Benjamin Macke was born in 1983 in the North of France. He began his musical career with classical percussion and jazz drums before discovering the diatonic accordion at the age of 18, which he learned self-taught and through various encounters. He made it his profession from 2005 onwards, putting his accordion to the service of diverse projects:
- Bal Folk with Shillelagh since 2002, a trio labeled "dance music from Flanders and beyond" with Gabriel Lenoir (violin) and Aurélien Tanghe (guitar).
- Baroque music with Duo Macke-Bornauw since 2008, with Birgit Bornauw (bagpipes and baroque musette). They created two programs together: It's Baroque to my Ears and Curly Music and also propose a bal folk, Le Bal Imaginaire with dancer Anna Romani. Midsummer Dream, featuring a French repertoire with Marieke Van Ransbeeck (Baroque musette) and the Ensemble Les Abbagliati. Hush, Henry’s Dream Machine, a children's opera by Compagnie Zonzo based on the repertoire of Henry Purcell with Jan Van Outryve (lute) and Lieselote De Wilde or Julie Calbete (vocals).
Compagnie Macke-Bornauw
​
Compagnie Macke-Bornauw was created in August 2016 to oversee the activities of two influential artists in of traditional music in Europe : Birgit Bornauw (bagpipes) and Benjamin Macke (diatonic accordion).
​
Biographies
​
​
​
- Film concert with Le Ciné-concert de Poche since 2010, solo with his 16mm reels: American slapstick, Eastern European animated films, Westerns, children's tales... Et pendant ce temps-là chez les Dugaumier, since 2022, a film concert with pianist and composer Eloi Baudimont. La Maîtresse des Ombres since 2016, a meeting of film concert and storytelling with Sandrine Gniady based on Lotte Reiniger's films. Easy Street since 2018, a film concert for wind orchestras, based on this Charlie Chaplin classic.
- Storytelling with Les Contes à 1000 Gueules since 2007, set in the world of coal mining, with Pascal Duclermortier (storytelling) and Gabriel Lenoir (violin).
Teaching is also an important part of Benjamin Macke's work. He has taught accordion and ensemble playing at Cric-Crac Compagnie, the Muziekacademie in Gooik and Ghent, before creating his course at the Conservatory of Tournai. He also conducts numerous accordion, ensemble playing, and music for film workshops across Europe.
Benjamin Macke is also known for his work with the foot bass, a peculiar accordion played with the feet producing very low sounds. He collaborates closely with its maker, Jean-Marie Paque, to revive this nearly forgotten instrument.
Curious and versatile, Benjamin Macke has performed with eclectic artists: Hush, Henry’s Dream Machine, a children's opera by Compagnie Zonzo based on the repertoire of Henry Purcell with Jan Van Outryve (lute) and Lieselote De Wilde or Julie Calbete (vocals), Amazing Airbags, a children's bagpipe orchestra directed by Birgit Bornauw; Septembre, a theater piece with Géraldine Bogaert and Claudia Bruno; Une Aventure de Tom Sawyer a Radio-France radio drama featuring David Chevallier (guitar); the Benjamin Macke 4tet with Christophe "Pher" Motury (flugelhorn), Jean-Christophe Cheneval (vibraphone), and Aurélien Tanghe (double bass); the film concert Odna with Anne Frèches (vocals) and Raphaël De Cock (Siberian music); directing the Orchestre Insolite with disabled musicians; co-directing the Boarder Orchestra with 20 French and Belgian musicians; and Le Duo Bastringue, an unusual blend of folk dance and musette dance with Philippe Destanque (guitar) and Rachel Bazoge (vocals).
​
Discography :
​
-
Duo Macke-Bornauw : Curly Music (Compagnie Macke-Bornauw – 2020)
-
Amazing Airbags : Amazing Airbags (Compagnie Macke-Bornauw - 2020)
-
Shillelagh : Hemels Douwe (Compagnie Macke-Bornauw - 2017)
-
Duo Macke-Bornauw : It's Baroque to my Ears (Bémol Productions - 2016)
-
Shillelagh : le Vagabond (Bémol Productions - 2013)
-
Benjamin Macke : Un Instrument, un artiste : l'Accordéon diatonique (Bémol Productions - 2012)
-
Le Duo Bastringue & Rachel Bazoge : l'Arbre à danses (Bémol Productions - 2010)
-
Shillelagh : Germaine (Bémol Productions - 2009)
-
Le Duo Bastringue : Bruit qui danse (Bémol Productions - 2007)
-
Shillelagh : Danses sur l'eau (Bémol Productions - 2006)
-
Shillelagh : Musique à danser (Autoproduction - 2004)
Birgit Bornauw was born in 1981 in Asse (Belgium, Flemish Brabant). After studying classical violin, Birgit discovered the bagpipes at the age of 15 with traditional musicians from the Gooik region. She then developed a passion for various European musical traditions, exploring them at world music festivals. Concurrently, she trained with several musicians to perfect her technique before enrolling at the Lemmensinstituut in Leuven to study the Baroque musette and bagpipes.
With a Master’s degree in hand, she dedicated herself to traditional and early music, participating in various significant projects: Griff with Rémi Decker (bagpipes) and Raphaël De Cock (uilleann pipes and vocals), a tour of Rameau’s opera Les Indes Galantes with the 18th Century Orchestra of Frans Brüggen, Bon matin! with Hoëla Barbedette (Celtic harp and vocals), Juliette Collache (Celtic harp and vocals), and Marinette Bonnert (accordion), the BBGE (Belgian Bagpipe Groove Experience), Transpiradansa, a dance orchestra directed by Wouter Vandenabeele, Amazing Airbags, a children's bagpipe orchestra she created and directed, and Ensemble Tormis, with a repertoire from the Middle Ages.
She now devotes her time to the duo she forms with accordionist Benjamin Macke through their programs blending Baroque and traditional music: It's Baroque to my Ears and now Curly Music. They also propose together a bal folk, Le Bal Imaginaire with dancer Anna Romani.
Teaching is an important aspect of Birgit's work. She is an inspired and passionate teacher. Currently, she teaches bagpipes, ensemble playing, and music history at the Muziekacademie in Ghent and Ypres, as well as at the Conservatory of Tournai. She also conducts workshops across Europe.
​
Discography :
​
-
Duo Macke-Bornauw : Curly Music (Compagnie Macke-Bornauw – 2020)​
-
Duo Macke-Bornauw : It's Baroque to my Ears (Bémol Productions - 2016)
-
Bon Matin : En Avant 4! (Bémol Productions - 2011)
-
Griff 6tet : The False Fly (Variole - 2011)
-
Griff trio : Astragu (Variole - 2010)
-
Transpiradansa : (Appel Records - 2009)
-
Transpiradansa (Appel Records - 2007)
-
Griff (Appell Records - 2004)