August Baeyens

August Louis Baeyens (5 June 1895 in Antwerp – 17 July 1966 in Antwerp) was a Belgian violist and composer.

Baeyens studied viola, harmony and counterpoint with Napoleon Distelmans and August de Boeck at the Flemish Conservatory in Antwerp receiving a first prize in viola in 1916. Beginning in 1911, he was a viola player in Belgian orchestras including that of the French-language opera company in Antwerp, de Royal, and in the orchestra of the Nieuwe Concerten.[1]

In 1927, Baeyens founded the Antwerps Kamermuziekensemble (Antwerp Chamber Ensemble). The group performed a wide range of contemporary music before its demise in 1932. The ensemble is credited with many Belgian premieres including works by Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Darius Milhaud, Francis Poulenc, Béla Bartók, Paul Hindemith, Arthur Honegger, Igor Stravinsky, and several Flemish composers including Jef van Durme and Karel Albert.[2]

In 1932 Baeyens became secretary of the Royal Flemish Opera (Koninklijke Vlaamse Opera) translating opera libretti into Dutch among other duties.[2] Later, he was appointed director (1944–1948 and 1953–1958).[1] In 1958 he resigned in order to devote himself to composition.[3] After a long period of illness, he died in Antwerp on 17 July 1966.