Pierre Englebert  played in bands in high school and college in his native Belgium before putting away his guitar for more than three decades and focusing on his family and career as a college professor.  His kids grown up, he returned to his music and started composing again in 2019, and has since released five albums, which combine pop-rock, classical and singer-songwriter influences, with a focus on melody, original chord progressions, and rich harmonies. His lyrics are humorous, touching, and thoughtful.  His entertaining solo public performances mix music with comedy and storytelling.

“Political scientist turned songwriter: Pierre Englebert Brings humor and heart to the stage… In his concerts, Pierre switches effortlessly between guitar and piano accompaniment, and takes his audience on an emotional journey through his songs.  Whether it’s a hilarious moment or a touching piece that brings tears to the eyes, Pierre’s live performance are always a mesmerizing experience… [an] unforgettable night of music” (Pasadena Now, Feb 8, 2023)

“Carmen. There is no more iconic woman in Operatic history. She is so singled out that her image has become mainstream and is synonymous with the Femme Fatale. There is no image, no legend, no creature, more riddled with weaponized femininity then our beloved, Carmencita. Carmen’s origin story is rich—it has been written that the author of the original novella, Prosper Mérimée, derived his inspiration for this illusory gypsy from a real-life Sephardic Jew. Though Jews were exotic at the time, Gypsies had a more solid reputation for nefariousness and made a more daring choice for his Parisian newspaper-reading audience. With Beyond Carmen we will explore her Sephardic roots, singing in Ladino or “Judeo Spanish”, similar to ancient Castilian Spanish. We will play with the rhythms, textures, and accents of the marginalized people of the diaspora, and most of all we will sing and cry out for the misunderstood experience of being fiercely female in a time that saw a woman’s strength as something dangerous, dark, and destined for annihilation.”