About Ward

Born in Sint-Lievens-Houtem in the Flemish part of Belgium Ward Dhoore (1993) grows up in a family where making music was encouraged and acoustic music was never far away.

As a skilled musician, mastering mainly string instruments he has been active in the acoustic music scene for many years.

From 2010 till 2021, Ward has been touring all over Europe, the UK, the US, and Canada with his two brothers Koen & Hartwin Dhoore with the band Trio Dhoore. In February 2020 the trio won a ‘Flanders Folk Award’ for ‘Best Album’ with their album ‘August’.

As a young chap he got picked up by acknowledged string masters Maarten Decombel & Jeroen Geerinck to join Snaarmaarwaar. A flemish string band playing powerful instrumental music. (www.snaarmaarwaar.be).


From 2016 till 2019 ward was also active as the guitarist of Estbel. An international project featuring his brother Hartwin Dhoore (diatonic accordion), Leana Vapper (bagpipes & Voice), and Sänni Noormets (Violin, Voice) from Estonia. playing ‘Post Trad’ tunes and songs with influences from both Estonian and Belgian folk music.

In 2018 Estbel was awarded a ‘Golden Disc’ at the Estonian music awards for ‘Best Newcomer’, which led to performances at Celtic Connections (Scotland), Underneath the Stars (England), Linköpings Folkmusik Festival (Sweden), Viljandi Folk Music Festival (Estonia), Dranouter Festival (Belgium) and Kaustinen Folk Music Festival (Finland).

Since 2019 Ward has also been a member (Synths & Mandoline) of the band ‘Spilar’. A band that brings songs in the West-Flemish dialect, arranged in a dark, warm atmosphere. In February 2021 they have been nominated during the ‘Flanders Folk Awards’ for both ‘Best Album’ and ‘Best Live Band’. In February 2022 Spilar was nominated for ‘Best Live Band’ at the 2nd edition of the award show.

Together with his artistic soul mate Lander Cardon he started cooperating under the name ‘Zonderland’. Zonderland is an audio-visual project which combines the visual art of Lander and accompanying soundtracks composed by Ward. Lander and Ward met 12 years ago in LUCA, school of arts. This was the starting point of a shared admiration for each other’s work. Since then, they have discovered a mutual appreciation for aesthetics, simplicity and the beauty of the transience of human existence. Throughout the years they have developed a strong friendship as well as a deep artistic connection. There was a strong desire to start a project together in which they would showcase this strong connection and mutual inspiration for one another.

Furthermore, Ward is also the co-founder of the record label Trad Records which became a safe harbor for some of Belgium's most appreciated artists in acoustic roots music.