GUIDE TO C N EMP R RY USI IN BELGIUM CONTENTS
PART 1 THE ARTISTS
1.1 COMPOSERS ______6 1.2 ENSEMBLES ______8 1.2.a Ensembles specialised in contemporary music ______8 1.2.b Ensembles with great interest in contemporary music ______20 1.3 SOLOISTS ______26 1.3.a Soloists specialised in contemporary music ______26 1.3.b Soloists with great interest in contemporary music ______32 1.4 CONDUCTORS ______33 1.5 ORCHESTRAS ______36 1.6 CHOIRS ______37 1.7 MUSIC THEATRE/OPERA ______39
PART 2 ORGANISATIONS AND STRUCTURES
2.1 MUSIC ORGANISATIONS ______44 2.1.a Associations ______44 2.1.b Information/documentation/promotion ______46 2.1.c Laboratories for experimental/electronic music & research _____ 50 2.2 CONCERT ORGANISATIONS ______53 2.2.a Festivals ______53 2.2.b Arts centres & concert halls ______57 2.2.c Working spaces ______62 2.3 HIGHER MUSIC EDUCATION ______64 2.4 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS FOR COMPOSITION ______66 2.5 MEDIA ______67 2.6 PUBLISHERS ______70 2.7 RECORD/DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES ______71
PART 3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
3.1 ABOUT THE CULTURAL POLICY ______74 3.1.a Flanders ______75 3.1.b Wallonia-Brussels Federation ______76 3.2 INTERESTING READINGS ON CONTEMPORARY MUSIC IN BELGIUM ______78
1 BELGIUM PREFACE
On a map of the world Belgium looks smaller than a postage stamp. But a felicitous turn of history has made this region into a crossroads = of different cultures. This is why Belgium is rich in creative talent and overflowing with cultural activities. Music thrives everywhere, what with every city boasting a diversity of concert halls or other interest- Flanders ing locations for concerts, festivals and many small-scale initiatives. + These initiatives have contributed to the growing maturity of the Brussels contemporary music scene in Belgium over recent years. Doors have been opened; a wind of change is blowing. The new guard + refuses to be compartmentalised any longer. Thus a lively and Wallonia exciting future is around the corner in this rapidly changing world. This guide is a supplement to the “ISCM World Music Magazine”, published on the occasion of the ISCM-World Music Days 2012 in Belgium. It offers an introduction to artists and organisations that are representative of the contemporary Belgian music scene. We make no claim to be exhaustive, but an attempt has been made nonethe- less to be as complete as possible by listing those who contribute most significantly to the promotion of contemporary music, both in terms of Belgian and of international repertoire.
Belgium is a federal state in the heart also German-speaking part. Each For more profiles of musicians, discographies, updates and further of Europe, comprising 3 regions community is autonomous for matters information on various aspects of the Belgian music scene (all gen- (Flemish, Walloon, Brussels-Capital), such as culture, education, media,… res) as well as a musicological approach to contemporary music in 3 communities (Dutch, Federation and has its own institutions. Brussels, Belgium, please see the following websites: www.flandersmusic.be, Wallonia-Brussels, German), and 4 capital of Belgium and of Flanders www.matrix-new-music.be, www.compositeurs.be, www.idlm.be. language areas (Dutch, French, and as well, is home to the European German-speaking and Brussels as a Commission and many international bilingual area), whose boundaries cultural institutions. Its cultural policy overlap. Flanders is the northern, is taken in charge by the institutions of Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, and the communities. Katrien van Remortel, Marie Paule Wouters — Flanders Music Centre Wallonia the Southern, French- and Bruno De Cat — Forum des Compositeurs
2 3 P RT 1 RT STS .1. CATALOGUES ISCM-Flanders ISCM-Wallonia 1 COMPOSERS contemporary art music catalogue Forum des Compositeurs At the beginning of each new year, In 2002, a special jury was ap- ISCM-Flanders gathers an interna- pointed to select a dozen (young) tional reading committee to select composers in their 30es or 40es amongst the contemporary art music who had proven evidence of highly submissions of the “call for scores” professional achievement, and who the most remarkable pieces with an would be featured on a compilation international potential. Those pieces named “Eclats”. These 13 composers are added to the ISCM-Flanders decided to create an association (le OUTLINES Catalogue: an instrument in the Forum des compositeurs) which then For a comprehensive musicological survey of Flanders and new music we refer international promotion of Flemish welcomed new members in 2006. to texts by musicologists Yves Knockaert, Maarten Beirens and Rudy Tambuyser repertoire. www.iscm-vlaanderen.be on www.flandersmusic.be. Currently the catalogue contains work Listed below are the most active For information about composers in Wallonia-Brussels we refer to books published of the following composers: among them: at Mardaga editions: collection “musique-musicologie” (www.mardaga.be), and to the Musiques Nouvelles magazine (in French only). Brewaeys Luc (1959) Bosse Denis (1960) Cox Boudewijn (1965) de Jaer Baudouin (1960) BIOGRAPHIES De Baerdemacker Kris (1972) De Mey Thierry (1956) (1959) (1967) Biographies of living composers can be found on the following websites: Defoort Kris De Putter Renaud — composers from the Flemish community Henderickx Wim (1962) Deleuze Jean-Pierre (1954) www.matrix-new-music.be Janssens Daan (1983) Dessy Jean-Paul (1963) www.flandersmusic.be Neyrinck Frederik (1985) Dunkelman Stephan (1956) www.cebedem.be Nuyts Frank (1957) Fafchamps Jean-Luc (1960) — composers from the French-speaking community (1979) (1968) www.compositeurs.be Prins Stefan Fourgon Michel www.cebedem.be Rathé Filip (1966) Gobert Gilles (1971) — composers of acousmatic music Roels Hans (1971) Kissine Victor (1953) http://electrodoc.musiques-recherches.be Sommereyns Noor (1982) Ledoux Claude (1960) Tassyns Jelle (1979) Mernier Benoît (1964) WORKING LISTS Van Camp Bram (1980) Pousseur Denis (1958) (1961) (1955) An important part of The Matrix New Music Centre database is devoted to Van Daele Hans Rens Jean-Marie Flemish music. www.matrix-new-music.be/en/documentation/catalog Van Eycken Stefan (1975) Todoroff Todor (1963) Van Herck Bert (1971) Zhang Hao-fu (1952) The database of CeBeDem contains working lists of affiliated composers. Van Parys Annelies (1975) www.cebedem.be/en/works Vanhecke Bart (1964) Vermote Petra (1968) The database of Forum Des Compositeurs will publish working lists of all living (1957) French speaking composers. www.compositeurs.be Verstockt Serge
6 7 .2 1 ENSEMBLES
Mangalam! 1.2.a nsembles specialised in E ontemporary CMusic
Letter Piece Company © Kristien Verhoeyen
gartha Bram Bossier, viola M: +32 (0)475.55.00.84 A — Specialisation: Agartha operates on the Agartha basis of the instruments bayan/accordion Jules Besmestraat 47 and viola. Programmes range across a gamut BE - 1081 Brussels from solo repertoire to duo, trio and quartet. [email protected] Label: Sub Rosa. www.agartha-ensemble.be
Ictus In a unique ensemble such as Agartha, with the bayan and the viola as main ton’ instruments (played by An Raskin and Armide Bram Bossier), one can expect some- A thing quite adventurous and revelato- & Specialisation: cello & piano. From the canon- ry. To offer a wide variety of projects, ical contemporary music up to premieres, and Agartha combines various instruments sporadically music from other periods. with a specifi c musical tradition and history. Furthermore the ensemble tries Aton’&Armide was created as two to fi nd a balance between the classical people unifi ed their desire to explore world and contemporary culture by recent classical music, standard rep- Musiques Nouvelles means of new compositions, and by ertoire as well as premieres. From © Isabelle Francaix exploring common ground in different the start there was no other aim than artistic disciplines. to satisfy curiosity, but today A’&A is an ensemble with variable geometry,
Nadar 8 9 ollectief focusing on links. What’s a link? One constantly looking for collaborative Eric Sleichim, artistic director [email protected] C eFLEXible explanation is: ‘a thin wild bank of ventures with composers, sound artists Veerle Vervoort, manager r land splitting 2 cultivated patches’. and specialised performers. M: +32 (0)473.24.35.85 Specialisation: instant composed music. [email protected] That’s what they do: to walk a path Label: Amirani Records. that connects cultural aspects such Jutta Troch, artistic direction — BL!NDMAN as music, a word, a painting, or [email protected] reFLEXible focuses on Instant Com- M: +32 (0)484.73.79.40 Sainctelettesquare 18 anything which makes us curious. Fabian Coomans, artistic direction BE - 1000 Brussels posed Music, often in combination with The musical starting point is often [email protected] T: +32 (0)2.201.59.47 other media/disciplines. It played live- a composition from between 1945 — www.blindman.be soundtracks on silent movies such as to this day, but the programmes em- Besides Ensemble ‘Metropolis’ by Fritz Lang, interpreted brace music from other times, as long Kalstraat 43 graphic scores (Logothetis/Cardew), BE - 2900 Schoten as its connection to the elements of created performances in the context of www.ensemblebesides.be hamp the chain that creates the programme, the project ‘Liveness’, conceptualized Action makes sense. C by Thomas Olbrechts, worked on the d meta-composition ‘More or Less’ by L!NDMAN Specialisation: experimental music and sound Sara Picavet, piano Karlheinz Essl, the performance ‘One [email protected] B laboratory for new music, multidisciplinary projects. Labels: ChampdAction/Archive; by One’ by Joachim Devillé and the Benjamin Glorieux, cello Specialisation: multi-disciplinary perfor- Et'cetera; Mode Records; Megadisc. [email protected] mances for quartets. Labels: Universal Music, composition ‘Ventriloquium’ by Stefan www.aton-armide.com Et’Cetera. Prins. reFLEXible often collaborates ChampdAction is an innovative with guest musicians/other ensembles, In 1988 Eric Sleichim founded production platform/ensemble for such as ChampdAction. Their new BL!NDMAN, a saxophone quartet multidisciplinary music projects with project “+” was developed at STEIM esides with a traditional line-up, which de- a focus on the use of electronics and in 2011: the musical input of the piece B velops new performance techniques new technology on the one hand and is sampled continuously, each layer is Specialisation: non-conducted chamber music written in the past 20 years for 2 to 9 musi- and substantially expands the reper- a great openness towards other arts improvised on top of the other: sound- cians. Label: New World Records. toire for the instrument by continually disciplines on the other. Radical artis- cloud.com/reflexible. exploring the boundaries with other tic choices, creation, innovation and Non-standard instrumentation, con- disciplines and early music. In 2008 artistic research are paramount. One Artistic direction: Thomas Olbrechts/ temporary chamber music in a brand- BL!NDMAN became a collective in of ChampdAction’s essential charac- Joachim Devillé/Stefan Prins Thomas Olbrechts, coordination new package, humoristic, interdiscipli- which the 20 years of stage experi- teristics is its ever-innovating organisa- [email protected] nary... those are the basic ingredients ence accumulated by the original tion that continues to play a pioneer- M: +32 (0)473.11.68.23 of Besides. With the tradition of quartet – BL!NDMAN (sax) – is ing role in the ever-changing world of — written music as a starting point, an shared with three young quartets: music. ChampdAction resides at arts Collectief reFLEXible important part is always reserved BL!NDMAN [drums], BL!NDMAN campus deSingel in Antwerp, where Van Volxemlaan 264/C7 BE - 1190 Brussels for live electronics, performance and (vox) and BL!NDMAN (strings). A it occupies ChampdAction/STUDIO. T: +32 (0)2.539.40.14 improvisation when brainstorming collective composed entirely of quar- (see p. 52: Studio) www.myspace.com/collectiefreflexible for new programme concepts. The tets: unique in the music world. Four individual musicians each work in quartets, two generations, countless Serge Verstockt, artistic director [email protected] very different fields of the musical possibilities for ‘unheard of’ cross- Ann Andries, manager uo spectrum. This fact, together with fertilisation. A highly individual rep- M: +32 (0)476.32.99.95 D ythos the uncommon combination of harp, ertoire of old and new. As always, [email protected] — M saxophone, drums, violin, cello, flute, BL!NDMAN embraces other artistic Specialisation: repertoire for flute and piano e-guitar, piano and electronics, gives disciplines, delights the eye, questions ChampdAction Jan Van Rijswijcklaan 155 written after 1960. Besides its unique signature sound. the ear and considers experiment of BE - 2018 Antwerp The creation of new repertoire will paramount importance. T: +32 (0)3.800.01.10 The Duo Mythos was founded in therefore only be possible through www.champdaction.be 2007 by two musicians, Myriam
