Hildward Croes

Born on the Caribbean island of Aruba on a 7th of September, Hildward Croes comes from a family of deep musical roots. His mother Ada is a singer and his father Maiky is a musician, singer, and choir director of their hometown church of Santa Cruz.

At an early age Mr. and Mrs. Croes encouraged their four sons to participate in the church choir on Sundays. This has been an important musical influence on the entire Croes family.

Since little Hildward was performing with different youth groups. A music-lover since birth, Hildward started playing the piano at home with the help of his father at the age of 8. After a few years playing by ear, Hildward began taking piano lessons with various music teachers on the island.

While forming part of the band that accompanied their church choir, Hildward and his brother Michael were invited to start the band Cryptus Confession. Cryptus quickly became one of the most popular pop-rock bands of Aruba, recording their number 1 hit: "Love Dream", part of a successful album of Hildward's original compositions. The album was recorded at Criteria Studios, Miami (studio famous in those days for recordings of The Bee Gees, Elton John, and The Eagles' Hotel California). With Cryptus Confession, Hildward toured Venezuela, South America, and other Caribbean islands extensively.

Croes received a scholarship from the Arubian government to study music at the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston. While in Boston he received regular invitations to participate in recordings and to perform in concerts and recitals. He finished his bachelors degree in professional music and continued his post-graduate studies at Bowling Green State University, in Ohio. Hildward returned to Aruba with a master of music degree and became one of the most sought after arrangers and producers of the area. He produced numerous hits for artists and groups in Aruba, Curacao, and other Caribbean islands.

After he was comissioned to produce an album of Caribbean music for the record label Sonografica in Caracas, Venezuela, Hildward got noticed by the "merengue-king": Wilfrido Vargas. Vargas immediately signed him to be a part of his orchestra and produce records for his corporation. Hildward toured Europe, North, Central and South America with the Wilfrido Vargas orchestra playing keyboards and programming computer sequences for the live shows. During this time Croes also arranged and produced for many successful Latin American acts such as Las Chicas Del Can, Altamira Banda Show, Mandarina, Eddy Herrera, Roy Tavare, Micky Taveras, and of course Wilfrido Vargas.

Hildward earned an American Grammy Award nomination in the Latin-Tropical category for his work on the album Animacion by Wilfrido Vargas, which he co-produced. The same year he won first prize in the international competition of arrangements of the world-popular hit-song of that time: Lambada, which he arranged and produced for the popular ladies-group: Las Chicas Del Can.

Soon Croes got noticed by the world-famous latin singer-songwriter Juan Luis Guerra and was approached to be a part of his orchestra. For 5 years Hildward toured the world performing sold-out concerts playing keyboards and programming computer sequences for Juan Luis Guerra & 4.40.

Hildward Croes was awarded prestigious prizes and recognitions in his native Aruba on numerous occasions. Awards such as 'arranger of the year', 'musician of the year', 'music-man of the year', etc. He was awarded 'musician of the decade' and received the distinguished honor of being named 'man of the year' by the local press.

After Juan Luis Guerra retired from the music scene for a few years in the mid 1990s, Croes chose to return to his native Aruba, where he was once again one of the most popular producers on the island, as well as a regular performer in local shows, night-clubs, hotels and casinos.

In 1997 Hildward received a call from his old friend Chichi Peralta who invited him to be a part of his then newly formed project: Son Familia. He met and established a strong friendship with Chichi Peralta who was one of the main percussionist of Juan Luis Guerra & 4.40. With Chichi Peralta + Son Familia he was once again touring the world playing sold-out concert halls and stadiums.

In 1999 Croes participated extensively as an advisor, arranger, keyboardist, and music calligrapher in the production of the CD: De Vuelta Al Barrio, which earned them a Latin Grammy Award for best merengue album in 2001. The live CD/DVD release En Vivo by Chichi Peralta became a huge success in France and other parts of Europe. Croes made musical arrangements and played the accordion, piano, and keyboards on Chichi Peralta's latest release: Mas Que Suficiente, which again earned them a Latin Grammy nomination in 2006.

Hildward directs and writes for his own Dushi Band which has become one of the most popular local bands especially during the carnival festivities producing hit songs year after year and winning music festivals on many occasions. He also plays the accordion with Grupo Di Betico; a typical acoustic folkloric music group formed by Croes' family members that performs regularly at the end of each year during the holiday season. While on Aruba, he can be found playing his heart out with local bands such as JEMM (Funk, Rock), Antonio Bello Blues (Blues, Rock), Soul Cowboy (Nu-Jazz, Fusion), Roots Rebels (Reggae), and others.

Croes directs show and special event orchestras and has his own production company where he continues to produce music for film, TV, radio ads, jingles, as well as CDs for artists around the Caribbean and South America out of his home-studio: Vanilla Kingdom. He recently wrote Rumba Aruba for the Aruba Tourism Authority's international ad campaign, and won the 2007 Aruba Carnival Roadmarch Festival with the song: Music (Music is we language!).

In his free time Hildward chooses to enjoy watersports in the Caribbean sun and relaxes on the white sandy beaches of his native Aruba.

At the end of 2007 Hildward Croes once again received the distinguished recognition of "Artist Of The Year" by the local media.