Serenades of Spain Emma Wills, Fleur Strijbos, Octavie Dostaler-Lalonde

• Joaquín Rodrigo (1901 - 1999): Adela:
• 1 Rodrigo: Adela 02:44
• Emmanuel Adriaenssen (ca. 1554 - 1604): Fantasia No. 3 (Arr. by Victor Van Puijenbroeck):
• 2 Adriaenssen: Fantasia No. 3 (Arr. by Victor Van Puijenbroeck) 02:45
• Eduardo Sainz de la Maza (1903 - 1982): Campanas del Alba:
• 3 Maza: Campanas del Alba 04:25
• Pablo de Sarasate (1844 - 1908): Reverie, Op. 4 (Arr. by Emma Wills):
• 4 Sarasate: Reverie, Op. 4 (Arr. by Emma Wills) 04:51
• Fernando Sor (1778 - 1839): 24 Exercices très faciles, Op. 35:
• 5 Sor: 24 Exercices très faciles, Op. 35: Etude No. 6 03:45
• Regino Sainz de la Maza (1896 - 1981): Rondeña:
• 6 Maza: Rondeña 04:35
• Enrique Granados (1867 - 1916): 12 Danzas españolas:
• 7 Granados: 12 Danzas españolas: No. 5, Andaluza (Arr. by Emma Wills) 04:26
• Paco de Lucía (1947 - 2014): Fuente y Caudal:
• 8 Lucía: Fuente y Caudal 07:00
• Emanuel Adriaenssen (ca. 1554 - 1604): Fantasia No. 1 (Arr. by Emma Wills & Roland Broux):
• 9 Adriaenssen: Fantasia No. 1 (Arr. by Emma Wills & Roland Broux) 05:47
• Pablo de Sarasate: Spanish Dances, Op. 23:
• 10 Sarasate: Spanish Dances, Op. 23: No. 1, Playera (Spanish Dance No. 5) 04:17
• Eduardo Sainz de la Maza: Homenaje a la Guitarra:
• 11 Maza: Homenaje a la Guitarra 08:45
• Gaspar Sanz (1640 - 1710): Canarios:
• 12 Sanz: Canarios 02:54
• Total Runtime 56:14

Info zu Serenades of Spain

Spanien und die Gitarre – eine untrennbare Verbindung. Serenades of Spain geht über Klischees hinaus, enthüllt das reiche musikalische Erbe des Landes und der Gitarre und nimmt den Zuhörer mit auf eine Reise durch drei Gitarren: Barock, Romantik und Klassik – sowohl solo als auch im Duo mit Gesang oder Cello. Mit Werken spanischer Komponisten und von Spanien inspirierten Musikern verbindet dieses Album flämische Renaissance-Hofmusik, Barocktänze, expressive Romantik, Neocasticismo, impressionistische Farben und Folklore – ein lebendiges Mosaik der spanischen Musikgeschichte und der Gitarre.

Emma Wills, Klassischegitarre
Fleur Strijbos, Sopran
Octavie Dostaler-Lalonde, Cello

Emma Wills
has quickly emerged as one of the most compelling and innovative guitarists of her generation. Her music has resonated at festivals through Europe such as Concentus Moraviae (CZ), Walden Festival (BE), the Ullapool Guitar Festival (UK), Barock bis Rock (DE) among many others. She captivated sold-out audiences at prestigious venues and festivals including the Stadsschouwburg Brugge, the Musique Antique Festival, Musica Devina Festival, Ghent Festival of Flanders, the iconic Castle of Gaasbeek, Grand Manège Namur Concert Hall, Drongenhofkapel, the Wassenhove House, Kamermuziekdagen Brugge, Bach in de Stad, Festival Odegand, AMUZ, and many more. Additionally, she has performed for many sold-out cultural centers across Belgium.

Wills has captivated international audiences with her performances in Czechia, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Germany. In December 2025 she is set to perform her highly anticipated solo debut at the legendary Henry Le Bœuf Hall at BOZAR. On the 5th September 2025, Emma will release her first solo album, Serenades of Spain with the Antarctica Spring Records Label.

In 2022, Emma was recognized as a Promising Young Musician in the De Twintigers series on Belgium’s classical radio Klara, and in the year after, she was awarded Laureate 2023 by the Belgian Foundation Vocatio for her work in reviving the forgotten repertoire of the romantic guitar on historical instruments. As the Ambassador for the historical guitar at the Belgian music instrument museum, Museum Vleeshuis, Emma continues to breathe new life into original two hundred year old instruments, enriching the musical landscape with her artistry.

She is the guitarist of Duo Como (with accordeonist Sebastian Enriques), Duo Leora (with soprano Fleur Strijbos), the Delta Baroque Ensemble and, collaborates with the Canadian cellist Octavie Dostaler-Lalonde. She has worked with a wide range of collaborators, including An Pierlé, Muziektheater Transparant, Britt Truyts, Virago Symphonic Orchestra, among others. Whether performing her innovative solo programs, collaborating with her diverse chamber music ensembles, or working on interdisciplinary projects, Emma’s artistic versatility knows no limits.