10 11 Graulus and Tomoko Honda, who ples of international chamber music. the impulse to the first concert of En- visual character, and often take place share a passion for contemporary The core of Emanon consists of 15 semble 21 in 1999, in the Museum at unusual, appropriate locations. chamber music repertoire. With their excellent musicians who, conducted of Spontaneous Art in Brussels. This The productions feature new music eclectic programming and dynamic with great commitment by Raf De event was widely praised by music by such composers as Sciarrino, presentations, the duo has appeared Keninck, vouch for a powerful group critics. Since then Ensemble 21 has Saariaho, Fedele, the Belgians in the Van Gogh Museum and the performance. Because of its ‘sinfo- always been noted for the rigour Brewaeys, D’Haene and Henderickx, Sweelinck Hall in Amsterdam, De nietta’ composition – wind quintet, and alacrity of its performances. and young talents such as Thomas Bijloke concert series in Ghent, in string quintet, harp, percussion and Furthermore, helping discover Belgian Smetryns, Hanne Deneire, Bram Van New York and in Mexico alongside its piano – Emanon is a unique ensemble composers and playing with a broad Camp, and Annelies Van Parys. homebase, Brussels. Through its sea- that plays its role in Flanders and chamber music setting are the distinc- soned knowledge of flute and piano abroad with passionate conviction. tive features of Ensemble 21. Koen Kessels, artistic director duo culture, the mission of the Duo Emanon also organises a composition [email protected] Kevin Voets, general manager Marc Collet, artistic director Mythos is to create, communicate, contest every two years with a view to [email protected] [email protected] collaborate and connect. The duo is sustaining new talent. M: +32 (0)485.82.93.17 M: +32 (0)486.91.69.69 — dedicated to promoting new music Marie-Hélène Fassin, manager HERMESensemble and aims to offer the audience a very Raf De Keninck, artistic direction M: +32 (0)496.08.69.62 AMUZ – Everdijstraat 12 experienced and complementary [email protected] — BE - 2000 Antwerp Tine Janssens, production Ensemble 21 performance through high standards, M: +32 (0)485.82.93.17 [email protected] Rue des Anciens Combattants 15 invigorating synergy and vibrant [email protected] M: +32 (0)479.96.58.35 BE - 1450 Chastre www.hermesensemble.be ideas, while concurrently conveying — [email protected] their enthusiasm for contemporary Emanon Ensemble www.ensemble21.be music and knowledge to a younger Brusselsestraat 63 BE - 3000 Leuven generation internationally. [email protected] ctus www.emanon.be Myriam Graulus ERMES I [email protected] Specialisation: contemporary music in all its H nsemble stylistic variations. Label: Cyprus/. M: +32 (0)472.61.07.03 — e nsemble Repertoire/specialisation: music of the 20th Duo Mythos Ictus is a Brussels-based contemporary 1 and 21st centuries in concerts with film, Rue Verboeckhaven 53 E video and multimedia. Label: Harmonia music ensemble with 20 or so co-opted BE - 1210 Brussels 2 Specialisation: classic repertoire of the late 20th Mundi distribution. musicians; a mixed “electric orchestra”, and 21st century. Young Belgian composers. born on the road with Flemish choreog- HERMESensemble is an Antwerp- rapher Wim Vandekeybus and continu- manon Ensemble 21 is a contemporary mu- based collective for contemporary ing to tour with Rosas Dance Company. E sic ensemble of 21 non-permanent music and art, founded by Koen Various formats and listening systems Specialisation: Contemporary chamber music, chamber symphonies, work by Flemish com- musicians that was founded at the Kessels in 2000. The repertoire and are put in a mix: mini or maxi concerts, posers. Label: Phaedra. beginning of the 21st century with performance practice of the classical Blind Dates, concerts with comments, the urge to propose an alternative to avant-garde are the starting points concerts-cum-festivals. The line-up of Ensemble Emanon cherishes versatil- the way today’s music was presented. of the productions, but the ensemble performances is an opportunity to ity and a multidisciplinary approach: They are convinced that contempo- consciously strives to cross artistic experiment with new programmes to contemporary music in combination rary music must be a living art, close borders; on one hand it searches con- be offered to a non-specialist audience with dance, music theatre, the visual to the audience. In the choice of its frontations with early music, popular with broad cultural interests, people arts and literature. While search- repertoire Ensemble 21 makes room and world music, on the other hand with an enthusiasm for theatre, dance ing for crossover projects, Emanon for interaction with spatial arts and it investigates synergies with other and music. Ictus has been in residence also attempts to bring new work by the poetic dimension of the pieces. disciplines such as (music) theatre, in Brussels since 1994, and at the Flemish composers, sometimes com- The musicians first gathered around fine arts, video, film and multimedia. Lille Opera House since 2004 with bined with the most outstanding sam- Luciano Berio’s works, which gave Many of the events explicitly have a concerts, educational activities and one
12 13 stage production per year. In coopera- the Brussels-based artslab PianoFabriek [email protected] With more than 40 years of experi- http://logosfoundation.org/ tion with the School of Arts Ghent, and the Flemish Community. ensembles.html ence in the use and development Ictus coordinates an Advanced Master of all kinds of human interfaces course. The collection of recordings Shila Anaraki, artistic direction combined with experimental robot- counts 20 titles plus a virtual collection [email protected] ics, 14 15 lus - Musiques Nouvelles invests its music Pieter Matthynssens, artistic direction classical repertoire in the most prestig- Rebecca Diependaele, manager P inus Ensemble with an abundant sense of feeling [email protected] M ious concerts halls and festivals. With and emotion. M: +32 (0)499.18.54.51 Specialisation: avant-garde, conceptual, immaculate technique and musicality, — and experimental music. the quartet promises to be one of the Jean-Paul Dessy, artistic direction Nadar most visionary ensembles of its genera- Pieter Matthynssens [email protected] Plus Minus is an Anglo/Belgian octet tion. Highly accustomed to using elec- M: +32(0)475.80.67.25 Zwaluwenlaan 7 — BE - 9100 Sint-Niklaas committed to presenting new work tronics and other forms of technology Musiques Nouvelles L’ENSEMBLE [email protected] alongside landmark modern reper- within performance, the group shuns 4 a rue des Soeurs Noires www.nadarensemble.be toire. Formed in 2003 by Joanna conventional sheet music in favour of BE - 7000 Mons Bailie and Matthew Shlomowitz, iPads. A real 21st century ensemble! T: + 32 (0)65.37.77.60 Plus Minus is distinguished by its [email protected] Antoine Maisonhaute, artistic director www.musiquesnouvelles.com N interest in avant-garde, conceptual, and experimental open instrumentation [email protected] O nsemble M: +32 (0)497.55.59.89 E pieces such as Stockhausen’s 1963 Catherine Le Bris, manager classic, from which the group takes its adar Specialisation: classics of the second part of M: +33 (0)7.60.55.45.05 the 20th and of the 21st centuries, Belgian name. Plus Minus has performed at [email protected] N composers, live-electronics. the Borealis, Huddersfield, Spitalfields, — Specialisation: Young composers from Belgium Spor, Transit, and Ultima festivals. Plus CLB Management and abroad in confrontation with the previous 10, rue Albert generation. Label: Sub Rosa. ON was founded in 2005, and Minus has also played in London at the FR - 75013 Paris devotes itself almost entirely to the Talk Show and Calling Out Of Context France Nadar was founded in 2006 by a interpretation of the contemporary exhibitions at the ICA, Whitechapel T: +33 (0)1.44.24.07.75 number of young musicians with a repertoire, with a strong interest in Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, [email protected] www.clbmanagement.co.uk common passion for contemporary live electronics. The septet (soprano, South Bank Centre, Cutting Edge music. The choice of the name Nadar flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, per- series, Bethnal Green Working Men’s derives from the multi-disciplinary cussion) considers itself as a “tool” for Club and regularly at Kings Place. PECTRA spirit that the ensemble wants to share composers and has a strong link with nsemble with the real Nadar, pseudonym of “Le Forum des compositeurs” as well Matthew Shlomowitz, artistic director S G.-F. Tournachon. He was not only as with “Le Centre Henri Pousseur”. Joanna Bailie, artistic director E M: +32 (0)474.33.94.51 Specialisation: contemporary music with a a well-known photographer and bal- It has premiered pieces of numerous — special interest in composers living and work- loonist, but also a caricaturist, a spy, composers, among them Franck Plus Minus Ensemble ing in Flanders, new presentational formats. an art critic… Nadar wants to offer a C. Yeznikian, S. Klemola, D. Bosse, Rue Thiéfry 53 Label: Vox temporis. forum to young composers, both on P. Bartholomée. Having performed in BE - 1000 Brussels a national and an international level, festivals such as Ars Musica and the [email protected] SPECTRA (1993) consists of eight www.plusminusensemble.com through commissions, intense col- Nordic Music Days, the ON ensemble mu sicians, working intensively together laboration, workshops, and creation also undertakes projects in new to create a unique sound and musical concerts. Nadar conceives cunning concert venues. uatuor coherence. The ensemble contributes concepts, fresh modes of presentation ana impassioned to the promotion of and original combinations of different Gilles Gobert, artistic director Q Flemish contemporary music in the media, never avoiding artistic risks. [email protected] T international music scene. SPECTRA M: +32 (0)473.37.15.38 Specialisation: contemporary repertoire, The ensemble was soon noted by the — live-electronics. creates many commissions in continu- big festivals in Belgium and abroad, Ensemble ON ous dialogue with referential pieces, positioning itself in the contemporary c/o Philippe Saucez Based in Belgium, the Tana String using a wide variety of presentational landscape at the cutting edge. 11 rue de l’Agace Quartet performs specialist contempo- forms such as concerts, happenings, BE - 7061 Casteau rary repertoire. This strong focus on musical theatre and multi-media www.ensembleon.be Stefan Prins, artistic direction music of today, however, does not events. Its undogmatic programmes [email protected] prevent the quartet from performing and idiosyncratic performances are 16 17 highly appraised by organisers and Triatu Percussion Trio Beitemstraat 17 creative artists alike. They collaborated BE - 8890 Moorslede with composers such as Francesconi, [email protected] Gervasoni and N.A. Huber and www.triatu.be performed at festivals such as Ars Musica, Transit, Musica Nova Brazil, werm November Music, Musica Sacra, Z Huddersfi eld, Traiettorie, Biennale Specialisation: new music for electric guitar Venezia and the Aurora Festival. quartet: Larry Polansky, Fred Frith, Christian Wolff, Mario Del Nunzio, James Tenney, Filip Rathé, artistic director, conductor Yannis Kyriakides, Jimi Hendrix, Nick Cave, fi [email protected] Björk, Karlheinz Essl, Agostino Discipio, Greet Swinnen, manager Philip Glass and Belgian composers. [email protected] Label: New World Records. — Spectra Ensemble Zwerm is a Belgian-Dutch electric Hundelgemsesteenweg 204 bus 3 guitar quartet founded in 2007. BE - 9050 Ledeberg Their fi rst cd called The World’s HERMESensemble T: +32 (0)9.225.68.34 [email protected] Longest Melody was mentioned by www.spectraensemble.com The Wire Magazine as ‘an obvi- ous contender for album of the year 2010’. They gave concerts in the UK, riatu Europe and the United States. Zwerm T is described in the press as: ‘An excit- Specialisation: contemporary percussion ing, sometimes alienating and always music. Label: Senza Nome. quirky musical discovery as you rarely get to hear’ (Goddeau 03/2011). ‘A This percussion trio is the result of an gorgeous feedback texture heavenly exceptionally productive encounter braided by the four guitars of Zwerm BL!NDMAN of three percussionists: Frank Van (...) If Zwerm would be listed in rock- Eycken, Dimitri Dumon and Björn tradition, the quartet seems well in Denys. Their repertoire mainly consists place in the vicinity of Sonic Youth and of contemporary music with a lot of associates’ (Kwadratuur 12/2010) interest in Belgian compositions. The ‘Ein imposantes Surround-Hörerlebnis’ trio plays wide-ranging concerts cir- (Kronenzeitung 01/2010) ‘The bold- cling around different musical styles, ness and the imagination of the music ranging from ethnic to contemporary, speaks out of their performances’ from all continents, and therefore also (De Standaard 10/2010). taking advantage of unusual percus- SPECTRA Ensemble © Karin Borghouts sion instruments. They tend to choose Johannes Westendorp, artistic director the kind of music that emphasises [email protected] Zwerm Toon Callier, coordinator choreography and architecture, an af- [email protected] fi nity that resulted in many invitations M: +32 (0)472.34.33.96 for the theatre and for music theatre. — Zwerm Björn Denys De Winterstraat 20 M: +32(0)475.61.56.87 BE - 2140 Borgerhout — www.zwerm.be 18 .2 group has created an intriguing and (commissions, organising workshops). idiosyncratic sound, achieved by Its first CD, Jean-Marie Rens’s Mono- 1 ENSEMBLES an unfamiliar mix of strings, wind lithe (Cypres), was awarded an instruments and piano. As regards ‘Octave de la musique’ in 2012. repertoire, Het Collectief returns to 1.2.b the Second Viennese School, the Thomas Van Haeperen, roots of modernism. Starting from this artistic direction [email protected] nsembles with great interest in solid basis, Het Collectief explores M: +32 (0)486.50.68.54 E ontemporary important twentieth-century repertoire, — including the very latest experimental OSK − ESK C usic trends. In addition to that, with their rue Walkiers 34 adaptations of early music they hope/ BE - 1140 Brussels M www.osk.be aspire to contribute in their own way to the current debate about the role and place of early music in our time. oeyvaerts Thomas Dieltjens, artistic direction G tring [email protected] S rio Gerrit Geerts, business manager T [email protected] Specialisation: 20th and 21st century music. M: +32 (0)496.29.17.34 Standard String Trio repertoire and creations. — Label: Challenge Records. Het Collectief-Chamber Music Quintet Rogierlaan 236 The Goeyvaerts String Trio was BE - 1030 Brussels founded in 1997. The trio takes its rco [email protected] Peter Verhoyen, artistic director www.hetcollectief.be name from the Belgian composer aleno A [email protected] Karel Goeyvaerts, who played an Annemie Verhoyen, management B important role in the development of Specialisation: contemporary