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Wim Mertens is a Belgian composer, countertenor vocalist, pianist, guitarist, and musicologist, born on May 14, 1953, in Neerpelt, Belgium. He studied social and political science at the University of Leuven, graduating in 1975, and pursued musicology at Ghent University, along with music theory and piano at the Royal Conservatories of Gent and Brussels. In 1978, Mertens became a producer at BRT (Belgian Radio and Television), where he produced concerts for notable artists such as Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Terry Riley, and Meredith Monk, and co-hosted a program called Funky Town. He is primarily known as a composer since the late 1970s, with his most recognized work being "Struggle for Pleasure." Another significant piece, "Maximizing the Audience," was composed for Jan Fabre's play The Power of Theatrical Madness, which premiered in Venice, Italy, in 1984. Mertens' musical style has evolved over time, incorporating elements of minimalism, ambient, and avant-garde, while maintaining a melodic foundation. His music was featured in the 1987 Peter Greenaway film The Belly of an Architect. He has also recorded under a different name and authored the book American Minimal Music, which examines the school of American repetitive music. In March 1998, he became the Cultural Ambassador of Flanders.

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