Emma's performances transcend the traditional boundaries of the classical guitar. Her mastery of the baroque guitar, chitarra battente, romantic guitar, and classical guitar brings a distinctive depth and color to every performance.

Born in Brasschaat, Belgium, in 1998, Emma began her guitar studies at the age of eight. She studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, where she earned multiple Master’s degrees under the mentorship of some of the most respected figures in the world of classical guitar.

Octavie Dostaler-Lalonde
is a versatile musician whose repertoire ranges from the late-17th to the 20th century. She researches and uses techniques and instruments according to the time of the music she plays.

After studying modern cello with Denis Brott and Carole Sirois at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal, Octavie received the Prix avec Grande Distinction in 2011. Following her interest in performance practice, she studied baroque cello with Susie Napper in Montreal and with Viola de Hoog in Amsterdam. As a young musician, Octavie regularly won prizes in national competitions in Quebec and Canada and regularly attended masterclasses and courses with internationally renowned soloists and pedagogues. She received prizes as a soloist at the International Competition “Concours Corneille” in France and the Early Music Competition in Yamanashi, Japan. Her musical endeavors were supported by grants from the Canada Arts Council, the Banff Center for the Arts and the CALQ.

Currently focusing on the historical performance of late Baroque, Classical and Romantic repertoires, she performs recitals regularly with fortepiano player and harpsichordist Artem Belogurov. Together, they took part in the Oude Muziek Festival Utrecht, Festival Montreal Baroque, the International Young Artist Presentation in Antwerp, Festival Royaumont, the Fortepiano Festival Zaandijk, among others. Their first CD will be issued later this year on the label Challenge Classics and is centered around mid-18th century German music for violoncello piccolo.

In Europe, she regularly performs with groups such as Ensemble Masques, Vox Luminis, La Sfera Armoniosa, Il Gardellino, Orchestra of the 18th century, and the Nieuwe Philharmonie Utrecht. She was selected for the 2017 Experience Scheme with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the Handel House Talent 2018-2019 and the Monteverdi Apprenticeship 2019-2020. An avid chamber musician, she co-founded the period ensemble Postscript, which has performed during Oude Muziek Festival Utrecht and MA Festival Brugge, among others. While still in Montreal, Octavie performed with many ensembles including the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Caprice, les Rendez-vous baroque français, Les Lys Naissants and the chamber groups Epsilon, quintette à cordes, Ensemble Arkea, Ensemble Allogène, Ensemble Paramirabo and the Ensemble BOP. Her recordings can be heard on labels such as Alpha Classics, Passacaille, Challenge Classics, Brilliant Classics and TRPTK.

She was the co-director of Romberg Dagen, a festival celebrating the composer and cellist Bernhard Romberg and the performance of 19th-century music, which took place in Amsterdam in May 2018. Her current research is centered on the performance practice of late 19th and early 20th century through the imitation of early recordings: these experiments are explored on the Romantic Lab blog.

Octavie has the pleasure of playing a Thomas Dodd cello from 1800 on loan from the Nationaal Muziekinstrumenten Fonds of the Netherlands, as well as her own ca.1700 baroque cello by Johann Michael Alban.

Fleur Strijbos
A rising artist whose warm, emotionally nuanced timbre and sincere expressiveness are captivating audiences worldwide. Rooted in the intimate art of Liedkunst, Fleur transforms poetry and melody into heartfelt storytelling.

As an Artist in Residence at the prestigious Music Chapel Queen Elisabeth and winner of several international awards — including 1st Prize at the Concours Lyrique International Bell’Arte (2024) and 3rd Prize at Mâcon Symphonies d'Automne - concours international de chant lyrique' (2023) — Fleur has already graced renowned stages such as Flagey (BE), Gran Teatro Puccini (IT), Opera Ballet Vlaanderen (BE), Teatro Zoco (CL) and The Royal Palace of Brussels (BE).

She has been recognized as a Young Talent by Next Generation - Antwerp Liedfest (2020), Ghent Flanders Festival (2021), and Prima La Musica under conductor Dirk Brossé (2024). In 2024, she was also featured De Twintigers, the acclaimed young artist series on the Belgian national classical radio station Klara.

In addition to her solo work, she co-founded two chamber music projects With pianist Babette Craens, she forms Duo Fleur Strijbos & Babette Craens, a Liedduo selected for the Udo Reinemann Masterclasses and the semi-finals of Supernova 2024. Since 2024, they are part of Vrienden van het Lied.

With guitarist Emma Wills, she forms Duo Leora, a duo exploring the subtle interplay between voice and guitar. They debuted at the Walden Festival (Radio Klara) and will be featured in 2025 on Emma’s debut album Serenades of Spain.

Throughout her career, Fleur has drawn artistic inspiration and vocal refinement from renowned artists such as Anne Cambier, Sophie Koch, Stéphane Degout, and Barbara Bonney — each playing a meaningful role in shaping her distinctive musical voice.

With the support of SWUK Vlaanderen, she continues to shape her artistic voice and deepen her presence on the international classical music scene.

Booklet für Serenades of Spain