music from M: +32 (0)475.28.18.55 Belgian composers. Labels: PMP, Codaex, — SK – Ensemble new music in Europe. Their first CD Arco Baleno Et’Cetera, KTC, Gailly; Radio 3. turm und was awarded a Joker by Crescendo ‘t Kloosterhof 67 E magazine. In its performances BE - 8200 Sint-Michiels lang Arco Baleno are known for their S the trio aims for authenticity, seek- T: +32 (0)50.39.26.27 K broad programming, their boldness [email protected] Specialisation: repertoires of the 20th and 21st ing out the advice of such eminent in tackling older, lesser-known rep- www.arcobaleno.be centuries, Belgian creations. Label: Cypres. musicians as Alexander Ivashkin, ertoire & their willingness to explore Henk Guittart, Sofia Gubaidulina. new pieces. The confrontation of Sturm und Klang was founded in 2000 Their second CD with string trios by these very different worlds not only Het by Thomas Van Haeperen and per- Schoenberg, Webern and Schnittke, supplies oxygen to the ensemble’s ollectief forms in two types of instrumentation: on the renowned Challenge Records creativity, but also surprises many C either as a string orchestra (Orchestre label, has received the highest rat- a listener. In the last 18 years Arco Specialisation: repertoire, creation, ‘revisited’: Sturm und Klang) or a mixed ensem- ing from a number of magazines, from 20th century repertoire, until the latest Baleno created more than 30 newly experimental trends. Labels: Fuga Libera, ble: string and wind quintet + percus- including a special recommendation commissioned works by Belgian com- Et’cetera. sion and piano (Ensemble Sturm und in Gramophone, and was awarded posers. In April 2012 they presented Klang). The programming of Sturm und a Golden Label by the Klassiek their CD ‘Kaleidoscope’ with new The Brussels chamber music group Klang focuses on the repertoires of the Centraal website and a nomination Belgian chamber music by Roland Het Collectief can be said to be 20th and 21st centuries and actively for best CD production of the year Coryn, Stephane Vande Ginste, Pieter unique. Working consistently from a supports Belgian creations, particularly by the Flemish classical broadcasting Schuermans & Marc Matthys. solid nucleus of five musicians, the the young generation of composers station Klara. 20 21 Pieter Stas, cellist ryptos instrumental versatility of their strength Koenraad Hofman, artistic director M: +32 (0)495.23.79.53 [email protected] [email protected] K is combined with a well-considered Kathleen Van Schel, administrator — Specialisation: music from the classical period choice of programmes, offering a [email protected] Goeyvaerts String Trio to contemporary times with particular attention dialogue of recognised masterpieces — Nieuwstraat 39 paid to works that are lesser known, espe- and unknown contemporary composi- Oxalys v.z.w. BE – 9100 Sint-Niklaas cially by Belgian composers. Labels: Et'cetera, Regentschapstraat 30 [email protected] De Kroon op het werk. tions. Furthermore Belgian music is BE - 1000 Brussels www.stringtrio.net singled out for special attention. With T: +32 (0)2.503.16.02 Kryptos Quartet was created in 2002 Frederik Neyrinck the ensemble can [email protected] and since its formation, the KQ has boast a young composer who pro- www.oxalys.be felt a need and a natural obliga- vides several programmes with works Solisti del tion to extend their repertoire and commissioned by it. I ento field of interest to new music. The piegel V Emilie De Voght, artistic direction name “Kryptos” refers to the quest tring Specialisation: from Mozart until today, build- [email protected] S ings bridges towards other disciplines of arts. which reveals the secret hidden in uartet Dries Tack, management S Labels: IsdV, Harmonia Mundi, Et’cetera, Arsis. the music which includes classical [email protected] Q contemporary music to experimental, — Repertoire: timeless masterpieces and I Solisti del Vento (1987) is Belgium’s live electronics, jazz and pop cross- Odysseia Ensemble contemporary work. Labels: Mdg, Phaedra. most significant wind ensemble and overs. The KQ have been performing Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel ensures the interpretation, explora- at contemporary music festivals such Regentschapsstraat 30 Due to their almost exclusive con- BE - 1000 Brussels tion, spreading and valorisation of as Ars Musica, Happy New Ears, [email protected] centration on the quartet and their the main wind repertoire from Mozart November Music, Musica Sacra (NL) www.odysseiaensemble.be deep affection for the string quartet until the present day. Through the and have been broadcasted by Klara, repertoire, the Spiegel String Quartet artistic direction of Francis Pollet the Musique3, Hilversum4. achieved from their very first concerts ensemble has developed into a flex- in 1996 an international reputation. xalys ible formation which can equal any Anthony Gröger, artistic director Ever since it has received pride of [email protected] O top international wind ensemble for Specialisation: From Belle Epoque to place at a variety of music festivals (chamber) music. I Solisti’s outstanding — and important concert halls in Europe. Kryptos Quartet 20th, 21st century music and creation. musicians perform in the most impor- Peutiesesteenweg 84C Labels: Fuga Libera, Homerecords. In its repertoire the Quartet does not tant concert locations and festivals, BE - 1830 Machelen restrict itself to works from a single both in Belgium and abroad. I Solisti www.kryptosquartet.be Oxalys was founded in 1993 by a stylistic period. Quite the contrary, in builds bridges towards other disci- — group of ambitious students and is addition to the timeless masterpieces plines of arts in order to carry out the Bookman Agency today one of the most esteemed cham- the quartet also interprets contempo- Stijn Jacobs, manager value of wind music to other horizons. [email protected] ber music groups of Flanders. It per- rary work. What’s more, the Spiegel M: +32 (0)479.44.67.46 forms on the world’s finest platforms String Quartet has become a source Francis Pollet, artistic director and festivals in Germany, Spain, of inspiration in its own right for [email protected] France, Holland, Italy, Norway,... contemporary composers. Leen Van den Borre, The ensemble’s primary aim is to production manager dysseia tell the European cultural story since Stefan Willems, artistic management [email protected] nsemble M: +32 (0)472.74. 28.98 O the Enlightenment with a focus on stefan.willems@spiegelstring- — E quartet.com Specialisation: 20th century repertoire in the connections and contrasts across M: +32 (0)473.53.52.12 I Solisti del Vento borders. Oxalys has a strong affinity Jan Van Rijswijcklaan 155 combination with new music. — BE - 2018 Antwerp with multidisciplinary productions and Spiegel vzw T: +32 (0)3 800.01.20 The Odysseia Ensemble was founded developed a special love for 20th De Hulsten 83 [email protected] in 2009 by alumni and students of the century vocal music with singers like BE - 2980 Zoersel www.isolistidelvento.be [email protected] Royal Conservatory Brussels, where Christianne Stotijn, Dietrich Henschel www.spiegelstringquartet.com the ensemble is also in residence. The and Christoph Prégardien. 22 23 uatuor QD anel Specialisation: 20th century quartets and creations. Labels: CPO, Megadisc. Since its foundation in 1991, the Quatuor Danel has been a major force on the international chamber music scene, constantly renewing its work on repertoire from Haydn to the present day, in a long-term project. More than 80 concerts per annum have taken the quartet to the great concert halls all over the world. The Quatuor Danel is renowned for its bold, concentrated surveys of the quartet cycles of Beethoven, Schubert, Shostakovich, Weinberg, Bartók. The quartet is proud of its many Het Collectief collaborations with major contempo- rary composers such as Wolfgang Rihm, Helmut Lachenmann, Bruno Mantovani, Pascal Dusapin, Nicolas Bacri, Jonathan Harvey and Sofya Gubaydulina, as well as with the rising stars of the 21st century. Ivy Artists Groot Hertoginnelaan 217 NL - 2517 ES Den Haag The Netherlands T: +31 (0)70.39.25.271 [email protected] I Solisti del Vento Goeyvaerts Trio www.ivyartists.com Oxalys © Frank Hendrickx © Hans Morren © Marco Borggreve Kryptos © Willem De Leeuw 24 25 .3 1 SOLOISTS 1.3.a oloists specialised in S ontemporary CMusic Stéphane Ginsburgh Arne Deforce © David Samyn roene F rederik (1973) e Fleyt Karin (1972) C D PIANO Frederik Croene is a classi- FLUTE Karin De Fleyt discovered con- Karin De Fleyt cally trained pianist fooling around temporary music while studying with with conceptual ideas about decon- Godfried-Willem Raes. With Kathinka structing the piano and its repertoire. Pasveer she pursued her interest in This resulted in (piano) music for Stockhausen repertoire, of which she dance, live accompaniment for silent eventually became a specialist. Karin fi lms, music installation art and solo De Fleyt performs as a soloist as well performances with ‘Le Piano Démé- as with several ensembles. To her canisé’. He worked as a pianist/per- mu sic is trying to fi nd that synergy in former/composer/producer in various working with different artists and art Els Mondelaers © Koen Broos disciplines: visual art, installation art, disciplines; making a piece of music dance, video art, virtual instruments, sound as the composer intended it to; intuitive music, performance art, looking for that specifi c sound through graphic design and conceptual art. different styles and, even more so, it is striving for perfection and getting the M: +32 (0)485.69.12.87 excitement that comes with every new [email protected] composition. www.frederikcroene.com M: +32 (0)477.78.56.93 karindefl [email protected] www.karindefl eyt.be 27 (1962) eforce Arne M: +32 (0)473.94.59.51 to her career as a soloist, Elisa per- sical and electric guitar. Since 2002 [email protected] D www.dominica-eyckmans.be forms in the context of ensembles and he has worked as a performer and CELLO Arne Deforce is renowned www.danceswithviola.org orchestras and has an ongoing en- co-artistic director of Ictus. Project- for his unparalleled performances of gagement with the Nadar Ensemble. wise, he performs with the Anglo- contemporary and experimental Belgian octet Plus-Minus, and Letter mu sic. His repertoire consists mainly M: +32 (0)485.95.87.41 Piece Company. Since 2009 he has (1969) of solo- and chamber music with a insburgh Stéphane [email protected] been coordinating an advanced mas- cargocollective.com/elisamedinilla special interest in works deemed G ter program with emphasis on contem- ‘unplayable’, yet ‘performable’ from PIANO Stéphane Ginsburgh col- porary chamber music in collabora- composers such as Xenakis, Barrett, laborated with composers Baltakas, tion with Spectra ensemble and Ictus. Cage and Ferneyhough. Jonathan Boesmans, De Putter, Fafchamps, ondelaers Els (1977) His broad interest in performance has Harvey described Arne Deforce as Fiorini, Kokoras, Kolp, Maintz, M recently led to collaborations with ‘one of the most exciting new cellists Mernier, Prins, Ristic, Shlomowitz MEZZO SOPRANO The mezzo Els choreographers such as Xavier Leroy I have come across. Everything he and Tolosa and performed in festivals Mondelaers received a master degree and Maud Le Pladec. plays is approached with a powerful such as Ars Musica and Agora. His in Classical Singing with great distinc- intensity born from an engagement involvement in the organisation of tion at the Ghent Conservatory, where M: +32 (0)485.18.11.38 with the music on a deep spiritual and concerts endorses the necessity for she has specialised as a soloist in Con- [email protected] psychic level. He is highly imaginative artists to engage into collective action. temporary Music as well. Her fascina- and brings an originality and, above He plays with Ictus Ensemble and tion by contemporary singing made all, creativity to his interpretations collaborates with visual artist Peter her perform as a soloist with various euvion Jean-Pierre (1945) which is both fiery and structured.’ Downsbrough. He is artistic director international ensembles and music P Arne Deforce regularly features in of the Centre Henri Pousseur. His CDs theatre companies such as VOCAAL- CLARINET After taking part in a leading international festivals. His are issued by the Sub Rosa label and LAB, Transparant, LOD, Champ- number of international competi- discography received international he will record the complete Prokofiev dAction, Doelenensemble, Nieuw tions Jean-Pierre Peuvion divided acclaim. sonatas for Cypres Records. En semble, Asko-Schönberg, Hezarfen his time between intense clarinet Ensemble, Atlas Ensemble, HERMES, performances and passionate ‘open’ M: +32 (0)474.29.04.18 M: +32 (0)474.88.93.25 Spectra ensemble and Slagwerk Den teaching. Soloist with the Ensemble [email protected] [email protected] Haag. In 2009 the Lucerne Festival Musique Nouvelle until 1993, he www.arnedeforce.be www.ginsburgh.net Academy invited her to perform in started experimenting ‘multiple track’ Sinfonia by Luciano Berio, under the approaches (score versus improvisa- baton of Pierre Boulez. tion, Eastern versus Western reper- (1967) yckmans Dominica edinilla Elisa (1983) toire, contemporary versus popular E M M: +32 (0)475.52.95.77 music…). Stimulated by his work with VIOLA Apart from being a freelance PIANO Elisa Medinilla studied at the [email protected] much sought-after composers such as elsmondelaers.wordpress.com classical and contemporary viola- Conser vatory of Ghent with Claude Henri Pousseur, Pierre Bartholomée, player (solo, improvisation, contem- Coppens and Daan Vandewalle and Olivier Messiaen, Giacinto Scelsi, porary music ensembles, chamber at the Conservatory of Brussels with John Cage, Horatio Radulescu,… he music...), Dominica is also a performer Boyan Vodenitcharov. Particularly auwels Tom (1974) decided to share his admiration and using dance and voice. Her aim is to focusing on contemporary music, she P passion for those ‘life-changing expe- ‘sculpt’ sound with those tools, both recently obtained an Advanced Post GUITAR During his studies Tom Pau- riences’ (John Cage!) – at the head of acoustically and electro-acoustically, Master in Soloist Contemporary Music. wels was involved in the founding of the Musica Intima festival. the latter using movement sensors Exploring new horizons at the cutting Black Jackets Company, a Brussels placed on the body. The sensor system edge of contemporary music, she often collective of composers and perfor- T: +32 (0)4.341.42.03 of Logos Foundation for their Namuda- collaborates with young composers, mers. Ever since these early experi- [email protected] performances is eminently useful for looking out for original combinations ments he has been active in the field her sculpting purposes as well. of pieces or of new media. In addition of contemporary music, both on clas- 28 29 (1972) oyer Vincent info@ jessica-ryckewaert.com PhD research: ‘The use of extended contemporary music with a view to www.jessica-ryckewaert.com R techniques in voice training’ at the making it more attractive for a wider VIOLA On completing his studies in University College Ghent & IPEM. audience. She also explores interaction Freiburg and Cologne in viola and between each environment and the (1968) composition Royer formed diverse andewalle Daan M: +32 (0)475.64.41.07 character of the music. Critics have ac- groups in which collective compo- V [email protected] claimed her as ‘enormously impressive’ www.francoisevanhecke.com sition and improvisation (also in PIANO Daan Vandewalle enjoys an (The Wire 2010). Feldman, Crumb, combination with dance, video and international reputation as new music Tenney, Lucier and Thomas Smetryns literature) are important features. specialist, with a strong focus on were among her associates. But she His current formations in the field of 20th century American piano music. an Cauwenberghe Kobe also collaborated with the Turkish (1984) improvisation are the BRAC Quartet, His repertoire consists of hundreds V electronics artist Erdem Helvacioglu, the Gratkowski/Royer Duo and a of pieces, integral oeuvres of most GUITAR After finishing his studies in reclaiming their respective roots in the duo with the architect and video artist of the well-known composers of the Ghent with Tom Pauwels, guitarist 15th century. Matthias Siegert. As a performer, he 20th century, as well as numerous Kobe Van Cauwenberghe continued has worked closely with composers premieres that resulted from intense his studies at the Manhattan School M: +32 (0)485.31.60.01 such as Horatio Radulescu, Luc Ferrari, collaborations with composers of of Music. During his three-year stay [email protected] www.heleenvanhaegenborgh.be Pascal Dusapin, Vinko Globokar, today. He has performed at a wide in New York City, Kobe was involved Jean-Luc Fafchamps, Fabrizio Cassol, range of venues, from small clubs in in several large projects and played David Shea, Robert HP Platz, Chris- the underground experimental music concerts with the Talea ensemble, Wet essel Tomma (1966) tophe Bertrand and Ken Ueno. scene to established venues such as Ink and Signal Ensemble. Since 2011 the Prague Spring, the Lincoln Centre, Kobe is a member of the e-guitar W [email protected] Carnegie hall New York, Chatelets, quartet Zwerm, the Nadar Ensemble RECORDER Recorder specialist Tomma www.vincent-royer.com Paris, Musicadhoy Madrid, Berliner and the Parisian collective sound Wessel has been applying herself Festspiele. Recordings include a 4 CD initiative. In the past years he played first and foremost to the performance box with Alvin Curran’s piano mara- concerts in Europe, The United States of contemporary music. She was yckewaert Jessica (1979) thon Inner Cities and ale of Gordon and Canada, as a soloist as well as prominent at important venues and R Mumma’s piano music in its entirety. in chamber music formations and festivals, premiering dozens of works PERCUSSION Jessica Ryckewaert is large ensembles. by Belgian and foreign composers a specialised soloist percussionist in T: +32 (0)9.225.48.19 such as Brewaeys, Curran, Finnissy, contemporary music playing premières [email protected] T: +33 (0)7.61. 08.16.18 Eggert, Oehring, Prins, Rzewski, www.daanvandewalle.com of works for marimba, vibraphone and [email protected] Shlomowitz, Verstockt, Wallen and www.kobevancauwenberghe.com percussion, with live electronics, written Wolff. She founded the recorder for her by the composers. As a cham- ensemble Apsara which attempts to (1957) ber musician, Jessica has performed anhecke Françoise do justice to all aspects of the con- around the world and has taken part V an Haegenborgh Heleen temporary repertoire. In addition she (1980) in the premières of works by Nova, SOPRANO Soprano Françoise Van- V performed with among others Letter Romitelli, Schollhorn, De Mey, Fontyn, hecke is an exceptionally versatile PIANO After graduating from the Piece Company, ChampdAction, Ictus, Fourgon, Ledoux, Bartholomée,… artist. She is a contemporary, daring, Conservatory of Ghent in 2004 and Musica Antiqua Köln, Symphonic As a soloist, she toured Canada and powerfully performing and creative pursuing master classes with John Orchestra of the Monnaie Opera, played the Concerto for Vibraphone artist, equally versed in bel canto, Tilbury, Heleen Van Haegenborgh Spectra and Flanders Symphony and Orchestra by Emmanuel Séjourné, extended techniques and improvisa- developed worldwide activities, reach- Orchestra. gave concert and workshops in tion. In 2003 she got a grant from ing out to the USA and China as well Singapore and gave solo recitals in the NYWC. Performing throughout as premiering avant-garde works at M: +32 (0)497.64.38.12 Plymouth, Cambridge and Oxford. the world and working closely with home. She likes joint ventures with [email protected] www.apsara.be Her monographic CD ‘Percutronique’ composers, she is praised for her non-musicians, thus subversively was issued by Fuga Libera. interpretations of contemporary music. undermining the elitist image of 30 31 .3 .4 1 SOLOISTS 1 CONDUCTORS 1.3.b oloists with great interest in S ontemporary C usic M (1966) ouckaert Bart composers including Philippe Boes- B mans, Jacqueline Fontyn, Conlon A comprehensive list of soloists Bart Bouckaert teaches contemporary Nancarrow, Henri and Denis Pousseur, can be found in the digital music at the Royal Conservatory Charles Chaynes, Bruno Mantovani, version of this guide on Brussels. He conducted various or- James Dillon, Jean-Yves Bosseur and www.freeyourears.be and chestras and ensembles at home Marco Stroppa among others. Patrick and abroad e.g. the Prometheus Davin has conducted in Belgium and www.flandersmusic.be. Ensemble, the Odysseia Ensemble, abroad. He has worked in the field of Het Collectief, the Spoleto Opera opera with Luc Bondy, Jorge Lavelli, Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra Christophe Marthaler, Olivier Py, of the National Opera de Munt/ Philippe Sireuil, Guy Cassiers, Joël La Monnaie, the National Orchestra Lauwers... Patrick Davin is currently Vilnius, the Flemish Radio Choir, the main guest conductor in the op- the National Orchestra of Belgium, eras of Marseille and Liège. and the Contemporary Music En- semble of the Royal Conservatory [email protected] Brussels in works of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Debussy, Kurtag, Eötvös, Harvey, Boulez, Bartok, Defoort, essy Jean-Paul (1963) Boesmans, Geysen and many others. D Composer, conductor and cellist, M: +32 (0)495.78.85.56 Jean-Paul Dessy has conducted more [email protected] than 120 contemporary music works worldwide and has recorded more than 50 CDs of classic contemporary avin Patrick (1962) pieces, receiving numerous awards. D He has composed symphonies, cham- From contemporary productions to ber music, electronic music and an classical works of the repertoire, opera, Kilda, which he conducted at Patrick Davin has proved his open- the opening of the Edinburgh Festival mindedness in the musical sphere. in 2009. Le Chant du Monde/Harmo- Patrick Davin is a former student of nia Mundi has released 2 CDs devot- Pierre Boulez and Peter Eötvös, and ed to his works: The Present’s presents has created a major list of works by and Prophètes, for solo cello. 32 33 M: +32 (0)475.80.67.25 De Mey. He’s been invited by the His compositions were performed Siebens worked with orchestras such [email protected] www.musiquesnouvelles.com important international festivals of by the Neue Vokalsolisten Stuttgart, as: MusikFabrik, Klangforum Wien, contemporary music and had the Exaudi, Kremerata Baltica, ASKO Dutch Radio Symphony Orchestra, musical responsibility for a lot of choir. At the School of Arts Ghent and Psappha Ensemble, Rotterdam Phil- recordings. Since 1996 he is the the Antwerp Conservatory he teaches harmonic Orchestra, The Hague ctors Georges-Elie (1947) conductor of the Ictus Ensemble. contemporary music. Philharmonic, Amsterdam Sinfonietta O and Netherlands Philharmonic Or- Georges-Elie Octors performed as a [email protected] M: +32 (0)477.20.32.50 chestra. He was the Artistic Director soloist in the National Orchestra of fi [email protected] of the Prometheus Ensemble and from Belgium, was a member of ensemble 2004 till 2010 chief-conductor of Musique Nouvelle from 1970 on (1966) the Flanders Symphony Orchestra. and also was the conductor of this athé Filip Recently he became “artist in resi- (1957) ensemble from 1976 until 1991. He R iebens Etienne dence” of I Solisti del Vento and also conducted a lot of symphonic Filip Rathé studied piano, conducting S per manent guest conductor of Asko| orchestras, chamber orchestras and and musicology. In 1993 he founded Etienne Siebens rise as conductor to Schönberg. contemporary music ensembles in the SPECTRA ensemble. As artistic international musical prominence, in Belgium and abroad. Thanks to his leader and principal conductor of a period of less than fi ve years, has Delange Artist Management experience in conducting operas, he the ensemble he premiered more been an astonishing phenomenon. Leon de Lange Middenweg 219 was recently invited at the Academia than 150 commissions by a.o. Luca Early on in his career he was already NL - 1098 AN Amsterdam Scala de Milano. Georges-Elie Octors Francesconi, Nicolaus A. Huber and invited to give guest performances The Netherlands conducted a lot of world creations Stefano Gervasoni. He appeared with several orchestras in Belgium T: +31 (0)20.894.35.34 such as Saariaho, Aperghis, Harvey, as guest conductor with Musiques and The Netherlands. Invitations from [email protected] Jarrell, Romitelli, Francesconi, Wood, Nouvelles, I Solisti del Vento, Hermes England, Germany, Italy, France and www.delangeartists.com/ etiennesiebens Pousseur, Boesmans, Hosokawa and Ensemble and the Flemish Radio Choir. Spain were soon to follow. Etienne Jean-Paul Dessy © Isabelle Francaix Etienne Siebens © Marco Borggreve Patrick Davin Filip Rathé 34 35 .5 .6 1 ORCHESTRAS 1 CHOIRS Belgium counts several symphonic OPRL (Orchestre Philharmonique quarius Marc Michael De Smet, orchestras subsidised by the Flemish Royal de Liège) A artistic director Community, the French Community Conductor and musical director: [email protected] Specialisation: Contemporary a cappella or the Federal Authority. Christian Arming Emmy Meirlaen, manager Jean-Pierre Rousseau, general director music, Flemish composers. Labels: Phaedra, [email protected] www.opl.be Naxos, Cypres, Timpani, Megadisc. M: +32(0)475.27.39.97 The Flemish symphonic landscape — is serviced by three orchestras sup- Belgian National Orchestra Aquarius borrows its name from the Aquarius ported by the Flemish Community: Conductor: Stefan Blunier opera of Karel Goeyvaerts (1923-93), Onderbossenaarstraat 12 the Royal Flemish Philharmonic/de Albert Wastiaux, general director perhaps the most important Belgian BE - 9680 Etikhove www.nob-onb.be T: +32 (0)55.30.40.26 Filharmonie (Antwerp), The Flanders composer after 1950, and represents [email protected] Symphony Orchestra/Symfonieorkest innovation, adventure, international- www.gc-aquarius.be deFILHARMONIE/Royal Flemish Vlaanderen (Bruges) and the Brussels ism, erudition and spirituality. The Philharmonic Philharmonic (Brussels). These orches- chamber choir has a warm heart for Chief conductor: Edo De Waart tras are obliged to commission a new Hans Verbugt, general director contemporary music, embracing all work annually, starting in 2012. Thus Geert Riem, artistic director forms where old and new, classical en the new music from Flanders will be www.defi lharmonie.be popular, sacred and secular, progres- fi rmly anchored in their programmes. sive and conservative are combined. The National Orchestra of Belgium The Symphony Orchestra Flanders The choir organises thematic concerts, Conductor: Seikyo Kim resides in Brussels and is federally Dirk Coutigny, general director portraits, creations and multimedia subsidised. This orchestra also com- www.symfonieorkest.be projects. Flemish choir music and missions Flemish or French speaking creations occupy pride of place in the composers every year. Brussels Philharmonic repertoire. Meanwhile Aquarius has Conductor: Michel Tabachnik already given hundreds of concerts, The Liège Royal Philharmonic Orches- Gunther Broucke, general director home and abroad and produced www.brusselsphilharmonic.be tra, who commissioned eight new several CDs and DVDs. works to Belgian composers for its 60th anniversary in 2011, has a long experience with the contemporary repertoire. Among the recent projects are the performance and the record- ing of the music of Pascal Dusapin Aquarius and Bruno Mantovani. 