Raph Van Goubergen (°1962)

Raphaël Van Goubergen teases the piano keys since his early childhood. He got his first piano lessons from his own Father, August Van Goubergen at the age of 8. Later he attended music theory and piano lessons at the music school of Kampenhout where he got stuck until today … as a teacher (piano, jazz harmony, improvisation, band sessions, orchestra, ear training) and as the pedagogical and administrative coordinator. He also attended theory and piano lessons (with Jean Brouwers) at the music academy in Schaerbeek and at the music conservatory in Leuven. He developed a preference for jazz and blues under influence of his father and his uncle, Willy Van Goubergen. He got his first jazz harmony lessons from Pierre Van Dormael. He later perfected this knowledge as an autodidact reading the masters such as Barrie Nettles, Richard Graf, Marc Levine, Jo Anger-Weller, Ron Miller, Bill Dobbins, Jacques Siron, …

Since 2002 Raph is also teacher in music theory, rhythm, composition, improvisation, and styles at rock and jazz summer camps for the youth. (Jeugd en Muziek Brussel)

In 2009, along with a few colleagues, Raph created the CLASS & JAZZ association, a new music tuition project that strives to offer qualitative music teaching.

In 2013 he writes the book PARENT SCALES and CHORD SCALES (free download) (Class & Jazz Publications 2015 - ISBN 978-9-08240-430-2) about Music Theory and Jazz Harmony.

He learned the job on stage starting in 1974 with various rock, pop, blues, jazz and song bands. He recorded his first LP in 1981 with his own band PSOPHO. Since then, concerts, television work and recordings have multiplied with, among others, APG, BLUE VALENTINE, FESO TROMBONE & THE DEMO-CRAZY, BLOUSE, TOM GOLDSCHMIDT, CALVIN OWENS, CHELSY, BLUE BLOT, SONIA PELGRIMS, JEAN-BOSCO SAFARI, BLANC MARIE…

For many of those bands Raph was composer, arranger and often also musical director. He also worked as a pianist for the theatre with, notably, the Belgian Improvisation League, with Rob Van Oudenhoven and Max Thyssen. He is a member of SABAM (Belgian authors and composers union) since 1980.