My name is Gijs Laceulle and I have been playing the horn with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century since 2006. After completing my studies in Amsterdam and Dresden, I have always worked as a freelancer in the field of early music, with orchestras such as the Freiburger Barock, Anima Eterna, Akademie für Alte Musik and many others.
When I was a five-year-old boy on holiday in East Germany, there was a 12-year-old boy who played the horn. All the children were allowed to try out the instrument, but I was the only one who managed to get a sound out of it. I was completely fascinated by the soft, warm tone. From that moment on, I decided I wanted to become a horn player. On one of my father’s records, I’d heard the horn player from the Staatskapelle Dresden play so beautifully that I went there on an exchange programme. East Germany was very different back then; it was an instructive time. Whilst studying in Amsterdam, I also took a minor in natural horn with Teunis van der Zwart. It was through him that I ended up with O18C.
I’m very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Frans Brüggen for a while. He had an incredible ability to convey meaning through his eyes and hands. And at the same time, he was very approachable.
I love people. I find even the most remarkable personalities fascinating. That’s why O18C is so wonderful. It’s a colourful collection of people, each with their own unique story and a shared passion for the most beautiful music. Travelling together, performing on stage and sharing adventures make this profession the very best there is for me.