36 37 .7 1 MUSIC THEATRE/OPERA Flemish V Radio RK Choir Specialisation: 20th century Flemish repertoire OD Labels: Glossa, Phaedra, Klara. L The Flemish Radio Choir is a profes- LOD is a Ghent production house Hans Bruneel, artistic direction sional chamber choir of 24 singers for opera and music theatre. For 20 [email protected] whose programme includes works years already, it has guaranteed the Valérie Martino, artistic coordination & international relations from the entire repertoire, with par- creation of pioneering artistic work. [email protected] ticular attention to Flemish and con- LOD works with a range of artists and M: +32 (0)484.59.61.78 temporary music. It was founded in composers like Kris Defoort, Dick van — 1937 by what was then the NIR/INR der Harst, Jan Kuijken, Dominique LOD vzw (the Belgian national broadcasting Pauwels, Daan Janssens and Thomas Bijlokekaai 3 BE - 9000 Ghent corporation). Since 1998, the year Smetryns. The resident artists of LOD T: +32 (0)9.266.11.33 when it became independent from the are known for their contemporary [email protected] network, the choir has grown from a approach of music theatre. With www.LOD.be Brussels Philharmonic studio ensemble into a concert ensem- © Serge Tabachnick projects such as The Woman Who ble. Its close ties with public broad- Walked into Doors, The Soul of the casting can be seen through numerous Ant, House of the Sleeping Beauties, studio productions and participation Wall, The Hanged and Long Grass, in events organised by radio and LOD has met with great enthusiasm television. Nearly all of its concerts Chief conductor: Hervé Niquet in Belgium and abroad. LOD has are recorded by the Flemish classical Gunther Broucke, general director many partners, including deSingel, La Radio station, Klara, and hence the Eugène Flageyplein 18 Monnaie, Vlaamse Opera Ghent, Le choir has built up a unique collection BE - 1050 Brussels Maillon Strasbourg, lemanège.mons, T: +32 (0)2.627.11.60 of recordings, including of works by [email protected] Théâtre National Brussels, Opéra Flemish composers. www.vlaamsradiokoor.be de Lille, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg and L’Hippodrome Douai. LOD © Kurt Van der Elst 38 39 T ransparant W alpurgis Going from the artistic and social Since its foundation in 1989, Wal- topicality, production house Muziek- purgis has specialised in the creation theater Transparant enters into an and development of contemporary intensive dialogue with artists from music theatre in which the singer, both various disciplines and wants to cre- as a creator and as a performer, is ate, renew and present musical thea- the focus of interest. At the basis of tre in its entire diversity for a wide WALPURGIS’s artistic development is audience. The voice is placed fi rmly the idea of the ensemble: a collective at the centre of the projects, and it of free and individual artists working continually blends the old and the together in long term artistic partner- new. Also other disciplines like visual ships. Because none of these artists are arts, fi lm, video, graphics are inte- actually employed on a regular basis, grated in the productions. Transparant they feel free to bring in new ideas is internationally active and it has and experiences during each new performed at many festivals, including project’s development process. As a the Salzburger Festspiele, Edinburgh result all parties involved have had an International Festival, Holland Fes- equal say in Walpurgis’s productions. tival, the KunstenfestivaldesArts, Europalia and at several European Judith Vindevogel, artistic director Capitals of Culture. [email protected] — Walpurgis Guy Coolen & Wouter Van Looy, Deurneleitje 6 artistic direction BE - 2640 Mortsel Transparant © Koen Broos [email protected] T: +32 (0)3.235.66.62 Séverine Windels, sales [email protected] [email protected] www.walpurgis.be Riet Jaeken, international contacts [email protected] For a complete list of music — theatre companies in Flanders Muziektheater Transparant you can visit www.vti.be. Leopoldplaats 10 BE - 2000 Antwerp T: +32 (0)225.17.02 Flanders Opera and La Monnaie [email protected] www.transparant.be commission Belgian composers in coproduction with music thea- tre companies or other cultural companies and arts centres. Flanders Opera Aviel Cahn, general director www.vlaamseopera.be De Munt/La Monnaie Peter De Caluwe, general director Bert van den Akker, director of music www.lamonnaie.be 40 41 P RT 2 RG N S T NS & STR CT R S .1 the Nahandove Ensemble in Brussels. It also publishes a review every two U MUSIC ORGANISATIONS years. Since September 2009, the B 2 Forum des compositeurs is an associ- C ate member of ISCM, and since 2011 - 2.1.a of the European Composers Forum. Union of Belgian Composers ssocations Gilles Gobert, president Founded in 1960, UBC aims at the Bruno De Cat, coordinator promotion and advancement of Bel- A 39 rue Lebeau BE - 1000 Brussels gian Music in the context of national T: +32 (0)2.550.13.35 and international cultural life. The M: +32 (0)497.64.46.62 UBC is supported by SABAM (Belgian [email protected] Society of Authors, Composers and www.compositeurs.be Publishers) and pursues its objectives by taking the following initiatives: lobbying to raise the visibility of Bel- I gian music in their concerts; awarding S prizes to performers, organisers or C production houses who stand up for M - Flanders – the national repertoire; bringing up to International Society of date a catalogue of Belgian works for Contemporary Music educational purposes; an annual hom- age to a Belgian composer, the propa- The Flemish section of ISCM was set gation on internet of the catalogue om Bijlokevest 39 up in 2005. It is an association/plat- compiled by UBC. UBC is a member T: +32 (0)9.223.87.50 form for composers and ensembles, of the European Composers Forum. C [email protected] AV – The Flanders www.ComAV.be as well as promoters, documentation Composers Archipelago centres, musicologists and others deal- Carl Verbraeken, president ing professionally with contemporary c/o SABAM Aarlenstraat 75 - 77 The ‘Flanders Composers Archipelago’ art music. ISCM-Flanders stimulates orum des BE - 1040 Brussels is a group dedicated to the interests the debate about the future of new T: +32 (0)2.286.83.87 of composers active in the Flemish F ompositeurs music and organises activities to www.ubcucb.com part of Belgium. ComAV was founded C promote this music in Belgium and in 2003. Composers of all styles of Settled in Brussels since 2002, Le abroad. One way of doing this is the music are eligible for membership. Forum des compositeurs is an as- compilation of a catalogue of compo- The aims of ComAV are to contribute sociation that currently brings to- sitions with an international potential. to a constructive climate for musical gether about forty composers and ISCM-Flanders also takes part in inter- composition in Flanders and to create performers living in French-speaking national exchange projects. favourable circumstances in which Belgium, with the goal of promoting the broadest possible spectrum of new music in this part of the country. Peter Swinnen, president composers can flourish. The name Each year, this association organises c/o Flanders Music Centre Steenstraat 25 ‘archipelago’ is a metaphor for the Loop Festival as well as other BE - 1000 Brussels composers’ inherent independence. punctual concerts, and collaborates T: +32 (0)2.325.60.83 with projects including workshops for [email protected] ComAV vzw young composers and the ‘Focus on [email protected] Lucien Posman, president our composers’ series, initiated by www.iscm-vlaanderen.be 44 45 .1 organisation offering support in the ree fields of production, administration & F our 2 MUSIC ORGANISATIONS promotion. Cohort also takes care of Y ars meetings with artists & specialists in E the field of the arts & networking Free Your Ears is to be a platform for 2.1.b with other organisations. Cohort is contemporary music of Belgium and an initiative of Ictus; the Antwerp abroad. The unique collaboration nformation ensemble ChampdAction offers between a wide variety of partners I ocumentation advice and support. across the musical landscape, in light of Belgium’s chance to organise the D romotion Cohort vzw ISCM World Music Days in 2012, Nele Geubels, manager was the starting point for this. The site P Van Volxemlaan 164 BE - 1190 Brussels will feature regular updates on con- T: +32 (0)2.340.03.83 temporary music, concerts, festivals [email protected] and composers from Belgium and www.cohort.be abroad. The aim is to build a com- munity around contemporary music and provide more information to the Le casual listener as well as the sea- onseil de la soned amateur. C usique M usic Council for the www.freeyourears.be French-speaking community e reproduction and sales department, Since 1981, the Music Council C e a rental department and a promotion or ganises activities in three principal landers B em service. CeBeDeM is a member of fields: information & publication F usic D IAMIC and IAML. (repertoire of musicians, web por- M entre Belgian Centre for Music tal ‘Intégrale de la musique’ and C Documentation Alain Van Kerckhoven, director magazine Accroches); production of This organisation was established by Avenue du Port 86c concerts (organisation of La Fête de the Flemish government to support P.O. BOX 214 CeBeDem is a non-profit association BE - 1000 Brussels la Musique; concerts and artists resi- the Flemish professional music sector. founded in 1951. Its objective is to T: +32 (0)2.230.94.30 dences in La Maison des Musiques; It promotes music from Flanders by stimulate the expansion of Belgian [email protected] a French Song competition) and editing publications, presence at fairs contemporary music, in Belgium as www.cebedem.be education, training & research (with or organising showcases. Expertise is well as abroad. For that purpose, an important support to specialised encouraged by offering advice, news CeBeDem registers and publishes publications and master classes for and guidance for professionals about the works of its 150 members, re- the music sector). management, the music industry, produces unpublished scores for ohort government policy, social and legal performance or promotion, provides C Claire Monville, director matters, artistic programmes, music orchestral material, collects and gives Cohort is a platform supporting pro- 10 Quai au Bois de Construction education... FMC supports music BE - 1000 Brussels information concerning the affiliated jects and ensembles which originate T: +32 (0)2.209.10.90 research and acts as a platform for composers. The Centre developed dif- from contemporary music. The found- [email protected] exchange of ideas and knowledge. ferent services: a sheet music library, ing members are: Aton’&Armide, www.conseildelamusique.be The documentation centre holds musi- a recording library both with reading Besides, Mangalam!, Nadar, What’s cal scores, books, recordings and and listening room, a publishing, Next‚ Zwerm. Cohort is a non-profit all other useful documentation about 46 47 Flemish musical life. FMC is a member allonie- RT/ of IAMIC, IAML, ISCM-Flanders. W ruxelles V TBF B usiques (W.B.M.) R Stef Coninx, managing director M Belgium was one of the fi rst countries Katrien van Remortel, promotion & W.B.M. is a music ‘export agency’ in the world to experiment with radio. projects classical music, jazz & world Marie-Paule Wouters, that was created in 1984 in order to In the 1930s an exceptional modern documentalist classical music help artists, producers and publishers broadcasting house – the INR – was Steenstraat 25 from the French-speaking community built in Brussels. The design com- BE - 1000 Brussels of Wallonia and Brussels to make bined architectural innovation with T: +32 (0)2.504.90.90 their mark in the musical cultural in- the strictest acoustic and technical [email protected] www.fl andersmusic.be dustry. Since then, W.B.M. has devel- requirements. Today this building has oped its work around different axes, acquired a new role as an arts centre. among which for contemporary music (see p.59: Flagey) Thanks to numerous artists: supporting their presence at distinguished radio producers (a lot of atrix music markets, welcoming foreign them were composers like Pierre Bar- M ew professionals, organising promotional tholomée, Philippe Boesmans, Karel N usic Centre operations, creating promotional Goeyvaerts, André Laporte, Wilfried M tools, supporting the participation in Westerlinck, Boudewijn Buckinx, Elias MATRIX is a documentation and international networks. The agency Gistelinck, Raymond Schroyens,…) education centre for new music. Its is co-managed by Wallonia-Brussels there is a marvellous archive of music library comprises a large collection International (W.B.I.) and the Ministry recordings that is still growing through of books, scores and recordings of of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. recordings of concerts and festivals. post-war music, and information fi les on Flemish composers. All items are Patrick Printz, director Archives of VRT – Flemish Radio catalogued in an online database and Sophie Millecamps, classical & Television: www.vrt.be & contemporary music Contact: Johan Favoreel can be consulted in the reading room. [email protected] [email protected] Moreover, MATRIX organises exhibi- 18 Place E. Flagey (Bte 10) Archives of RTBF – Radio Télévision tions, conducts projects regar ding BE - 1050 Brussels Belge Francophone: www.rtbf.be contemporary heritage and publishes T: + 32 (0)2.218.62.09 Contact: Annick Van Noeyen the series Contemporary Music in [email protected] [email protected] www.wbm.be Flanders. The educational staff or- ganises workshops, classes, amateur Matrix productions, and summer schools, © Pieter Baert in close collaboration with (music) schools, festivals, ensembles, etc. Rebecca Diependaele, coordinator Minderbroedersstraat 48 BE - 3000 Leuven T: +32 (0)16.33.20.43 [email protected] www.matrix-new-music.be Matrix © Stefaan Cordier 48 49 .1 movement and new technologies. Since usiques & 1987, IPEM has been a research centre M echerches 2 MUSIC ORGANISATIONS for musicology, with a focus on music R information retrieval and embodied Musiques & Recherches (1982) is music cognition. IPEM has meanwhile focused on the promotion of electro- 2.1.c grown to a centre with more than 30 acoustic and more particularly acous- researchers working on music. Based matic music. It organises yearly the in- aboratories for on an elaborate network of internation- ternational acousmatic festival ‘L’Espace L xperimental/electronic al collaboration, the institute is currently du Son’ in Brussels, as well as a dozen an attractive place for visiting