Artists explore sound environments in interactive performance
It’s almost time! In October, Musica, in collaboration with C-TAKT, presents the newest edition of OORtreders Festival. This year, the festival brings, among other things, a special collaboration between sound artist Stijn Demeulenaere and the dynamic duo The Third Guy (percussionist Ruben Orio and guitarist Primož Sukič), who will present an updated version of their performance Everybody Lives Here.
In Everybody Lives Here, the artists explore the sonic essence of spaces and places by adding their own sounds to them. Using field recordings and live musical instruments, they allow their sounds to interact with the natural sound environment of the location. This real-time interaction results in a layering of sounds that in turn interact with each other, creating a unique listening experience.
A crucial part of the preparation for this special performance was the short residency at Het Klankenbos in early April. Listening, recording, playing: during these five days, Demeulenaere and The Third Guy explored how to realise a connection with the vastness of the domain. The result of their research will be heard on Friday 18 October 2024, in the ever-changing setting of Het Klankenbos.
Don’t miss this unique event! OORtreders will take place from 18 to 20 October 2024. Be there and immerse yourself in the fascinating world of sound art and interaction.
Het Klankenbos is all about enriching sensory experiences, where sound art plays the leading role. Ensuring your visit is all the more fascinating, we proudly present our Klankenbos tour in the ErfgoedApp – your digital companion, that guides you through a wealth of information about our sound installations.
Download here
Optimise your visit by downloading the ErfgoedApp in advance. Available on both iOS and Android, this application brings Het Klankenbos to life with rich and accessible information.
Make your choice
Once you have downloaded the app, open it and click on the red compass symbol to get started. You will be welcomed with a selection of engaging tours – choose Het Klankenbos and start your journey of discovery.
Discover
Now you are ready to explore! Consult the interactive map in the app and be guided through Het Klankenbos. Along the way, you will receive fascinating details that will help you understand and appreciate our sound installations.
A unique participation project for amateur horn players
Discover Across the Distance
Are you a passionate horn player? Musica Impulse Centre invites you to take part in the participative project Across the Distance as part of OORtreders Festival from 18 to 20 October 2024.
This project, inspired by the visionary composition of American master John Luther Adams, is steeped in the search for authenticity and connection. Adams’ masterpiece Across the Distance for eight horns, invites participants to merge with nature and space, while conveying a powerful message of unity.
Between 24 and 32 passionate horn players will rehearse this impressive composition under the expert guidance of the Korpus Quartet. The climax of our adventure? Its performance during OORtreders Festival on Saturday 19 October 2024 at 6 pm, amidst Het Klankenbos in Pelt.
For whom
24 to 32 (amateur) horn players (students from the third grade, horn players active in harmonies or brass bands, conservatory students and even professionals are welcome! In short all or those who have the passion and determination to participate in this unique project.
When
13 October 2024: rehearsal from 2 to 4 pm
19 October 2024: rehearsal from 1 pm + performance at 6 pm
Where
Het Klankenbos, Pelt
Register
Would you like to participate? Register now via our registration form.
Besides the indescribable experience of being part of this extraordinary project, participants will also receive free tickets to a number of OORtreders Festival performances.
Wouter Van Looy becomes new general and artistic director Musica Impulse Centre
We are pleased to welcome Wouter Van Looy as the new general and artistic director of Musica Impulse Centre. He will combine this position with his role as artistic director at Zonzo Compagnie and his career as a director. It is a familiar return for Wouter, who in the past was artistic coordinator at Mallemuze, a former sub-organisation of Musica.
Wouter is an active player in the international opera and music theatre world, as well as director in residence at Muziektheater Transparant. He has created work for young audiences as founder and artistic director of Zonzo Compagnie and the BIG BANG Festival, an innovative music festival for this target group.
We are confident that Wouter will give the operations of Musica the necessary innovative impulses and further develop Musica into a leading organisation within the (inter)national music landscape.
The Musica team looks forward to a successful cooperation with Wouter and appreciates the commitment from you, our loyal partners.
WANTED: writers, actors, musicians for a musical theater performance at Kiel
“The Kiel comes to a story”, a musical theater performance at the Kiel.
Do you have a passion for writing, acting or making music ? Would you like to make a performance together? Then this call is for you! We are looking for diverse talents to create a compelling musical theater performance together.
Age, experience, gender, native language – it doesn’t matter! Do you not speak Dutch very well yet? No problem. We believe that diversity can enrich a creative process. We invite everyone to be part of this creative adventure.
What you can expect:
Collaboration with inspiring artists and supervisors.
Workshops to develop your artistic skills.
A space where everyone’s story is heard.
The opportunity to perform twice in front of an audience.
When
From 25 January to 28 March 2024 , always on Thursdays from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. Performance in Co Nova on Friday evening 29 March. Performance in DE SINGEL on Saturday evening 18 May.
Where
In Co Nova on the Kiel in Antwerp (rehearsing and playing) and DE SINGEL (playing).
For whom
Anyone who wants to make theater and/or music. Artistic experience or knowledge of Dutch not required.
Guidance
Mira Bertels (musician and theater maker) and Michael Vergauwen (actor and theater maker)
Cost
Free
Register
Interested? Trial lesson on January 18 2024 from 1 to 3 pm in Co Nova. Feel free to come and meet us and see if it is something for you. Register for a trial lesson: email nova@antwerpen.be or send a WhatsApp message to 0032 485 88 37 97
Art Educator in Residence is a talent development project of Musica Impulse Centre, Royal Conservatoire Antwerp and DE SINGEL International Arts Campus.
