Het Klankenbos
Official opening July 4th

Listen to the installations with fresh ears, as we’ve been working hard to restore Het Klankenbos.

Soon you’ll be able to wander through our open-air museum in Pelt once again. Be inspired by the interplay of nature and sound, or embark on a new adventure with ‘Vlieg’ for children aged 4 and over!

We are holding an official reopening event on Saturday 4 July between 2 pm and 6 pm. Eleven permanent sound installations will be ready to play again by then, and the route will feature a completely new signage system.

There will also be three temporary sound experiences to discover that afternoon. Gemma Luz Bosch is bringing Long Low Slow Baden: an immersive acoustic installation on an inflatable mattress. Sound artist Jochem Baelus is giving his work Het Steen a place in Het Klankenbos: a beautiful sound sculpture in which everything moves just a little slower. And somewhere along the trail, cellist Ceres Lauwers will also welcome you during one2one: a concept where the hourglass determines how long Ceres plays just for you.

Finally, we asked author Winny Ang to develop a treasure hunt for children aged 4 and over. You can discover this from 4 July.

In Situ

Het Klankenbos

MusiMatrix 2026 nominated for the YAMawards

MusiMatrix 2026, a production by Musica & Zefiro Torna, has been nominated for the 2026 YAMawards in the Best Participatory Production category.

Since 2010, JM International has been recognising excellence in live music for young audiences. For the 2026 edition, more than 70 productions from over 17 countries were submitted. The jury selected 17 nominees from these entries, spread across five categories.

In the Best Participatory Production category, MusiMatrix is up against Uprising by Glyndebourne & Saffron Hall from the United Kingdom.

Once again this year, the YAMawards competition brings together a wide range of international productions for children and young people. The nominees will gather this autumn in Helsingør, Denmark, a city committed to music and culture for the next generation.

Vote for MusiMatrix

In addition to the nominations, the YAMawards Public Choice Award will also be presented. All 17 nominated productions can be viewed and rated online.

The production with the most votes on 29 September will receive the Public Choice Award.

On TourPerformance

MusiMatrix (6+)
2026: Zefiro Torna & Musica

23.02.2026 —
09.03.2028

New Voices – Club 1
Wannes Deneer & Musica

Objects with a story

Objects have a life of their own too. A dirty sock, a dented tin, a worn-out piece of fitness equipment: what have they been through? And what if they could tell you themselves?

In New Voices – Club 1, 10 children aged between 8 and 12 set out to investigate. They choose an object that appeals to them – something they’ve brought along, found, or picked up at the charity shop – and discover what lies hidden within it. Does the object sound like a character? What is its voice? What has it been through?

Using recordings, a reel and a magnet, the children literally give their object a voice. Mysterious? A little. But it works: the objects start to sing, talk and tell each other stories. Under the artistic guidance of sound artist Wannes Deneer, the children work together to build a world of sound which they will ultimately present to an audience at unPLUG&PLAY.

credits

concept & artistic guidance Wannes Deneer
participants children from the Red Cross Valkenhof Reception Centre
production Musica

The Sung Room 
Sound walk during Musica Divina 19.09

Musica and Musica Divina are joining forces with installation artists Strijbos & Van Rijswijk and Natuurpunt.

The Sung Room maps the surroundings through sound, with previously recorded (nocturnal) sounds from the landscape emerging naturally. As soon as you enter the folly, you are enveloped by musical voices. Together with the ambient sounds, this creates a complete composition. The creators have designed resonance panels as an alternative to traditional loudspeakers. In this way, the relationships between different spaces of experience are explored: from our inner world to intimate space, social space and public space.

The Sung Room was designed by visual artist Marc van Vliet. The vocalists are Michaela Riener, mezzo-soprano, and Arturo den Hartog, countertenor.

Open continuously, free of charge, no booking required.

19.09.2026
13:00 — 17:00

Abdij Averbode
Herseltsebaan 2
Averbode (Scherpenheuvel)

In collaboration with Landschapspark de Merode

New treasure hunt ECHO
Schatten van Vlieg in Het Klankenbos (4+)

From 4 July, families can take part in a new treasure hunt by Schatten van Vlieg. You’ll discover ECHO – koda, Yama and the great silence through listening and hands-on activities in the woods. The trail is designed for children (aged 4+) and was created by child and adolescent psychiatrist Winny Ang. Pick up your booklet at the Musica information point and enjoy a musical trail.