research- of concerts in Belgium and abroad. E usic & research ers from all over the world. Every two years, it coordinates the M competitions Metamorphoses (acous- IPEM matic composition) and Espace Du Son Prof. Dr. Marc Leman, coordinator (spatialisation). It welcomes composers Blandijnberg 2 BE - 9000 Ghent in residence and provides summer T: +32 (0)9.264.41.26 workshops in its three studios (8.1, 5.1, [email protected] and analogic). It is the publisher of the www.ipem.uGhent.be review Liens and of the CDs Metamor- phoses. Its library contains an extensive number of books, CDs, DVDs, tapes ogos and scores dedicated to electro acoustic L oundation: music and music in general. F entre for new and C experimental music Annette Vande Gorne, artistic director Stéphane Ginsburgh, artistic director 3 Place de Ransbeck entre Henri BE - 1380 Ohain Marie-Isabelle Collart, manager The Logos Foundation is the brainchild C ousseur – Musique Quai Banning, 5 T: +32 (0)2.345.43.68 Pélectronique/ BE - 4000 Liège of composer Godfried-Willem Raes. [email protected] Musique mixte T: +32 (0)4.223.22.98 It is an artist-run centre for new music [email protected] [email protected] and audio-related art, which research- www.musiques-recherches.be The Centre Henri Pousseur (formerly www.memm.be es instrument and robot building and Centre de Recherches et de Forma- human interfaces, including real-time tion Musicales de Wallonie, CRFMW) gesture analysis with sonar and radar. was founded in Liège in 1970 by the I PEM: Its 50 51 Orpheus Research Centre hamp in Music, ORCiM Action .2 Peter Dejans, director C Studio Korte Meer 12 d CONCERT ORGANISATIONS BE - 9000 Ghent / 2 T: +32 (0)9.330.40.81 The studio of ChampdAction (see [email protected] p. 11) has a felicitous location in the www.orpheusinstituut.be 2.2.a former studio of Radio 2. The infra- structure has been expanded to meet estivals contemporary developments in musical F practice, accommodating the techni- cal demands of many contemporary works, but it also wants to be a platform enabling the creation of new works. The studio boasts a mobile system that can work with the same material both for rehearsals and for concerts and an adequate recording system. Composers and performers are invited to explore new possibilities and to pursue them. Serge Verstockt, artistic director Ann Andries, manager deSingel / Studio 3 Jan Van Rijswijcklaan 155 BE - 2018 Antwerp rs T: +32 (0)3.231.57.53 Tarquin Billiet, manager [email protected] A usica Ars Musica Festival www.champdaction.be Galerie Louise 203/1 M BE - 1050 Brussels MARCH – BRUSSELS WITH ACTIVITIES T: +32 (0)2.219.26.60 IN ANTWERP, BRUGES, LIÈGE & MONS [email protected] Founded in 1989 on the initiative of www.arsmusica.be ChampdAction Paul Dujardin, Bernard Foccroulle, Christian Renard, Robert Wangermée, and a handful of other enthusiasts, mergence Ars Musica has developed over the E estival years into a benchmark European F festival. Ars Musica provides a unique OCTOBER – BRUSSELS Specialised in occasion for encounters between the the music of living Belgian composers, cultural institutions of Brussels, Flanders, the Emergence festival is known for its and Wallonia; it attracts and involves eclecticism and for its openness to jazz Belgian and international ensembles as well as to music intended for chil- in a spirit of creativity and open-mind- dren. Music of high quality defended by edness, looking out to Europe and the top level Belgian musicians in a charm- rest of the world. Thanks to its national ing and intimate church has been the and international partnerships, Ars foundation of the festival for 8 years. Musica is very much the driving force of Belgium’s contemporary music scene. Jean-Noël Remiche, artistic director Place de l’Eglise 15 53 BE - 1082 Brussels Flanders Festival Kortrijk munity. ‘Loop’, as its name suggests, pera T: +32 (0)2.469.26.75 Joost Fonteyne, artistic director XI [email protected] Conservatoriumplein 1 dedicates a large part of its concerts to O www.festivalemergence.org BE - 8500 Kortrijk electronic music (acousmatic and live), X T: +32 (0)56.22.64.50 as well as to giving second perfor- BIANNUAL, SPRING – ANTWERP/ [email protected] mances of existing pieces. In 2010 GHENT Opera XXI is a festival with [email protected] www.festivalkortrijk.be the Festival began to extend itself inter- performances, concerts, meetings and ’Espace du nationally, with the invitation of Sami debates concerning contemporary L on Klemola, the Finnish Defun ensemble, music theatre, opera and musical. S and recently Kwartludium+ of Poland. It was founded in 2009 as a coop- OCTOBER – BRUSSELS Annual festival mages eration between deSingel, LOD and of Musiques & Recherches. During five I onores Gilles Gobert, artistic director Muziektheater Transparant, with the days, several thematic concerts are S c/o Le Forum des Compositeurs aim of promoting and further develop- 39 rue Lebeau organised, including monographic END OF NOVEMBER – LIÈGE Festival BE - 1000 Brussels ing actual opera creation in Flanders. concerts of international & Belgian of live electronics organised by the T: +32 (0)2.550.13.35 Also other institutes such as Champ- composers, as well as the spatialisa- Centre Henri Pousseur since 1999. M: +32 (0) 497.64.46.62 dAction, Flanders Music Centre and tion competition l’Espace du Son, and During 3 evenings, it gives perfor- [email protected] the Institute for the Performing Arts are once every two years the competition mances of commissions achieved in www.compositeurs.be involved in the organisation. Metamorphoses. its computer music studio by Belgian and international composers, as well Jerry Aerts, director deSingel Annette Vande Gorne, artistic director as concerts focused on the repertoire usica Aviel Cahn, director Flanders Opera Guy Coolen, director Transparant 3 Place de Ransbeck of mixed music, i.e. works for acoustic M ntima BE - 1380 Ohain Hans Bruneel, director LOD [email protected] instruments and real time electronics I www.operaxxi.be [email protected] which is precisely the specific acti- EVERY YEAR IN MAY/JUNE AND IN www.musiques-recherches.be vity of the Centre Henri Pousseur. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER – LIÈGE It also premieres mixed-music by the Musica Intima is an experimental art Conservatory of Liège composition festival dedicated to a dual objective: ropulse students through a ‘carte blanche’ to to engineer situations of such nature P estival landers this institution. that the artist’s world can be fully F F estival grasped with its roots and poetic off- FEBRUARY – FLAGEY, BRUSSELS F ortrijk Stéphane Ginsburgh, artistic director shoots and his vision shared; and to Propulse is organised by the dissemi- K Quai Banning, 5 widen the scope of what is contempo- nation department of the Federation B - 4000 Liège TWO WEEKS AFTER EASTER – CITY OF T: +32 (0)4.223.22.98 rary music: to challenge ‘contempo’ Wallonia-Brussels. It is a showcase for KORTRIJK Flanders Festival Kortrijk [email protected] / www.memm.be creation in the strict sense of the term professionals, aiming at facilitating is the youngest addition to the Flan- to ‘transverse creations’ with grada- the international and national mobility ders Festival network. For three years tions and nuances, inter-style migra- of the performers as well as improving the festival has been presenting a tions, and hence to further a fresh the functioning of the network. mixed program with a strong focus on OOP nomad’s approach to soul and space, con temporary music and sound art. L estival thoughts about an open world, away Sophie Millecamps, coordinator for Flanders Festival Kortrijk is recognised F from terrorism of territories… classical and contemporary music Service de la Diffusion des Arts de internationally for the presentation LAST WEEKEND OF NOVEMBER – la Scène de la Fédération Jean-Pierre Peuvion, artistic director and the creation of sound art, a.o. BRUSSELS Initiated in 2008, the LOOP Wallonie-Bruxelles 22, quai Mativa Boulevard Léopold II, 44 as a key partner in the European Festival is the annual event organised BE - 4020 Liège BE - 1080 Brussels net work for sound art Resonance. by Le Forum des Compositeurs. The T: +32 (0)4.341.42.03 T: +32 (0)2.413.21.59 With the same enthusiasm the festival concert programme aims at giving [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] defends and supports the work of a showcase of the diversity of music www.propulsefestival.be contemporary composers. in the Belgian French-speaking com- www.lesalonmativa.be 54 55 RANSIT BE - 9000 Ghent M: +32 (0)496.53.75.53 .2 T [email protected] END OF OCTOBER – CONCERTS/ www.hardscore.be/festival 2 CONCERT ORGANISATIONS DEBATE/ LECTURE/ RECITAL/ EDUCA- TIONAL PROJECTS, LEUVEN TRANSIT is a three-day contemporary music event. The trademarks are a hat’s 2.2.b focus on premieres and a healthy mix W ext rts centres of Flemish and international new mu- N estival sic. The TRANSIT festival programme F A promises exciting concerts: premieres END OF MARCH – LA RAFFINERIE, & oncert halls by very young, young and somewhat MOLENBEEK BRUSSELS FESTIVAL C less young Flemish composers, and What’s Next distinguishes itself from premieres by a select company of other events by presenting young composers from abroad. TRANSIT talent only. It offers a platform for the presents Flemish new music to the many new, young and adventurous world. Performers and composers are ensembles, bands, composers and provided with an international forum. sound artists who are trying to find their way in the music landscape TRANSIT New Music Festival today. Offering short, but powerful Marc Delaere, artistic director concert moments of about 30 minutes Brusselsestraat 63 uziekcentrum BE - 3000 Leuven by each artist/ensemble, What’s Next MUZ M ijloke T: +32 (0)16.20.05.40 attempts to win, in addition to the fans de [email protected] of contemporary music, also other A B [email protected] people who are intrigued by this ANTWERP AMUZ is an international GHENT A historic setting embraced www.transitfestival.be surprising world of sounds. music centre, hosting cultural, educa- by contemporary architecture is the tional and scholarly activities. Its concert material expression of what music What’s Next programme is inspired by the criteria centre De Bijloke stands for: a commit- oorwaarts Maart/ Fabian Coomans, artistic director of Historically Informed Performance ment towards the past and the future. n avant Mars De Winterstraat 20 V BE - 2140 Borgerhout (HIP): on the basis of a historically valid The selection of music unfolds in series E M: +32 (0)495.11.19.03 approach, music from all periods is going from early music, chamber and MARCH – DE BIJLOKE MUSIC CENTRE [email protected] presented in a creative and accessible symphonic repertoire to non-western Voorwaarts Maart/En avant Mars is an www.whats-next.be way. Contemporary music is not the art music and jazz. De Bijloke hosts annual, adventurous music festival, a focal point of AMUZ’ activities, but is the festival Voorwaarts Maart and collaboration between vzw Hardscore regularly featured in its programme, (co-)produces several multimedia mu- and De Bijloke Music Centre, focusing often in a dialogue with other (historical) sic projects. Concerts devoted to con- upon new and pretty fragile work from repertoires, other arts or multimedia. temporary music are also integrated composers old and young, though all to the regular programming. working and writing in a broad array AMUZ of styles and idioms. Young ensembles Bart Demuyt, artistic director Muziekcentrum De Bijloke Ghent Kammenstraat 81 Daan Bauwens, are invited to showcase these pieces, BE - 2000 Antwerp general & artistic director highlighted by live graphics. T: +32 (0)3 202.46.69 Frank Pauwels, artistic coordinator [email protected] Bijlokekaai 7 VZW Hardscore [email protected] BE - 9000 Ghent Frank Nuyts, artistic director www.amuz.be T: +32 (0)9.225.68.78 Jakob Heremansstraat 74 Capacity: 399 [email protected] 56 57 [email protected] overriding principle. This vision is lagey Handelsbeurs Concertzaal www.debijloke.be Michael Joostens, artistic director Capacity: main concert hall (1150), adequately translated in concrete se- F Liesbeth Devoogdt, programming Kraakhuis (<250), historical audito- ries and festivals where contemporary BRUSSELS Flagey is a world-class cen- classical & contemporary music rium (80), historical library (<100) music takes pride of place, including tre run by both language communities Kouter 29 commissioned works and creations. and devoted to music and the moving BE - 9000 Ghent T: +32 (0)9.265.91.60 A new initiative is the Sound Factory, image. Flagey is where different artistic [email protected] an interactive space for sound art on disciplines can meet, exchange ideas, [email protected] ozar – a top floor, concurrently offering a discover one another and work to- www.handelsbeurs.be B entre for fabulous view of the city. gether. Jazz, world, classical and con- Capacity: seated (350), standing (750) C ine Arts temporary music are played here, but F Concertgebouw Brugge film and video also feature prominently, BRUSSELS Bozar organises concerts, Jeroen Vanacker, artistic director with frequent encounters between these ‘t Zand 34 aaitheater big international exhibitions, cinema, BE - 8000 Bruges worlds. The acoustic qualities of the theatre, dance, literature, architecture T: +32 (0)50.47.69.99 building make it a key player both in K and educational initiatives in the [email protected] Brussels and the whole of Belgium. BRUSSELS Kaaitheater presents thea- splendid centre for Fine Arts designed [email protected] tre, dance and concerts with special by Henry Van de Velde. Classical www.concertgebouw.be Flagey focus on innovative work. The core www.sound-factory.be music, world music and jazz: produc- Gilles Ledure, director task is to organise productions of its Capacity: main concert hall (1289) Maarten Van Rousselt, tions with the highest standards and and chamber music hall (<322) artistic coordinator own as well as co-productions with with a cosmopolitan vision provide Rue du Belvédère 27/5 artists and groups from