Standing Still Among Sacred Trees: Kris De Ruysscher on Les cinq arbres sacrés de Kiso and Creative Transformation
- WOMCO
- 10 hours ago
- 12 min read
Belgian composer Kris De Ruysscher was awarded the Platinum Prize and the Excellent Creativity Special Award for his composition Les cinq arbres sacrés de Kiso at the Claude Debussy International Music Competition – 2025 Season 4. The season took place from 10 July to 10 October, with the official results announced on 29 October 2025. In order to explore the creative world behind Les cinq arbres sacrés de Kiso, we invited Kris De Ruysscher to reflect on the origins of the composition, the experiences that shaped its sound, and the ideas he sought to express through it. In the following interview, he shares his thoughts on inspiration, creative process, collaboration, and artistic direction, offering readers a deeper understanding of both the work itself and the personal path that led to its creation.
Could you please introduce your award-winning composition Les cinq arbres sacrés de Kiso? When and under what circumstances was it composed? Could you share the inspiration behind the composition and the message you hope to convey through it?
Kris De Ruysscher:
"Les cinq arbres sacrés de Kiso is a deeply personal work for me, and one I see as a turning point in my creative life. I composed it shortly after a transformative journey to Japan, where I came across ancient sacred trees that felt less like natural objects and more like living witnesses to time, memory, and myth. It’s a strange, almost animistic phenomenon, and yet impossible to ignore: these trees, in their stillness and unwavering presence, somehow invite you in — through their roots, into your feet, and upward. The piece took shape in the quiet after that trip, while the experience was still resonating within me and asking to be translated into sound.
The circumstances of its creation were reflective and almost meditative. Walking through forests shaped by centuries of reverence reawakened something fundamental in me. Trees have always been anchoring points in my life: I grew up next to a forest, and from childhood they represented playing, stability, listening, and continuity. Coming from a European cultural background, my relationship with forests is perhaps less animistic and more symbolic. In our myths and stories, the forest is where you lose your way, where certainty dissolves, and where something inside you is forced to change. Trees become markers of growth, of endurance, of quiet inner development — mirrors of what happens within us rather than external spirits guiding us. In Japan, that lifelong connection deepened into something closer to revelation. Much like the transformation described in Ezra Pound’s The Tree — 'I stood still and was a tree amid the wood' — my encounter with those sacred trees marked a shift from simply observing nature to experiencing it as a bearer of ancient knowledge and myth.
The inspiration behind the piece lies in that moment of transformation. Each of the five trees symbolizes a different state of awareness: rootedness, growth, memory, silence, and transcendence. Drawing on the deep bond between myth and nature, I wanted to evoke a sense of timelessness, suggesting that these trees — like Daphne’s laurel or the forests of ancient poetry — stand at the threshold between the human and the eternal. The music unfolds irregularly, leaving space for contemplation, much like a forest path that bends and opens unexpectedly.
Ultimately, the message I hope to convey is that nature is not simply a backdrop to human life, but an active source of wisdom and transformation. Trees, in particular, embody a quiet form of enlightenment: they teach us how to remain grounded while reaching outward, how to endure, and how to listen. Through this piece, I invite listeners to enter that reflective space — to pause, to reconnect, and perhaps to rediscover, as I did, the profound truths that emerge when we allow ourselves to stand still among trees."
What was your creative process like while composing Les cinq arbres sacrés de Kiso? How did you approach the structure and dynamics of the piece?
Kris De Ruysscher:
"My creative process for Les cinq arbres sacrés de Kiso was slow, attentive, and deeply intuitive — very much like walking through a forest. From the outset, I knew the piece had to grow organically rather than be shaped by a rigid formal plan. The structure emerged gradually, guided by observation, memory, and listening.