In Situ

ECHO
Discovery tour in Het Klankenbos (4+)

04.07.2026 —
03.01.2027

In Situ

Het Klankenbos

SoundMine 2026: Young composers take centre stage
Meet the participants

The selection for the SoundMine 2026 composition residency is complete. Discover the young talents who will be working with Diederik Glorieux and guest tutors Jorrit Tamminga (electronics), Hannes Vanlancker (engraving) and Annelies Van Parys (composition) during the week of 6–10 July.

Together with the four expert coaches, they will work on developing their own concept and creation. Subsequently, in May 2027, all participants will have the unique opportunity to collaborate with the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra for a special showcase of the compositions.

The participants at a glance:

• Fleur Bonnevits
  
  Fleur Bonnevits is a Dutch singer-songwriter, composer and producer, working under the name Novits. She creates narrative, cinematic music at the intersection of pop, film and theatre, combining songwriting, orchestration and production.
  
  
• Yijun Chen
  
  Composer Yijun Chen lives in Brussels, where she is currently studying at the Royal Conservatoire. With a background in jazz composition and film music, her work focuses on texture, atmosphere and narrative musical forms.
  
  
• Aumi Derycke
  
  Aumi Derycke is studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Brussels, where she is completing her bachelor’s degree in composition under Annelies Van Parys. Alongside composition, she has developed a keen interest in electronic music, which is reflected in her studies in music and technology.
  
  
• Helena Zyskowska
  
  Helena Zyskowska is a Manchester-based composer, originally from Warsaw, Poland. Her work revolves around delicate, intricate soundscapes in which she explores vulnerability and instability. She is particularly drawn to the physical nature of sound.
  
  
• Kobe Janssens
  
  Kobe Janssens is studying composition and music writing at the Royal Conservatoire of Brussels. As a composer, he has a keen fascination with timbre and rhythm. He focuses primarily on writing works for large ensembles.
  
  
• Ersan Januzi
  
  Ersan Januzi is a Kosovo-based composer and PhD candidate in composition at the Faculty of Music of the Sts. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. He completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in composition at the University of Pristina.
  
  
• Siyeol Ju
  
  Siyeol Ju is a composer who lives and works in Korea and Germany. He studied composition at Seoul National University and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Electronic Composition at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg. His work encompasses electronic music, installations, media art and contemporary dance, focusing on the relationship between sound, space and performance.
  
  
• Edoardo Brandi
  
  Edoardo Brandi is a composer and violinist from Italy. In 2022, he began studying Composition at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp under Wim Henderickx, Bram Van Camp and Steven Prengels. He is currently focusing on writing solo and chamber music works in various genres, primarily for traditional ensembles.
  
  
• Massimiliano Vizzini
  
  Massimiliano Vizzini is an Italian composer and multimedia artist living in the Netherlands. His work encompasses opera, mixed media and electronic music. In recent years, he has developed various intermedia projects in which he explores the concept of digital counterpoint, with performers extending onto the screen or becoming physically intertwined with the film environment.
  
  
• Yiding Wang
  
  Yiding Wang is a Chinese composer based in Brussels. Her work explores the relationship between sound and the body, focusing on physicality in contemporary music. She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Composition at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels.
  

Development

SoundMine

Ticket sales for unPLUG&PLAY have begun
The brand-new family festival in Pelt

Ticket sales for unPLUG&PLAY have officially begun. The first edition of this sound festival for children aged 4 to 12 will take place on Saturday 24 October 2026 at the Dommelhof Provincial Park in Pelt. unPLUG&PLAY immerses visitors in a playful world of sound, experimentation and interaction.

During unPLUG&PLAY, the whole of Dommelhof is all about experimentation. Every corridor, every room, every corner is an invitation to discover what sound can be: art, play, adventure, surprise. A day full of live performances, interactive sound installations and digital sound creations. Designed especially for a young audience, but adult ears will certainly find plenty to enjoy too.

Discover the full programme and book your tickets via the festival website.