Belgium and this site with a voice in the cultural BE - 1050 Brussels abroad. For Contemporary Music ambiance of Brussels. For the Con- T: +32 (0)2 641.10.10 concerts Kaaitheater relies on contri- temporary Music concert series Bozar space info@flagey.be butions by Ictus and Bozar. enghor maarten@flagey.be relies on Ictus ensemble. E www.flagey.be S Capacity: Studio 4 (502-971) Hugo Vanden Driessche, Paul Dujardin, BRUSSELS Though not specialised Studio 1 (136 + 46) +... general director Guy Gypens, artistic director CEO & artistic director in contemporary music, l’Espace Christian Renard, Akenkaai 2 director Bozar music Senghor organises each year numer- BE - 1000 Brussels Ravensteinstraat 23 ous concerts of new music, collabo- T: +32 (0)2.201.58.58 BE - 1000 Brussels rating with the main ensembles of the andelsbeurs [email protected] T: +32 (0)2.507.84.30 community and of the country. It has H oncertzaal [email protected] www.kaaitheater.be [email protected] hosted a series ‘Focus on our com- C [email protected] Capacity: main hall (750), studio (100) www.bozar.be posers’ and is a partner of le Forum GHENT Handelsbeurs Concertzaal is Capacity: Henry Le Boeuf concert hall des Compositeurs for organising the a concert venue in the city centre of (2100), chamber music hall (480), LOOP Festival. Ghent. Its concert programme represents Studio (210), small theatre (159) +… a wide variety of styles and genres such Le Espace Senghor as pop, rock, blues and classical music. anège Marie-Christine Ecrepont, program- The classical music series focuses on ming classical & contemporary music M chamber music from 1750 till now and ons oncertgebouw Chaussée de Wavre 366 . BE - 1040 Brussels includes five to six special concerts dedi- M C T: +32 (0)2.230.31.40 cated to contemporary classical music. MONS Le manège.mons was founded BRUGES The ‘Concertgebouw’ was [email protected] As a result of their close cooperation for in 2002 by the fusion of several cul- built to celebrate Bruges’ turn as cul- [email protected] many years, the Belgian ensemble Ictus tural institutions of the city. Six main www.senghor.be tural capital of Europe in 2002. It is Capacity: 120 presents each season at Handelsbeurs venues offer a broad spectrum of cul- an international centre for music and Concertzaal two projects offering new tural events, including contemporary the performing arts. Creativity is the music in an original format. dance, all sorts of concerts, innovative 58 59 festivals as well as thematic series: oyal Theatre eSingel the Royal theatre for traditional forms R d international arts campus and classical music; the ‘Théâtre le NAMUR With many creations in the ANTWERP deSingel is a vibrant Manège’ for contemporary theatre theatre and dance fi elds, the Royal campus for the arts offering a contem- and dance; the ‘Carré des Arts’ for Theatre also presents a rich musical porary and international programme Summer festivals; the ‘Arbalestriers season. Managed by the Philhar- of the highest quality in the fi elds of hall’ for participating, new forms, monic Society, it features each year theatre, dance, music theatre, music residencies, seminars and the Audito- several new music works and new and architecture. The core task consists rium Abel Dubois mainly dedicated music ensembles. of showing contemporary artistic pro- to the younger audience. duction and making it accessible for a Théâtre de Namur larger public. This concerns both work De Singel Le Manège.Mons asbl Patrick Colpé, general director by foreign artists and ‘native’ work © Stijn Bollaert Marylène Toussaint, artistic director Jean-Paul Dessy, artistic director that aligns itself with the international Rue des Sœurs Noires 4A Place du Théâtre 2 BE - 7000 Mons BE - 5000 Namur character of the centre’s orientation. T: +32(0)65.39.98.00 T: +32 (0)81.25.61.61 Presentation and production happen in [email protected] [email protected] coherent wholes and are justifi ed to the www.lemanege.com [email protected] public by information and education. Capacity: Royal Theatre (1026); www.theatredenamur.be Theatre le Manège (600); Capacity: 740 deSingel international arts campus Auditorium Abel Dubois (300); Jerry Aerts, artistic director Arbalestriers Hall (200) Desguinlei 25 BE - 2018 Antwerp T: +32 (0)3.244.19.20 [email protected] hilharmonic [email protected] P all www.desingel.be Capacity: Blue Hall (968), Red Hall H (801), Theatre Studio (240), Music LIÈGE Having been completely reno- Studio (145), Small Hall (90) vated in 1998, the Philharmonic Hall is since 2000 administrated by the Liège Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. With a very good acoustics, the hall is also frequently used as a record- ing studio by masters such as Martha Argerich or Philippe Herreweghe. Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège – Salle Philharmonique Jean-Pierre Rousseau, general director De Bijloke © Bruno Bollaert Christian Arming, musical director Boulevard Piercot, 25-27 BE - 4000 Liège T: +32 (0)4.220.00.10 [email protected] www.opl.be Capacity: 1100 Concertgebouw © Filip Dujardin 60 61 .2 N adine Q -O2 2 CONCERT ORGANISATIONS Nadine is an arts laboratory aimed Q-O2 has been a workspace for experi- at developing research focusing on mental contemporary music and sound transdisciplinary experiments in the art since 2006, its activities being cen- 2.2.c fi elds of new media and live arts. tred around process and research. In Nadine is a fl exible and evolving musical terms Q-O2 mainly explores orking spaces project that doesn’t shy away from three lines of approach: improvisation W questioning itself, with a view to (both acoustic and electronic), com- being abreast with the constantly posed music and installation/sound art. changing needs of the artists. In practice, Q-O2 offers working resi- dencies to artists, carries out projects in Loes Jacobs, coordinator collaboration with (inter)national art Herderstraat 30 organisations and hosts performances BE - 1050 Brussels T: + 32 (0)2.513.41.04 and concerts in its own space. [email protected] www.nadine.be Q-O2 Julia Eckhardt, artistic coordinator Koolmijnenkaai 30-34 BE - 1080 Brussels T: +32 (0)2.245.48.24 [email protected] ains Connective – www.q-o2.b BArt Laboratory Bains Connective was founded in 1997 in Brussels as an artistic labora- tory offering residencies in the fi elds of music, dance, visual arts... Every pro- fessional artist can apply for a residen- cy, whatever the experience, age, dis- cipline, culture or nationality. BC tries to create an open atmosphere where dialogue, experiment and exchange are essential. The result is a fertile environment for cross-disciplinary re- search and innovation. To support the need to develop, show and progress, BC organises Lab Outs (showings of work in progress), lounges with artistic Bains Connective interventions and theme periods. Q-O2 Lilia Mestre, artistic coordinator Bondgenotenstraat 54 Q-O2 BE - 1190 Vorst © Michael Vorfeld T: +32 (0)2.534.48.55 [email protected] www.bains.be 62 63 .3 2 HIGHER MUSIC EDUCATION oyal Conservatory of oyal Conservatory of oyal Conservatory of rpheus R iège R russels R ons O nstitute L B M I Boulevard Piercot, 29 Regentschapsstraat 30 7, rue de Nimy The Orpheus Institute for advanced BE - 4000 Liège BE - 1000 Brussels BE - 7000 Mons studies and research in music has T:+32 (0)4.222.03.06 T: +32 (0)65.34.73.77 [email protected] Flemish community [email protected] been providing an enriching educa- www.crlg.be T: +32 (0)2.513.45.87 www.conservatoire-mons.be tional and research environment for Head of department: Bernard Dekaise [email protected] Head of department: André Foulon musicians since 1996, and introduced Professors of composition: Michel Fourgon, www.kcb.be Professors of composition: Claude Ledoux, the first doctoral programme for per- Gilles Gobert, Denis Bosse Head of department: Peter Swinnen Gilles Gobert, Geoffrey François formers and composers in Flanders Professors of composition: Jurgen De Pillecyn, Franklin Gyselynck, Jan D’Haene, (docARTES), now one of Europe’s Jan Van Landeghem, Kristin Desmedt, leading doctoral schools in music. Hogeschool voor Ann Kuppens, Hans Van Daele, Wouter chool of Arts – The laureate programme allows wetenschap & kunst – Lenaerts, Sofie Van Herle S onservatory of students to conduct practice-oriented emmens Institute hent research into subjects related to their French-speaking community C L euven T: +32 (0)2 511 04 27 G professional activities whereas the L www.conservatoire.be This conservatory offers a specific doctoral title is awarded to musicians Herestraat 53 Head of department: Frédéric de Roos master after master for soloists in who can demonstrate their ability to BE - 3000 Leuven Professors of composition: Daniel Capeletti, contemporary music, in collaboration combine artistic performances with Michel Lysight, Hao-Fu Zhang T: +32 (0)16.23.39.67 with the Spectra Ensemble and Ictus. systematic theoretical reflection. [email protected] It also organises a annual festival of www.lemmens.be Peter Dejans, director Head of department: Marc Erkens contemporary music. Korte Meer 12 Professors of composition: Jeroen D’hoe, onservatory of BE - 9000 Ghent Piet Swerts, Jan Van der Roost, Luc van Hove, ntwerp Hoogpoort 64 C T: +32 9 330 40 81 Martin Valcke BE - 9000 Ghent A [email protected] T: +32 (0)9.269.20.00 Desguinlei 25 www.orpheusinstituut.be BE - 2018 Antwerp [email protected] T: +32 (0)3.244.18.00 http://cons.hoGhent.be MEP – Institut Supérieur de [email protected] Decaan School of Arts: IMusique et Pédagogie Namur www.artesis.be/conservatorium Wim De Temmerman Head of department: Pascale De Groote Professors of composition: 28, rue Juppin Godfried-Willem Raes, Frank Nuyts BE - 5000 Namur Professors of composition: Wim Henderickx, [email protected] Luc Van Hove, Alain Craens www.imep.be T: +32 (0)81.73.64.37 Head of department: Guido Jardon Professor of music writing: Jean-Michel Gillard 64 65 .4 .5 2 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS 2 MEDIA FOR COMPOSITION The TAALKAART rescendo- actus – ueen ‘ agazine lisabeth oung composers’ S C Q T The magazine STAALKAART offers a ompetition for Forum M E Y broad panorama of cultural events in Issued every two months, it was Bel- omposition C Since 2004, ‘Tactus organises every Flanders and Brussels. STAALKAART gium’s only general publication in the An internationally renowned contest two years an international call for deals with classical and early music, classical music field. One hundred for piano, violin and voice respectively. works for scores for orchestra, by opera, jazz, literature, theatre, dance, numbers were published in about 15 For the set work that the laureates have composers under 35. The selected and the visual arts. (in Dutch) years. The last number was issued in to perform during the finale, a com- composers attend a one-week work- the spring of 2009, but the website position contest is held for composers shop with the composers who made STAALKAART of the magazine is now being used to from any country. In the semi-finals the the selection and a professional or- Lieven de Laet, editor publish important information as well p/a Decom candidates are obliged to perform a chestra, during which open rehearsals ‘t Hofveld 6c4 as offering the possibility to download new Belgian commissioned work. and sessions take place. The laureates BE - 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden all articles. (in French) then have their work performed on a [email protected] Further information on www.cmireb.be tour by several partner orchestras and www.staalkaart.be Bernadette Beyne & recorded on a CD. Michèle Debra, editors Rue du Château d’Eau 111 BE - 1180 Brussels Further information on www.tactus.be arelbeke T: +32 (0)2.375.94.44 Les [email protected] H oncert Band ahiers de l’ACME www.crescendo-magazine.be Composition Contest C The Town of Harelbeke’s aim, in étamorphoses In French ACME stands for ‘Atelier holding a biennial International Com- M Créatif de Musique Electroacoustique’ position Contest, is to consolidate its Biennial acousmatic competition or- (Creative Workshop for Electro acoustic Les position as a ‘Town of Music’ on the ganised by Musiques & Recherches. Music). Since 1981, ACME has been arnets du world map. This contest is targeted (Acousmatic = pre-recorded work publishing its cahiers (“notebooks”) C orum specifically on contemporary work composed in studio, diffused on dedicated to the news of electroacoustic F in the sector of music for wind and loudspeakers in concert without the technologies of sound creation and of In 2006 ‘le Forum des Compositeurs’ percussion instruments. In its role as intervention of live sound sources). music, as well as of its users. (in French) initiated a new publication: les Car- a Town Council, its aim is to motivate nets du Forum. This review is issued composers and performers and to Further information on Paul Snaps every two years and aims at giving provide a window onto the world. www.musiques-recherches.be M: +32 (0)475.78.44.38 composers, performers and other [email protected] www.cahiersacme.com ‘music thinkers’ a place for debate Further information on www.ccharelbeke.com and free expression, as well as for 66 67 broadening the spectrum of their PUBLIC BROADCASTING Carine Bratzlavsky, Unfortunately, Flanders cannot pride itself any director Arte Belgique longer on a periodical of its own for classical activities. This publication benefits COMPANIES Benoît Jacques de Dixmude, and contemporary music. Fortunately the from the support of ‘Le Conseil de la director Musiq’3 most important newspapers and weeklies Musique’. (in French) In 1960, the Belgian national radio Pascale Labrie, coordinator Musiq’3 (De Morgen, De Standaard, Knack) still employ INR split into linguistic identities: the Boulevard Auguste Reyers, 52 a number of competent journalists. A survey is Michel Fourgon, editor BE - 1044 Brussels available on www.flandersmusic.be. VRT, the RTB(F) and BRF, which are www.rtbf.be 2, rue de l’Eglise since then the public broadcasting BE - 4987 La Gleize www.arte-belgique.be For up to date information see Oorgetuige, [email