BIOGRAPHY

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Belgian composer Lionel Polis studied piano and composition at the Royal Conservatories of Liège and Mons. He embodies a musical journey that is both rich and diverse. His true passion for music from all horizons has led him to explore a wide range of genres, from classical composition to jazz harmony, electronic sound design and world music rhythms. These multiple influences have enabled him to cultivate a palette that is modern and sophisticated, yet accessible. Over the years, his ability to convey the essence of a narrative through music has led him to specialize in creating scores for stage and film, whether for operas, major events, video mappings or numerous films. 

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His journey with vocal music began with an arrangement for choir, recorded in Moscow for the closing ceremony of the Sochi Olympic Games 2014. Following several collaborations with pop artists, he delved into writing for lyrical voices. In 2019, he won a composer’s competition held by the Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège, leading to his first commission for a participative opera: Ursule et Hirsute, crafted for four soloists, a choir, and an orchestra. The success of its initial endeavour prompted the Liège Opera to commission another piece: Patiente, Mon Coeur, conceived for the same ensemble but with the innovative integration of synthesizer sounds into the orchestral fabric.

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Among his films, short films and animations’ soundtracks, we can see Among the Wolves by Tanguy Dumortier and Olivier Larrey (Belgica Films and Le Cinquième Rêve), Gravures by Pierre Watteyne, Amnésie by Anouk Kilian Debord (La Cambre Productions), Un Père by Christophe Prédari, Pas Une Minute by S. Laurent (SIRAR and Meridiens), Scaphoïdes et Métacarpes by Théo Guyot (La Cambre Prod.), Le Vent du Mensonge by Pascal Yernaux (Les Films de Nulle Part), L’Intrus by Pascal Yernaux (L’Atelier du Cinéma), Apsara by Arthur Loyen (LTAM Prod.) Rock it to Heaven by Hamza Bouaissi (LTAM Prod.), Miam Miam! by Mathilde Pepinster (ENSAV Prod.), Jusqu’à la Lune by Johann Etrillard (La Cambre Prod.), Pétanque 51 by Théo Guyot (La Cambre Prod.) and Tout Cru by Jeanne Ruelle. 

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For video mappings, Lionel Polis has composed for Renaissance, at the Luma Festival Binghampton 2023 and 2024 NY (Glitch Prod.); Toyota Showcase, at the Brussels Motorshow 2023 (Glitch and The Red Line Prod.); Osmose, at the Fêtes de Wallonie 2021 – Citadelle de Namur (Glitch Prod. and Elefan) and was co-composer for the sounds and lights show of Plaisirs d’Hiver 2014, at the Grand-Place de Bruxelles (ACT Lighting and Musicom). 

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Lionel Polis’ career highlights include the co-composition and arrangement of the music for the Olympic closing and Paralympic opening ceremonies of Sochi Winter Games 2014 (BWS and Musicom), recorded by Brussels Philharmonic and Galaxy Studio; co-composition of opening and closing ceremonies of AIMAG - Asia Indoor and Martial Art Games 2017, recorded by Budapest Art Orchestra, Turkmenistan National Choir and Air Studios- Lyndhurst (BWS and Musicom); and co-composition of National day show of United Arab Emirates, in Abu Dhabi, in 2016, recorded by Dubai Choir, Lyndhurst Orchestra, Budapest Art Orchestra and Air Studios - Lyndhurst  (BWS and Musicom), among others.
   
His work for films, events and video mappings, brought some prizes and nominations to Lionel Polis, such as Jackson Wild 2024, Washington D.C., as best original music score nominate; First Prize and Audience Prize at the XL Jazz Brussels; Music Laureate at the EMERGENCE Paris 2019; nominated as Best Soundtrack at the Peer Raben Awards Cologne 2018; Finalist at the Oticons Faculty International Film Scoring 2018; Music Laureate at the Festival International du Film d’Aubagne 2018; and Music Laureate at the Festival International du Film Francophone de Namur 2018.