Bio
After receiving his MSc degree in engineering in theoretical physics from Gent University, Belgium, Matthias Troffaes joined the SYSTeMS research group at the same university as a doctoral researcher, pursuing research in imprecise probability theory under the guidance of Gert de Cooman, earning the degree of PhD in 2005. He visited Carnegie Mellon University for a year, as a Francqui Foundation Fellow of the Belgian American Educational Foundation, working as a post-doctoral researcher with Teddy Seidenfeld. He then became lecturer at the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Durham University. Currently, he is professor at that same department.
Besides these scientific activities, he studied harpsichord with Carine Verhenneman and organ with Chris Dubois at the Conservatory of Bruges. He continued his harpsichord studies as a part-time student with Carine Verhenneman at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent, where he also took classes in composition with Frank Nuyts and Godfried-Willem Raes. He has been pursuing his musical desires as a free-lance harpsichord and organ player, concentrating on both Baroque and contemporary music, improvisation, experimental methods, and the combination of Baroque instruments with live electronics. In this electronic and experimental spirit, in the early 2000s, he co-founded and regularly performed with the S K O R Z A ensemble, together with Kristof Lauwers and Kerstin Olfe.