protected] companies respectively for the Flem- an active and professional weblog with news, M: + 32 (0)496.54.52.57 ish-, the French- and German-speak- interviews, concert announcements and reports www.compositeurs.be ing communities, and members of the on the ins and outs of the contemporary scene. www.oorgetuige.be European Broadcasting Union. RT – Flemish Radio and Television V Furthermore, Ruis is a free mini periodical about Klara is the cultural channel of VRT. It avant-garde composers and art with an agenda rchipel – RF – Belgischer Rundfunk offers classical, jazz, and world music for underground music in the Netherlands and rchipelago A B as well as cultural information. The Belgium, interviews, reviews and cartoons [La Médiathèque] issued by K-RAA-K3. www.kraak.net A Belgischer Rundfunk (BRF) (Belgian programmes include live regional Conceived and developed by ‘La Broadcasting) is based in Eupen and concerts and concerts originating Mediatheque of the French community produces one television and three from the EBU. Klara has its own CD of Belgium’, Archipel is a website radio channels. BRF1 is the speech label, organises concerts and awards (which is also available as fixed but and entertainment network with a for the best artists of the year. Cobra. movable terminals) that proposes an specialist programme covering be is the general cultural platform exploration of modern music based classical music. for all brands of the VRT. TV channel on an intuitive approach: media Canvas is the ideal guide for those are gathered together on ‘thematic BRF Studio Sankt Vith who foster broad interests and are Vennbahnstraße 4, Briefkasten 3 islands’, according to the similarity of BE - 4780 Sankt Vith keen to stay informed about current the creative approach of the artists. T: +32 (0)80.31.00.30 affairs, science, history, culture, Each ‘Archipelago’ can be visited by www.brf.be fiction, humour, and sports. exploring the islands that constitute it, by clicking on the white stones that Walter Couvreur, indicate the key works of the archi- manager cultural production unit Chantal Pattyn, manager Klara pelago, or by using the glossary. TBF – Belgian French- speaking radio and Mark Coenen, manager Canvas (in French) R Peter Cockx, editor Cobra.be television A. Reyerslaan 52 Sébastien Biset, project coordinator Musiq’3 is the cultural channel of BE - 1043 Brussels La Médiathèque RTBF. Among other programmes dedi- www.vrt.be 6, place de l’Amitié BE - 1160 Brussels cated to classical music, jazz, world [email protected] music and French song, Musiq’3 www.archipels.be has a special contemporary music www.lamediatheque.be programme (BigBang!) and organises since recently its own festival, as open- ing of the ‘Wallonia Festival’. Arte- Belgique, associated member of ARTE, is since 2006 the principal cultural TV channel of French-Speaking Belgium, focusing on Belgian artists, with programmes in French and in Flemish. 68 69 .6 .7 2 PUBLISHERS 2 RECORD/DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES Many young composers choose to make their scores available on their websites. It is therefore advisable to contact the com- poser directly when looking for scores of a certain work. New Consonant Music Euprint Metropolis Music AMG Records Fuga Libera Pavane Records Digital music publisher Parkbosstraat 3 Publishers (Distribution) (AMG distr.) (Codaex distr.) www.newconsonant-music.com BE - 3001 Heverlee Kloosterstraat 2 Rue du Bosquet, 31 Outhere S.A. Division of La Boîte T: +32 (0)16.40.40.49 BE - 2870 Ruisbroek-Puurs BE - 1400 Nivelles Eikstraat 27 à Musique SA Beriato Music [email protected] T: +32 (0)486.20.88.42 T: +32 (0)67.21.02.48 BE - 1000 Brussels Coudenberg 74 www.eurprint.be [email protected] T: +32 (0)2.373.82.03 BE - 1000 Brussels Montfortstraat 1 offi[email protected] www.amg-records.com [email protected] T: +32 (0)2.513.09.65 BE - 2550 Kontich www.metropolis-music.com www.fugalibera.com [email protected] T: +32 (0)3.888.49.89 European Music Festival www.pavane.com [email protected] for Young People Percussion Music Europe Beriato Music Toekomstlaan 7 bus 2 www.beriato.com Langveld 6 see p. 70: Publishers Klara BE - 3910 Neerpelt BE - 3300 Tienen (Codaex distr.) Phaedra T: +32 (0)11.66.23.39 Cebedem T: +32 (0)16.78.22.70 In collaboration with the labels (Codaex distr.) [email protected] Codaex Belgium Et’cetera, Universal Classics Phaedra CD Avenue du port 86C / www.pmeurope.com www.emj.be (Distribution) and EMI. Donkerstraat 51 P.O. Box 214 Larenstraat 58 see p. 69: Media BE - 9120 Beveren BE - 1000 Brussels Zodiac Editions BE - 3560 Lummen T: +32 (0)3.755.40.37 T: +32 (0)2.230.94.30 Golden River Music Works of Flemish Composer T: +32 (0)13.35.20.60 Korte Haagstraat 13 [email protected] [email protected] Piet Swerts [email protected] Logos Public Domain BE - 9200 Dendermonde www.phaedracd.com www.cebedem.be [email protected] www.codaex.com (Logos Foundation distr.) [email protected] www.zodiaceditions.eu Logos Foundation www.goldenrivermusic.be Centrum voor Vocale Kongostraat 35 Sub Rosa Cypres BE - 9000 Ghent Vonckstraat 66 Muziek (AMG distr.) T: +32 (0)9.223.80.89 BE - 1030 Brussels (Centre of vocal Music) HRDSCR Kastafior bvba Jakob Heremansstraat 74 [email protected] [email protected] Zirkstraat 36 Aalststraat 7 BE - 9000 Ghent www.logosfoundation.org www.subrosa.net BE - 2000 Antwerp BE - 1000 Brussels [email protected] T: +32 (0)3.237.96.43 T: +32 (0)2.213.36.65 www.hardscore.be [email protected] [email protected] Megadisc Classics Talent Records www.koorenstem.be www.cypres-records.com (Codaex distr.) DOMusic Lantro Music Belgium Albert Vanderkinderestraat 24 Letterkundestraat 24 BE - 1080 Molenbeek BE - 2610 Wilrijk Digital Print Music Beigemsesteenweg 8 Et’cetera BE - 1850 Grimbergen T: +32 (0)2.223.43.50 T: +32 (0)3.827.70.87 De Waghemakerestraat 14 (Codaex distr.) T: +32 (0)2.270.43.13 [email protected] [email protected] BE - 2060 Antwerp Prinsengracht 17 [email protected] www.megadisc-classics.com www.talentrecords.be T: +32 (0)3.232.21.51 NL - 1015 DK Amsterdam www.lantro.be [email protected] T: +31 (0)20.612.97.24 www.dmp.be [email protected] Montefagorum www.etcetera-records.com Sterrebos 30 BE - 3512 Stevoort T: +32 (0)497.40.60.34 [email protected] www.montefagorum.be 70 71 P RT 3 DD T N L NF RM T N .1 3 ABOUT THE CULTURAL POLICY In Belgium the culture policy belongs to the competence of the 3.1.a communities. This means that the country no longer has one Federal landers Ministry of Culture, but three, respectively for the Flemish and German communities, and the Federation Wallonia-Brussels. Each F Ministry of Culture has its own Agency for carrying out its policy. In Flanders it is the ‘Agency for Art & Heritage’. For the Wallonia- Rules for subsidies have been subsumed under one single decree for the arts Brussels Federation, it is the ‘General Culture Agency – Performing that is valid for all disciplines of the fine arts. Arts General Service’ and ‘Wallonia-Brussels International’. Even foreign organisers/producers can take advantage of subsidies. Listed below is a short survey of the most important subsidies: INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS The ‘international project’ concept refers to the following activities: international tours, co-productions, exchanges, etc. Evidently it is important for the project to be significantly embedded in the Flemish context. WORK VISITS: RESIDENCIES By work visits are meant (long-term) visits of Flemish artists or members of arts organisations abroad to work with (prominent) arts institutions or under the guidance of prominent foreign artists. CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATION AND TRANSPORT COSTS FROM AND TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES By these contributions are meant: allowances for travel, accommodation or transport costs. The main concern is the active participation of artists, critics, curators, mediators and organisations from Flanders in small-scale initiatives abroad. Exceptionally, an allowance can also be granted to foreign guests who have been invited to Flanders. COMPOSITION COMMISSIONS Foreigners who commission a Flemish composer are also in a position to apply for a subsidy. It is paid directly to the patron. The enabling condition to apply is the (private) agreement between patron and composer. 74 75 INTERNATIONAL NETWORK ORGANISATIONS the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and the French Community Commission of By these are meant organisations that unite members around a certain topic or the Brussels-Capital Region. The department specialised in the field of music is sector. Members are recruited internationally. The aim of these networks is (1) ‘Wallonie-Bruxelles Musiques’ (W.B.M.). (see p. 48) to exchange and build up know-how around a certain topic or sector and on the basis of that (2) to contribute to influencing an international cultural policy. W.B.I. supports Belgian music professionals from the Wallonia-Brussels These networks are eligible for subsidisation depending on the added value Federation to go abroad in the following ways: they provide for Flemish members and on the support and impact they may — Mobility: payment or contribution to the travel costs of artists/lecturers; have at international fora. — Promotion of sound material: financial contribution to press expenses; — Financial support of a promotional tour of a performer/group; Network organisations that are currently being supported are IAMIC (Interna- — Financial contribution for external markets prospection travels. tional Association of Music Information Centres); IETM (International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts); EFA (European Festival Association). W.B.I. supports the organisation of international events in Wallonia and Brussels in the following ways: — Financial contribution to the hosting of foreign producers; FURTHER INFORMATION — Financial support to the hosting and/or the payment of artists in the frame Department of the Arts of organising international festivals; T: +32 (0)2.553.68.42 — For concert producers, financial contribution to a tour of foreign artists. www.kunstenenerfgoed.be FURTHER INFORMATION Wallonia-Brussels International 2, Place Sainctelette BE - 1080 Brussels T: +32 (0)2.421.82.11 3.1.b [email protected] www.wbi.be allonia- W russels Wallonia-Brussels Music B ederation see p. 48 F General Service for the Perfoming Arts www.artsscene.cfwb.be THE CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC SERVICE As one of the six sectors under the control of the General Service for the Per- forming Arts, the Classical Music service aims to promote, sustain and develop the mobility of professional ensembles and performers, and to develop the musi- cal contemporary creation in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.This mission is accomplished in particular by according grants to institutions, organisations, performers, composers, and by supporting the production of CD recordings. WALLONIA-BRUSSELS INTERNATIONAL (W.B.I.) W.B.I. is the public administration in charge of the international relations of Wallonia-Brussels. It is the tool of international politics managed by Wallonia, 76 77 .2 3 INTERESTING READINGS ON CONTEMPORARY MUSIC IN BELGIUM Buckinx, B.: De kleine pomo of de muziek- Fourgon M.: Les carnets du Forum, vol. 2, geschiedenis van het postmodernisme, Forum des compositeurs, 2010 Alamire, Peer, 1994 Franck, P. & Dessy J-P.: Sons en mutation, Defoort, A. (red): Lexicon van de Muziek in Editions « La Lettre Volée », 2003 West-Vlaanderen, 7 dln + 4cd, Brugge 2000-2006 Grijp L.P. e.a. (red): Een muziekgeschiedenis der Nederlanden, Amsterdam University Press, Delaere, M – Knockaert Y. & Sabbe H.: Amsterdam, 2001 Nieuwe Muziek in Vlaanderen, Stichting Kunstboek, Brugge, 1998 Janssens J., Olaerts A., De Moor M. (ed.): Music Theatre in Flanders, Perspectives on the Delaere M. & Beirens M.: ‘Minimal Music landscape, VTI/Flanders Music Centre, 2009 in the Low Countries’, in Tijdschrift van de Koninklijke Vereniging voor Nederlandse Levaux T. (red): Dictionnaire des composi- Muziekgeschiedenis, 2004, nr. 1, pp. 31-78 teurs de Belgique du moyen âge à nos jours, Editions art in Belgium, 2006 Delaere M. & Compeers J. (ed.): Contem- porary Music in Flanders, MATRIX, Leuven, Leirens C.: Belgian Music, New York, 1963 I. Flemish String Quartets since 1950 (2004); II. Flemish Piano Music since 1950 (2005); Knockaert Y.: Vlaanderen en de nieuwe III. Flemish Symphonic Music since 1950 muziek, in Gids Kunst in Vlaanderen, suppl. (2006); IV. Flemish Ensemble Music since 2008, Kluwer, Mechelen. 1950 (2007); V. Flemish Music Theatre since Text can be consulted at 1950 (2008); VI. Flemish Tape Music since www.flandersmusic.be 1950 (2010); VII. Flemish Chamber Music since 1950 (2011) Martin S.: Ars musica, 20 ans d’aventures Series of publications with a historical musicales, Mardaga, 2009 introduction, articles on selected Works, an inventory and a CD with listening Pirenne C.: Les musiques nouvelles en samples. Available at Matrix or at Wallonie et à Bruxelles, Mardaga, 2004 Flanders Music Centre. Roquet F.: Lexicon Vlaamse componisten Delaere M. & Wennekens E.: Contemporary geboren na 1800, Roularta Books, 2007 Music in the Low Countries, Ons Erfdeel, 2006 (Available in six languages: Dutch, Robijns J. & Zijlstra M.: Algemene French, German, English, Spanish on http:// Muziekencyclopedie, 10 delen, Haarlem, www.ons erfdeel.be/en/uit_boeken.asp) 1979-1984 Fourgon M.: Les carnets du Forum, vol. 1, Forum des compositeurs, 2008 78 This guide is published by Flanders Music Centre in collaboration with Wallonie-Bruxelles Musiques, Le Conseil de la Musique, ISCM-Flanders, and le Forum des Compositeurs. EDITORS Katrien van Remortel, Marie Paule Wouters, Bruno De Cat GRAPHIC DESIGN Mies Van Roy — www.miesvanroy.be + Astrid De Prez TRANSLATION & EDITING Joris Duytschaever Muziekcentrum Vlaanderen Forum Des Compositeurs Steenstraat 25 39 rue Lebeau BE - 1000 Brussels BE - 1000 Brussels Belgium Belgium T: +32 (0)2.504.90.90 T: +32 (0)2.550.13.35 [email protected] [email protected] www.fl andersmusic.be www.compositeurs.be