Alan Laurillard & Linkbeat Foundation
Hi Lites bio
1982 - the Boy Edgar Prijs - top Dutch jazz prize
1981 to 1985 - performances at many top European Festivals with Alan's own band, the Noodband
1986 to 1989 - performed at several top European Festivals with the Greetje Bijma Kwintet (as saxophonist and artistic director)
1986 - the Henri de Wolf Prijs - cultural prise from the city Groningen
1989 - het Gouden Ventiel - jazz award from the city of Groningen Jazz Organization - Alan has lead 40 workshops in his career, in Mexico, Germany, Bulgaria, Poland, Kenya, Kosevo and Nederland.
1990 - 2006 diverse groups in Amsterdam and Utrecht.
2007 to present - diverse projects in Bugaria and the Netherlands.
  • Alan has lead 40 workshops in his career, in Mexico, Poland, Kenya en Nederland
  • Alan has 700 registered compositions, and has made 26 LP's and CD's.


    • Curriculum Vitae Alan Laurillard
    After completing his bachelors degree in mechanical engineering (1972), Alan came from Vancouver, Canada to the Netherlands and established himself as an active musician and composer. As band leader and composer of the free funk Noodband and the Greetje Bijma Kwintet, he performed in the 1970s and 1980s at many major European festivals (Berliner, North Sea (6 times), Cologne, Bern, Leipzig, Moers, Lubliana, Vienna, among others). After this period he redirected his attention to the modern developments in organ music and electronic music. This resulted in several bands with top Dutch and international musicians. Exotic ensembles such as Airgame (with harmonium, laptop and recorder), Jerkstation (solo workstation), the Beat Sharks (dance music ensemble), the young musicians group In Da Da Pocket, the 12-man percussion ensemble Slam Beat City, the conductor lead ZuiderZee Orkest and the church organ ensemble Up There are a few of them. In 1982 Alan received the Boy Edgar Prijs, the top Dutch national jazz award.

    Music performance
    1955 - 1963 - Member of the North Vancouver Schools Orchestra, in 1960 the Canadian Champion senior band.
    1959 - 1972 - Semi professional musician in rock & roll, soul, rhythm & blues and big band.
    1977 to present - * Leader and composer for several successful international groups: the Noodband, the Greetje Bijma Kwintet, the Tam Tam Fanfare, the Up There Ensemble and others.

    * Artistic director and initiator of Luchtkastelen, a church organ festival in the Netherlands. (2002 and 2006)

    * Projects with international artists: Subroto Roy Chowdury (India) - sitar, Klaas Hoek (Holland) - church organ, Tony Buck (Australia) - sample specialist, Greetje Bijma (Holland) - voice, Phil Minton (UK) - voice, Ray Anderson (USA) - trombone, Bruno Tomazo (Italy) - bass, David Moss (USA) - drums and electronics, Wolter Wierbos (Holland) - trombone, Jaap Blonk (Holland) - voice, Michel Godard (France) - tuba, Xu Fengxia and Wu Wei (China), Burton Greene (USA) - piano, Wolter Wierbos (Holland) - trombone.

    * Sinds 2007 Alan lives part time in Bulgaria. There he has the rock band Food, the End Blues Band - country blues, the Dobrich Arts Ensemble with members of the Dobrich Wind Orchestra, and a project with the Dobrich Poets Collective. He is also giving a workshop at the Dobrich collage. Also he plays with a new music trio with Rosica Boiadjieva, flute and Nicolay Temniskovi, tuba.

    Compositions
    1960 - 1962 - Private study in music theory, composition and arranging with Gordon Webster (Vancouver)
    1977 tot heden - * 200 compositions for workshop orchestras
    * 450 compositions for jazz, improvised music, world music and beat oriented ensembles
    * 50 compositions and arrangements for other diverse groups and large orchestras and symphony orchestras.
    * Member of Buma (700 registered compositions)
    * yearly subsidy granted by the Dutch Fund for Composition.
    * 26 CD's and LP's with original compositions.

    Teaching Experience
    1977 to present* In his carrier Alan has taught and lead 40 different workshop orchestras, most in Holland but also in Germany, Poland, Mexico, Bulgaria, Kosevo and Kenya. Apart from many private lessons, he has taught jazz and popular music for two years at the Groningen conservatory.

    Link Beat
    The main aim of the Link Beat Foundation is to realize the plans and projects of Alan Laurillard. One such project is Luchtkastelen (Air Castles), a festival (2002 and 2006) of new music for church organ. Link Beat is also the music company of composer, musician, and producer Alan Laurillard. It offers its products and know-how to bands, ensembles, artists, and multidisciplinary productions. This know-how is based on 35 years of professional experience. It has a library of 500 compositions. Its product is foremost the tailor made music which Link Beat offers for a specific situation, be it popular or improvisation based music, theatre productions or dance productions. Link Beat is also the CD label of Alan.