One of the earliest decisions concerned the instrumentation. I knew fairly quickly that the piece would be written for flute, bass clarinet, violin, viola, and cello. This ensemble offers a wide range of colour and register while retaining an intimate quality, almost like a small ecosystem. Just as importantly, these instruments are well suited to exploring secundal, quartal, and quintal harmonies. Those intervallic relationships allowed me to move away from traditional functional harmony and instead create vertical sonorities that feel suspended, open, and grounded — harmonies that resonate more like natural phenomena than human constructions.
The harmonic language is partly microtonal, though not exclusively so. I was interested in the tension between stability and deviation, between the familiar and the subtly altered. Microtonality became a way of introducing organic irregularity, mirroring how trees grow: never perfectly symmetrical, never entirely predictable. Some moments gravitate toward stable pitch centres, while others bend and drift, creating a sense of sound that is alive and breathing.
Each of the five trees differs on every level: harmony, texture, register, rhythm, and density. I approached them as individual presences rather than variations on a single theme. Rhythm, in particular, played a central role. The imagined rhythm of each tree — its growth, its age, its movement in wind and time — shaped the musical material. Instead of forcing the music into predetermined meters, I allowed these rhythmic identities to determine the pacing and flow of each section.
In the end, the piece was composed as much by listening as by writing. I approached it less as an act of construction and more as an act of translation — trying to render the distinct character of each sacred tree into sound, while preserving the sense of quiet transformation that first inspired the work."
We listened to your composition in a recording. Could you share how you collaborated with the musicians who performed your award-winning work? Where was it recorded, and were there any memorable moments from the recording process?
Kris De Ruysscher:
"The recording was conceived as a delicate balance between the organic presence of live musicians and almost imperceptible electronic elements. The electronics were intentionally understated — not meant to draw attention to themselves, but to subtly extend the acousmatic space, like a faint atmospheric resonance surrounding the ensemble. Their role was to blur the boundary between the natural and the constructed, reinforcing the sense that the sound world was breathing rather than being overtly shaped.
From early on, I knew that bringing this piece to life would require an exceptional level of preparation. The technical demands — microtonal inflections, unconventional harmonies, fluid rhythmic relationships, and interaction with electronics — meant that most performers would be stepping well outside their comfort zones. Rather than leaving this to intuition alone, I prepared an extremely detailed score. Beyond notation, it functioned as a guide, giving each musician precise auditory references so they could internalize the sound world even before rehearsals began. This level of detail was essential in building confidence and cohesion within the ensemble.
For the performers, I turned to musicians I trust deeply. My go-to string players, based in Ukraine and coordinated by the wonderful bassist Oleh Mytrofanov, performed the violin, viola, and cello parts ̶ Alexey Zavgorodniy on violin, Kateryna Mytrofanova on cello and Vladislav Malentsov on viola. They have an intimate understanding of my musical language and remarkable sensitivity to timbre and microtonal nuance. The woodwind players were chosen with equal care, selected for their flexibility, precision, and openness to experimental techniques. And since this is a perfect moment to thank them, I gladly take the opportunity:Щиро дякую всім вам за те, що вдихнули життя в мої композиції!
The result was a performance that felt both precise and alive. Despite the complexity of the score and the subtle presence of electronics, the musicians were able to fully inhabit the music and let it unfold naturally. The recording captures not only the notes on the page, but the collective act of listening, risk-taking, and transformation that lies at the heart of the piece."
Receiving the Excellent Creativity Special Award highlights the distinctive creativity of your artistry. In what ways have your long-term artistic exploration, conceptual choices, and creative philosophies shaped the level of exceptional creativity reflected in your work?
Kris De Ruysscher:
"Receiving the Excellent Creativity Special Award feels less like a culmination than a recognition of a long and uneven journey — one shaped as much by absence as by presence. Music, as an identity, was always clear to me. I never doubted that it belonged to me; what I questioned, for many years, was whether I still belonged to it. Like all defining relationships, it was complex — sometimes nurturing, sometimes contradictory, and at times quietly destructive.