Unleash your creativity during the Spring holidays
Sound detectives game: Make the Invisible Audible
Teens aged 12 and 16 beware! Do you have a passion for music, love adventure games and want to explore the world of sounds? Then this is your chance! Join a unique three-day adventure during the Spring holidays and work with a musician and a visual artist to create a sound detective game for all visitors to the Tabloo Landscape Park in Dessel.
This exciting event offers teenagers the opportunity to unleash their creativity as they explore, collaborate with a musician and a visual artist, and create an immersive sound detective game for all visitors to the park.
This is your chance to share your passion for music and adventure and build an unforgettable sound detective game with other teenagers.
When
From Monday 12 to Wednesday 14 February 2024, from 10 am to 4 pm
Don’t hesitate and register today via this link for an unforgettable adventure full of creativity and fun.
Bring adventure into your home and enrich your life!
From 1 September 2023, we expanded our team with two new volunteers. We are looking for a host family near Pelt, preferably in northern Limburg, to give Fernando Tarrancón from Spain a home for the whole year.
Meet Fernando
Fernando has a passion for music, piano playing and reciting poetry on open stages. Fernando has decided to put aside his job in Spain for a while and volunteer for new adventures.
On the right, watch the video in which Fernando introduces himself to you.
What Fernando expects
During his stay in Belgium, Fernando is looking forward to discovering our culture, learning Dutch and meeting new people. But above all, he hopes to build a close relationship with his host family. Fernando is known for his caring and responsibility, both for others and for the things around him. As he says himself, he has “lots of love to give”!
What we offer
AFS Flanders covers his medical and personal expenses. Fernando receives a daily allowance to enjoy in his free time.
Contact us
Do you have any questions or would you like to participate in this amazing adventure? Contact info@musica.be soon and welcome Fernando to your world.
The latest hEAR DROPS video @ASTRA focuses on cosmic sounds. Immerse yourself in the different energies of the universe. Be inspired by the musical material of one of the planets and explore, experiment and improvise together. What does your universe sound like? There are probably undiscovered planets. What would they sound like, and what might be typical of such a planet?
hEAR DROPS is known for each episode containing an ‘artlink’ to a work or artist. This particular episode highlights the performance Babelut Parcours @ASTRA. Babelut Parcours is a musical journey of discovery for children aged 0 to 5. Musicians take children and their parents/carers on an experiential journey full of musical interaction, musical theatre and sound installations. In this way, we sharpen all the senses and keep young ears stimulated. The video of Babelut Parcours @ASTRA will be available at a later date.
Babelut Parcours is a concept of Musica Impulse Centre. @ASTRA is a co-production of Musica and C-TAKT.
A harmonious interweaving of cell biology and music in early childhood education
Musica is delighted to share with you the positive results of the recently completed Erasmus+ CACAO project. Together with our international partners, we have seamlessly interwoven the fields of cell biology and music in the context of early childhood education.
The Cell Biology and Art Class Omnibus project (CACAO) brought together a diverse group of researchers, artists, educators and experts in technology-enhanced learning from seven European countries. Drawing on their collective expertise, they developed a unique curriculum for 5-year-old preschoolers that brings together cell biology, music, dance and visual arts. Musica, with its musical translations of biological concepts and processes, played a central role in connecting the two disciplines. Together, these experts enriched the essential skills, knowledge and awareness of preschool teachers.
An important outcome of the study was the participation of three nursery schools from Poland, Italy and Croatia. Each school represented a different teaching approach. Throughout the study by Juraj Dobrila University in Pula (HR), each school was subject to a different teaching approach; there was one group that followed the standard curriculum, another that received pure biology lessons, and a third that was introduced to biological concepts and processes through musical forms. Moreover, music was not merely used instrumentally to learn about biology. Conversely, biology was also used to learn about music from the inside out. Biological concepts such as evolution, homeostasis or learning processes in the brain gave rise to musical-creative forms of work.
At the beginning of the project, each child was presented with a series of questions, a mix of both biological concepts and more mundane topics. At the end of the programme, the same set of questions was presented again.
The results were plainly remarkable. The first group showed minimal improvement in understanding questions. This may have been due to the simple fact that the children had now grown older and gained more knowledge from their environment. The second group showed a moderate increase in their knowledge of biology. The third group, which had intertwined music and biology, showed a spectacular increase in basic knowledge about biology! In addition, parents reported a significant increase in children’s intrinsic motivation and simply the desire to go to school.
The study underlines the effectiveness of integrating music into biology education and shows a significant positive impact on cognitive development and knowledge retention in preschoolers. Apparently, from their more sensory-bodied approach, the musical work forms had an integrative effect on children’s knowledge acquisition.
As we celebrate the success of the Erasmus+ CACAO project, we look forward to further discussions on the wider implications of this innovative approach to early childhood education.
An innovative cocreation project in the world of contemporary music
This month The Times Academy was launched. This unique cocreation project acts as a follow-up project to SoundMine 2023 in which four talented composers are coached and guided in the development process of their new composition for ensemble and electronics.
The Times Academy is the exciting result of a productive collaboration between Musica, HERMESensemble, Nemø Ensemble, Centre Henri Pousseur and Matrix.
During several work sessions, the selected composers will have the opportunity to further explore and refine their creative vision. The result of their efforts will not only be heard at the HERMESstudio in Antwerp at the end of June, but also during SoundMine 2024, scheduled for early July.
