New director for Brussels’ Bozar

Albert Wastiaux, 58, is to become the new Operations Director of the Centre for Fine Arts (Bozar) in Brussels from April next year. Wastiaux is currently manager of the National Orchestra of Belgium.

The Dutch-born Wastiaux, who moved to Belgium at the age of four, began his career as administrative secretary at the Conseil de la Musique, an organisation that promotes classical and contemporary music in Brussels and Wallonia. As ardent jazz fan, he produced his own jazz music until the end of the 1980s, and later became head of the RTBF Symphony Orchestra. In the early 1990s, he became the department head of classical radio station Musiq3.

Wastiaux has been managing director of the National Orchestra of Belgium (NOB) since 1998. Under his leadership the orchestra was revived and its repertoire expanded to include collaborations with various international music conductors, including Mikko Franck and Walter Weller.

Wastiaux will stay with the NOB until April 2015, at which time he will take up his new position as Operations Manager of Bozar.