Gaston ("Gast") Waltzing (born 1956) is a Luxembourgian trumpeter and composer. He has created several jazz bands, including Largo and the Luxembourg National Jazz Orchestra, and has composed music for films and television programmes as well as operas combining classical music with jazz and rock. He goes by the nickname of piu.[1][2]
Gast Waltzing was born in the city of Luxembourg on 13 August 1956. He began his music studies at the Conservatoire de Luxembourg when he was just 7 years old. He continued his classical training at the Brussels Royal Conservatoire, completing his studies at the Conservatoire de Paris.[3]
In 1982, he became professor of trumpet at the Luxembourg Conservatoire and in 1986 founded the school's Jazz Department, which he heads. He has recorded numerous albums covering classical, jazz and dance, with groups such as "Atmosphere", "Life's Circle" "Largo", all of which he created himself. As a composer, he has recorded music for the Luxembourg film A Wop Bop A Lop Bop (1989), as well as for television. The TV film The Way to Dusty Death provided an opportunity for him to compose his first orchestral movie score. Since then, he has continued to write for orchestra and has worked closely with the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, for which he has conducted the "Pops At The Phil" programmes featuring singers such as Dionne Warwick, Maurane and James Morrison.[3] All in all, he has written over 150 scores for television and movies.[4]
Waltzing represented Luxembourg in the Eurovision Song Contest 1989 as part of the group Park Café with the song Monsieur,[5] placing 20th with eight points.[6]
In 2004, he founded WPR Records, which sets out to promote young musicians and has featured the Luxembourg National Jazz Orchestra.[4] In 2008, Waltzing was appointed jazz director at the Echternach International Music Festival.[3]