Music gave me a great deal early on: structure, meaning, a way of perceiving the world. Yet I was also denied what many artists hope for — the so-called “big break,” the moment when circumstances align and allow one to be seen. Whether this was fate, destiny, or simply bad luck hardly matters in retrospect, but its impact was decisive. Between 2009 and 2019, I did not play a single note. I changed professions, sold my instruments, and distanced myself so completely that I did not even listen to music recreationally. This was not a pause; it was a rupture.
Paradoxically, that rupture became one of the most formative elements of my creative philosophy. When music returned, it did so unexpectedly, through an invitation to play a concert “for old times’ sake.” That moment made something very clear: writing was inevitable. What had been dormant had not vanished; it had matured in silence. When I began composing again, the act felt radically different. The years away had stripped the music of excess — of ambition for recognition, of stylistic clutter, of the need to prove anything. Writing became precise, deliberate, and essential.
My long-term artistic exploration has therefore been shaped more by restraint than by accumulation, by listening rather than assertion. My conceptual choices reflect this: clarity over density, necessity over gesture, depth over surface complexity. Creativity, for me, is no longer only about invention, but about discernment — knowing what to leave out, and trusting what remains.
The exceptional creativity recognized by this award is, I believe, the result of that maturation: of having lived both with music and without it, of understanding its power and its cost, and of returning to it not as a means of validation, but as an unavoidable and integral part of who I am."
Could you talk to us about your future goals? Could you also share your perspective on what defines a great composer in today’s digital age, and what you consider to be the most significant artistic or professional challenges facing musicians today and in the coming years?
Kris De Ruysscher:
"Looking ahead, my future goals are, somewhat paradoxically, less about expanding my compositional language and more about stepping outside of it. Artistically, I feel at home in the act of composing. What lies beyond my comfort zone — and what I now see as necessary — is learning how to be commercial in the most practical sense: how to present, circulate, and sell my music without compromising its integrity. This is difficult for me, but I increasingly see it as part of the responsibility of being a composer today. Writing the work is no longer enough; ensuring that it reaches performers and audiences has become part of the creative act itself.
As for predicting the future of music, I have grown cautious. Many of the things I once felt certain about have, in one way or another, proven unreliable. The world is changing rapidly, and we are all living through accelerated transformations. One of the most profound shifts, in my view, occurred when we collectively allowed ourselves to be outsourced — identitatively — to social media. These platforms are designed to bypass the difficult questions we must ask ourselves in order to grow, mature, and evolve. For artists, this creates a constant tension between visibility and depth, between continuous output and meaningful reflection.
In this context, what defines a great composer today is not technological fluency alone, nor adaptability for its own sake, but the ability to maintain an inner compass. A great composer is someone who can navigate noise without becoming noise — who can engage with contemporary tools while resisting the erosion of artistic intention and self-questioning.
The greatest challenges facing musicians in the coming years are structural rather than purely creative. We must ensure that there remains fertile ground for orchestras, ensembles, soloists, and composers to exist at all. Without sustained cultural, economic, and educational support, the ecosystems that allow music to be written, rehearsed, and performed risk becoming fragile or inaccessible. Preserving and renewing those conditions is, to me, the central task ahead. Without them, no amount of individual creativity — however exceptional — can truly take root."
Would you like to share your experience participating in our competition?
Kris De Ruysscher:
"Participating in the competition was, quite honestly, the result of pure coincidence. I quite literally stumbled upon a Facebook advertisement for it — one of those rare moments when an algorithm accidentally does something meaningful. I decided to look into it, and to my surprise, I realized that I had works eligible in four different categories. That alone felt gratifying, and my expectations stopped there.
Winning in all four categories was never something I could have imagined. Outcomes like that simply do not enter one’s calculations. It felt unreal, and I remain deeply grateful.
