[2] In the early part of his career Willem Tanke specialized in the interpretation of organ works by Olivier Messiaen, Max Reger and late 20th century composers.

From 1989 until 2003 he was organist at St. Willibrordus Church in Berkel-Enschot, where he made recordings for his CDs, "My friend the Indian and other pieces" and "Imaginary Day".

"[9][10][11] For the instruction of students who participated in "The Art of Doing Nothing" the following text was used: "At the beginning there is silence, which allows a good performing attitude to develop, with a calm, concentrated mind, a relaxed body and steady breathing from the lower stomach.

Gradually, after some hours, days, or even months, a certain structure will be developed, based on the composer's judgment of the right balance between repetition, variation and contrast.

"[9] In 2006 and 2007 Willem Tanke lectured at symposia at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai, organized by the ITC-Sangeet Research Academy.

[16] As a primary artist - classical organist 1999 8 CD-box Olivier Messiaen Complete Organ Works[17] 2006 Super Audio CD Max Reger - Variationen und Fuge fis-moll  über ein Originalthema op.

73; Willem Tanke - Two Wind Fantasies [23] 2007 Super Audio CD Meditations for a lent[24] As a composer: 2006 DVD Ways of Intensity  compositions for piano performed by Manila Santini, Ivan Rutkauskas, Ayano Shimada, Eva-Maria Rauter, Fernando Altamura, Viktoriya Yermolyeva, Esra Kalkanoglu and Jordina Milla y Benseny With other musicians as a classical organist 1993 Looking Ears I Compositions by Ton Bruynel (Tanke plays the organ on track 7, Dust)[25] 1999 Jan Welmers Organ Works (Tanke plays on track 4, Licht en Donker II)[26] 2001 “Ecoute, écoute”!

Brahms and W. Tanke) 2011 Genadeloos - Gijs Hendriks (Tanke plays the piano on tracks 6 and 7, Instant Composing Music No 2 and 3)[31] 2012 MultiTasking - Henri Bok (Tanke plays the piano on track 11, Improvisation I, and the organ on track 12, Bell Board)[32] Not yet issued 2008 Album with Mike Garson for two pianos[33] 2002 WIND with visual artist Jan Doms and Vidna Obmana, Biennale Rotterdam 2016 "The Enchanted Desert" for organ, flute and percussion, with dance and performance 2017 "Olivier Messiaen and the Cave of Forgotten Sounds" for organ solo 2007 "New Ways of Improvisation in Western Classical Music", Journal of the Indian Musicological Society.

[14] 1992 "Orgelbau und Musiktechnologie", Colloquium "Die Orgel in Ostdeutschland und in Polen", Frankfurt/Oder[38] 2006 "New Ways of Improvisation in Western Classical Music", seminar on Improvisation in Music,  ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Mumbai[12] 2007 "Composition as a Framework for Improvisation", seminar on Composing, Composition & Composers in Music, ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Mumbai[13] 2014 "Re-vitalizing a performance practise of the eighteenth and nineteenth century through contemporary improvisation", Royal Music Association, University of Birmingham 2016 "Comment un organiste, non musicien de jazz, peut s'affilier au jazz contemporain par le biais de Messiaen et du jeu avec un joueur de tabla", Université Laval, Québec 1998 "Silver medal of honor" Nederlandse Sint-Gregoriusvereniging 2000 "Diplôme de Médaille d’argent de la Société Académique d’Éducation et d’Encouragement “Arts-Sciences-Lettres” (Prix Thorlet)" 2015 "Schnittger Dream Prize" for innovation in organ art[39][40]