Jean-Marie Simonis (born November 22, 1931, in Mol, Belgium) is a Belgian composer and educator whose career has spanned decades of influential work in composition and musical instruction. He received his formal training at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, where he earned top honors in harmony, counterpoint, fugue, and other core disciplines. His primary teachers included André Souris and Marcel Quinet for composition, as well as René Defossez for conducting.
Simonis gained national recognition when he was awarded the Belgian Prix de Rome, one of the country’s most prestigious accolades for composers. Over the course of his career, he received several awards, including the SABAM Prize in 1989 for his contributions to music. His compositions have been featured in major competitions, including the Queen Elisabeth Competition, where his works such as Évocations (1975) and Notturno (1978) were selected as required repertoire for semi-final rounds. His Cantilène for violin and orchestra was chosen for the final round in 1985.
Another highlight of his career was the award-winning composition Éclosions, which received first prize in a national competition commemorating King Baudouin’s 60th birthday and the 40th anniversary of his reign.
Beyond his compositional work, Simonis played a key role in music education. He taught at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and from 1974 also served as a professor at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, where he specialized in harmony, counterpoint, and fugue. His influence as a pedagogue has been significant in shaping a generation of Belgian musicians.
Jean-Marie Simonis’s works include symphonic, vocal, and chamber music, frequently noted for their craftsmanship and expressivity. His music continues to be performed and respected throughout Belgium and beyond.