EventsFestival Mobile installation Performance

unPLUG&PLAY (4+)

23.10 —
24.10.2026

Sector event: music for young audiences | 2/6/26
HA Concerts, Muziekcentrum De Bijloke, Zonzo Compagnie & Musica

02.06.2026 | 12:00 am – 05:30 pm
HA Concerts – Ghent (BE)

Do you work for an organisation that produces music for young audiences? Or do you yourself create work for young audiences? We invite you to Ghent on 2 June for a sector event featuring lunch, a keynote speech by composer and director Brian Irvine and interactive sessions in the afternoon.

In some music genres, there is already a strong and established tradition of creating music for and with young audiences. But for other genres, this practice is still very much in its infancy. At the same time, it remains essential – even for experienced musicians and creators – to tailor their work to an audience that is constantly changing, growing and evolving.

Programme

details here

12:00 am: Lunch
01:00 pm: Keynote by Brian Irvine (EN)
01:30 pm: Working sessions (EN+NL)
03:00 pm: Break
03:30 pm: Working sessions (EN+NL)
05:00 pm: Networking moment

Language

In Dutch and in English

EXTRA workshop by Brian Irvine at 11:00 am (EN)

In addition to the sector day programme, we are organising an extra workshop in the morning from 11:00 am to 12:00 am. In a smaller setting, we will explore methods Brian Irvine uses for collective composition.

Brian Irvine (Belfast, 1965) is a composer and conductor whose music is a distinctive blend of contemporary classical music, jazz, punk, improvisation and theatrical elements. His extensive body of work includes operas, large-scale oratorios, orchestral works, chamber music, film scores and installations, performed by renowned ensembles such as the London Symphony Orchestra, Welsh National Opera and the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra. He was Associate Composer with the Ulster Orchestra and, in 2016, became the first ever Music Laureate of the City of Belfast. Irvine has won two British Composer Awards, the BBC Radio 3 Jazz Award and a Paul Hamlyn Composers Award.

The workshop lasts one hour (at 11:00 am) and will be in English. You can register via the registration form.

Partners

ha-concerts, Muziekcentrum De Bijloke, Zonzo Compagnie & Musica

Residencies Toon Quanten & Delle Donne Consort

Musica is hosting artist Toon Quanten for a residency from 22 June 2026 to 26 June 2026. During this period, he will be working on MEGATRON, a sound art installation constructed from organ pipes and bellows. The polyphonic machine bears a resemblance to a medieval cathedral: mechanics and pneumatics, medieval and modern.

During the residency, Toon will deepen his exploration of the possibilities of this unique installation and investigate how young audiences can be immersed in a total physical and auditory experience.

Following on from this – between 28 June 2026 and 2 July 2026 – the musicians of the Delle Donne Consort will join the project. This recorder ensemble (Frederike Van Lindt, Lieve De Sadeleer, Kinga Ludvai and Paul J.W. Schauenburg), which specialises in early music, will then delve into the world of polyphony. They will explore the dialogue they can establish with MegaTron.

Development DevelopmentIn residence

Residencies

22.06 —
26.06.2026

Presentation ‘First Impression’
International Teaching Artist Conference | Aug ’26

In August 2026, Antwerp will be buzzing with theatre and encounters during LOUDER TOGETHER: a unique conference-festival that brings together the performing arts, education and social engagement. This event consists of two parts: the World Children’s and Youth Performing Arts Festival (21–30 August 2026) & International Teaching Artist Conference (ITAC8) (28–30 August 2026). On behalf of Musica, Wim Pelgrims will speak about our expertise as Teaching artists, artists who forge links between art, education and communities.

[Practical details & daily programme to be announced.]

First Impression by Wim Pelgrims / Musica

You can only make a first impression once, and at the same time receive one from someone you are meeting for the first time. Step into a space where you will meet an artist for the first time and where words are superfluous.

When the first sound or movement arises, it is your turn. Before you lie instruments and objects that invite interaction and play. You don’t need to know how to do anything — just listen, react and go with the moment.

It is an encounter without language.
A duet in improvisation.
A unique universe between two people. You decide how long this wordless interplay lasts.

Discover what happens when you engage in a conversation with sound and movement.