What truly stood out to me, beyond the results, was the human experience of the competition. The people I interacted with were polite, warm, and genuinely professional — and that is not always a given in this field. I was also able to confirm that my entries were actually listened to, which matters more than it might sound. The level of care shown to laureates is, quite frankly, exceptional.
Quod erat demonstrandum — this interview itself is proof of that care. So my sincere thanks to WOMCO and to the Debussy International Music Competition for their attention, integrity, and generosity."
Biography
Kris De Ruysscher (°1971) is a Belgian composer and guitarist whose music forms a distinctive synthesis of contemporary classical writing, cinematic atmospheres, ambient textures, acousmatic elements, and post-minimalist influences. Shaped by cosmopolitan experiences and a deep engagement with both artistic and psychological inquiry, his work explores sound as a space of inner transformation, memory, and reflection.
At the heart of De Ruysscher’s musical language lies a refined sensitivity to harmony, texture, and temporal flow. Delicate polytonal and polyrhythmic structures, suspended harmonic fields, and layered timbral writing create sound worlds that invite contemplation as much as emotional resonance. His compositions often unfold as journeys rather than narratives, drawing listeners into slowly evolving landscapes where introspection, fragility, and quiet intensity coexist.
A recurring source of inspiration in his work is nature as an archetypal and psychological space. Forests, trees, and natural forms appear not as picturesque motifs, but as symbols of growth, rootedness, and transformation — echoing both European mythological traditions and Jungian concepts of individuation. In this sense, his music frequently operates at the threshold between the external world and the inner life, where sound becomes a medium for exploring identity, silence, and continuity.
De Ruysscher’s music has been broadcast on international radio stations and featured in a wide range of multimedia contexts, including documentaries, short films, art installations, and dance productions. His ability to shape immersive, cinematic atmospheres has made his work particularly sought after by visual artists and stage creators seeking a strong emotional and psychological dimension. He has released several albums, EPs, and singles, spanning chamber, orchestral, electroacoustic, and cross-genre formats.
His academic background includes studies in lutherie, musicology, musical education, guitar, and composition at institutions such as MI London and the Royal Academy of Music. He pursued formal composition studies and benefited from artistic exchanges with composers including Brian Elias, Klaus Huber, Boudewijn Buckinx, Luc Brewaeys, and Frédéric Devreese. Alongside his musical education, De Ruysscher holds a Master’s degree in psychology and has further specialized in health psychology, hypnotherapy, and orthomolecular therapy — an interdisciplinary foundation that profoundly informs his sensitivity to perception, emotion, and subconscious processes.
Professionally, he has collaborated with major cultural institutions, including the Musical Instruments Museum (MIM Brussels), the Antwerp Philharmonic Orchestra under Philippe Herreweghe, La Monnaie / De Munt opera house, Anima Eterna conducted by Jos Van Immerseel, and the Ars Musica Festival of Contemporary Music. He currently serves as Composer-in-Residence at Brussels Muzieque, a leading chamber music institution based in the capital of Europe, where he curates performances and fosters collaborations with distinguished international artists. His works are published by Groovy Scarab Music Publishing (ASCAP).
In 2025, De Ruysscher received four Platinum Awards at the Debussy International Music Competition in the categories of Original Composition, Orchestral Music, Chamber Music, and Innovative Writing. The latter also earned him the Debussy Excellent Creativity Special Award, recognizing the originality, conceptual depth, and expressive coherence of his artistic voice. He has been a finalist in several other international competitions and has shared his expertise as a teacher of composition and guitar.
Before fully returning to composition, De Ruysscher spent nearly two decades working as a mental health professional, specializing in workplace wellness, psychological assessment, and multilingual therapeutic interventions. His clinical practice integrates approaches such as Jungian depth psychology, Rogerian therapy, hypnosis, and heart-coherence techniques. This parallel career continues to inform his artistic vision, reinforcing a compositional approach that is deeply attuned to vulnerability, resilience, and the silent processes of inner change.
