japan for another performance with the ONJL and the national singer Keiko Lee.
On the 24th of May, Gast Waltzing conducted another Pops at the Philharmonie in luxembourg with Kurt Elling.
He also conducted the opening ceremony for the Olympic Games of the Small States of Europe on the 27th of May here in Luxembourg.
For the “Fête de la Musique” concert the 21st of June, Gast Waltzing conducted the Orchestre Philharmonique de Luxembourg with a Queen’s program.
Gast Waltzing & Largo performed at the Blues & Jazz Rallye in July and went on tour in China and Japan for 10 days in October. The band performed at the Shanghai Performing Arts Fair.
On the 30th of October, Gast Waltzing conducted the Philharmonic Orchestra of Qatar for the WISE summit of education with Angélique Kidjo as a soloist.