Pieter van Engelen has been mesmerised by the works of logicians Turing and Church since he was 16 years old. In 2001 he graduated with a master’s degree on Logic and Computability under renowned logician Henk Barendregt. Before logic, there was jazz music in his life. He has worked as a producer and organiser for the Conservatory of Arnhem and several festivals. Struck by the simplicity of the principles of computability, and enthralled by the complex themes that can be woven from humble building blocks, he sees parallels with the development of powerful music from simple themes. Seeking to broaden his connection with the subject, he undertook a Turing pilgrimage by bicycle to some important locations in the life of Alan Turing. The amalgam of music, nature, and computation brings forth the realisation that complicated things can have simple beginnings.
He holds a MSc in Math & Computing Science, a teacher’s degree in Math and a BMus in Jazz Trumpet. He currently teaches at the Conservatory of Arnhem and teaches Computing Science at Q-Highschool.