Sebastian Enriques is a Belgian accordionist with Peruvian roots, active as a soloist, chamber musician, ensemble performer and creator within both the classical and cross-over performing arts worlds. He has appeared in leading concert halls and festivals such as DeSingel, De Bijloke Ghent, Opera Antwerp, Odegand, Ghent Festival, Musica Divina, Airbag Festival and Nekka-Nacht (Sportpaleis), and has performed internationally in, among others, Italy, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Slovakia. His playing is characterized by pronounced musicality, stylistic versatility and a strong stage presence, with the accordion functioning as a fully fledged and expressive concert instrument.

 

Sebastian was born in Antwerp into a musical family: his mother is a classically trained violinist, his father a Peruvian traditional musician. He began piano lessons at the age of five and studied violin from the age of eight. In November 2008 he first encountered the accordion, an experience that proved decisive. Barely one year later, he was already performing full-length concert programs as the accordionist of the duo Muzant, which he forms together with his mother. With this duo, he has since performed countless concerts throughout Flanders and beyond, in cultural centres, festivals and heritage venues, building an exceptionally broad stage experience from a young age. In 2016, they released the album Altijd Onderweg.

 

After completing his studies at De! Kunsthumaniora Antwerp, Sebastian was admitted in 2016 with great distinction to the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp, where he studied accordion with master teacher Ludo Mariën. During his studies, he participated in international competitions and projects, with performances and awards in, among others, Bratislava, Prague and Slovakia. As a soloist, he contributed to winning the Grand Prix Bratislava (2017) and the title Festival Laureate (2018), both with the highest possible score.

 

In 2021, Sebastian graduated with highest distinction and shortly thereafter won first prize at the Trophée Mondial Richard Galliano for his interpretations and arrangements of works by Richard Galliano and Gwen Cresens — a prestigious international recognition of his arranging and performance skills. In the same period, he developed the music-theatre project Libretto by “De Sneeuwmakers”, in collaboration with poet Peter Holvoet-Hanssen, which premiered in 2022 at Amor (Roma, Antwerp) and subsequently toured very successfully across a range of cultural and literary venues.

 

Sebastian is a versatile chamber musician and a core member of several ensembles. Together with guitarist Emma Wills, he forms Duo Como, a chamber music duo dedicated to original programs spanning a diverse palette of genres. He is also active in the singer-songwriter project Cézanne, with which he won the Nekka public prize in 2025 and performed at festivals such as the Ghent Festivities, Theater aan Zee, Het Depot and the Herman Van Veen Arts Center.

 

In 2025, Sebastian was selected as a Young Talent with Prima La Musica, under the artistic direction of Dirk Brossé and Jasper Gheysen. In this context, he made his orchestral debut at De Bijloke Ghent, performing the Opale Concerto by Richard Galliano. Alongside his performance practice, he develops his own arrangements and programs, positioning the accordion within a broad musical landscape ranging from baroque and contemporary classical music to tango, chanson and new forms of music theatre.

 

Sebastian has collaborated with artists such as Bart Peeters, Lukas De Wolf, Bart Stouten and Frie J. Jacobs. Through these experiences and his broad musical training, he has developed into an accordionist at home in all styles. This versatility manifests itself in his exploration of the full musical repertoire, transcending genres with great virtuosity and craftsmanship. He strives to foster a greater appreciation for the accordion and aims to move audiences through his music.