Simon Leleux

Simon Leleux.jpg

Specializing in Arab and Middle Eastern percussion, Simon Leleux began his musical career with what remains his favorite instrument: the darbuka. This cup-shaped instrument, whose traditions differ as much as its refined playing styles, is the source of his interest in a number of percussion instruments. These include the tombak, Indian tablas, frame drums, riqq and cajon.

Trained with masters such as Zohar Fresco, Ahmet Misirli, Pedram Khavarzamini, Madjid Khaladj, Niti Ranjan Biswas, Azzedine Jazouli, he is focusing since 2014 on studying the doholla with the master behind many innovations on this instrument: Levent Yildirim.

Simon has had the privilege of sharing the stage with a wide variety of musical personalities and projects, ranging from oriental music with Ghalia Benali to baroque music with "Les Menus Plaisirs du Roy", through Berber song with Khalid Izri, Ottoman music with Lâmekân Ensemble et Kudsi Erguner (Ottoman Drums), folk with Onirim & the Machine and Orbál, Balkan music with the Karsilama Quintet, world with Emre Gültekin/Vardan hovanissian and the Refugees for Refugees project, jazz fusion with Michel Massot and les Surprises du Chef, French chanson with Claire Spineux, rock with Kazmath...

In addition to his work as a freelance musician, Simon performs regularly with the following ensembles: Hands in Motion, Auster Loo, Maysan Trio, Daems/Leleux/Qzilbash, Refugees for refugees, Recrues D'essences, Mediterranean Quartet, Oriental Jazz Project, Lâmekân Ensemble, Leleux/Goodale/Khoshravesh, Seyir trio, ...

A graduate of the Conservatoire de Namur (I.M.E.P.) in pedagogy in 2013, and of the Rotterdam Conservatory (Master of Music - Codarts) in Turkish and Indian percussion in 2015, he now teaches at the Brussels-based world music organization "MuziekPublique", as well as at the Franz Constant Academy (Auderghem Brussels), and the Jean-Absil Academy (Etterbeek).

Langue : French