Vermeersch's formal training include architecture and urbanization, and a modern art course. He soon got involved with music and started composing. In the eighties and early nineties, Vermeersch was part of the post-modern classical ensembles Union and Maximalist! and composed and performed music for dance productions by Rosas and Ultima Vez. He was also a member of the Simpletones and Kamagurka en the Vlaamse Primitieven. Among his first official compositions is part of the music for the dance production Rosas danst Rosas.
Bands
Because Vermeersch soon grew tired of the constraints imposed by sheet music, he started his own ensemble X-Legged Sally. In a way, XLS was the last Belgian prog-rock band. In another way, it was the first band of the new Belgian scene. Many X-Legged Sally compositions were originally soundtracks to dance performances. X-Legged Sally split up in 1997. Out of the ashes of X-Legged Sally sprung A Group, who have released two CDs and are currently inactive. A Group mixes the creativity of X-Legged Sally with pure and simple pop tunes. Currently Peter Vermeersch's main project is the Flat Earth Society, a big band that mixes the rich Belgian brass band tradition with characteristic topsy-turvy creativity.
Compositions
As a composer, Peter Vermeersch has his own place among the long list of contemporary Belgian composers, although, due to his lack of formal training and his involvement with pop music, he doesn't necessarily fit in with the likes of Wim Henderickx, Luc Brewaeys or Boudewijn Buckinx. From his early career, Peter Vermeersch has composed music for modern dance productions of renowned Belgian companies such as Rosas and Ultima Vez. Other pieces were composed to accompany theatre plays, such as Josse De Pauw's Weg. Some of the songs of X-Legged Sally have been published as sheet music and performed by contemporary classical ensembles. Apart from these, various ensembles have commissioned compositions, such as a string quartet for Walpurgis and the tone poem's Nachts brede opklaringen for the Spiegel Strijkkwartet. Major compositions include the oratoria or mini-operas Music Hall on poems by Paul van Ostaijen for Prima la Musica, The Soluble Fish and Charms on poems by Daniil Kharms, both for Walpurgis. The grand big-band opera Heliogabal was written for the Ruhr Triennale and performed by the Flat Earth Society. In 2004 he was appointed 'town composer' of Ghent, a position he used to compose a song for the carillon and for the Gentse Feesten.
Discography
This discography does not include the recordings by the bands Peter Vermeersch has played in or has written music for.
