Festival of Flanders

Last updated

Festival of Flanders (Dutch : Festival van Vlaanderen) is an annual music event at different locations in Flanders. It started initially as a "Summer Festival", but now its activities are spread from January to May, with a peak in late summer and early autumn. [1] [2]

Contents

History

The Festival of Flanders has its roots in Tongeren, Limburg, where Jan Briers organized the Basilica-concerts from 1958 in the basilica of Tongeren. At first there was played religiously inspired choral music, but soon it was extended to other classical music, instrumental music; and other locations. Often, historical sites such as abbeys and castles are used, with an occasional transfer to Maastricht.

As in other Flemish cities (classical) summer concerts were held as well, they joined forces in 1972 and created the more comprehensive 'Festival of Flanders'.

The organization was actively supported by the newly emancipated Flemish "cultural autonomy". Especially in Brussels they wanted to exhibit "serious" Flemish culture. Partly because of this, they could bring prestigious orchestras and big names to Flanders. At the same time it gave the festival a somewhat elitist character.

In the nineties, they began to see the creation of this one-sided image and so the program was expanded to include contemporary music, sound art, youth, jazz, organ music, musical theater, and cross-overs with visual arts, film, dance.

Spreading

The Festival of Flanders consists of various festivals spread across different Flemish cities and provinces:

Related Research Articles

Flanders Flemish-speaking northern region of Belgium

Flanders is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, language, politics, and history, and sometimes involving neighbouring countries. The demonym associated with Flanders is Fleming, while the corresponding adjective is Flemish. The official capital of Flanders is the City of Brussels, although the Brussels-Capital Region has an independent regional government. The government of Flanders only oversees the community aspects of Flanders life in Brussels, such as Flemish culture and education.

Ghent City in East Flanders, Belgium

Ghent is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded in size only by Brussels and Antwerp. It is a port and university city.

Flemish Region Region of Belgium

The Flemish Region, usually simply referred to as Flanders, is one of the three regions of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region. It occupies the northern part of Belgium and covers an area of 13,625 km2 (5,261 sq mi). It is one of the most densely populated regions of Europe with around 490/km2 (1,300/sq mi).

Edgar Tinel Belgian composer and pianist

Edgar Pierre Joseph Tinel was a Belgian composer and pianist.

Flemish Diamond

The Flemish Diamond is the Flemish reference to a network of four metropolitan areas in Belgium, three of which are in the central provinces of Flanders, together with the Brussels Capital Region. It consists of four agglomerations which form the four corners of an abstract diamond shape: Brussels, Ghent, Antwerp and Leuven. Over five million people live in this area, with a population density of about 600 per square kilometre in 2002.

Wim Henderickx Belgian composer

Wim Henderickx[wɪm ˈɦɛndərɪks] is a Belgian composer of contemporary classical music based in Antwerp.

Science and technology in Flanders, being the Flemish Community and more specifically the northern region of Belgium (Europe), is well developed with the presence of several universities and research institutes. These are strongly spread over all Flemish cities, from Kortrijk and Bruges in the Western side, over Ghent as a major university center alongside Antwerp, Brussels and Leuven to Hasselt and Diepenbeek in the Eastern side.

Maurits Sabbe

Maurits Sabbe, born Maurice Charles Marie Guillaume Sabbe, was a Flemish man of letters and educator who became curator of the Plantin-Moretus Museum in Antwerp.

Walter Hus Belgian composer and musician (born 1957)

Walter Hus is a Belgian composer and musician.

Kortrijk Municipality in Flemish Region, Belgium

Kortrijk, sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray, is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders.

Brabantine Gothic Variant of Gothic architecture that is typical for the Low Countries

Brabantine Gothic, occasionally called Brabantian Gothic, is a significant variant of Gothic architecture that is typical for the Low Countries. It surfaced in the first half of the 14th century at St. Rumbold's Cathedral in the City of Mechelen.

Nostalgie Vlaanderen Radio station in Antwerp

Nostalgie Vlaanderen(Nostalgie Flanders) is a private Belgian radio station broadcasting in Flanders and Brussels but can also be heard in some parts of Wallonia, and is dedicated to mainly music of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Nostalgie Flanders is created on 20 March 2008, and is owned by Concentra Group, Corelio NV and the NRJ Group.

Luc Rombouts is a Belgian carillonneur and author. He is the city carillonneur of Tienen in Flemish Brabant. He is also the official carillonneur of both Leuven University carillons and the Park Abbey. He has given numerous concerts in Europe en the USA and appeared in festivals and conventions. Together with Twan Bearda he performs in a carillon duet called The Bells' Angels, exploring, expanding and performing four hand carillon repertoire.

Annelies Van Parys is a Belgian classical composer of chamber music, symphonic music, music for theatre productions and opera.

The Antwerp Symphony Orchestra is the symphony orchestra of Flanders (Belgium), based in the Queen Elisabeth Hall in Antwerp. The orchestra is led by chief conductor Elim Chan and honorary conductor Philippe Herreweghe. The organisation, which is one of the seven art institutions of the Flemish Community, is one of the most important cultural representatives in the region. It is one of only two Belgian orchestras that have the right to style themselves as "royal", hence its full name "Antwerp Symphony Orchestra - the royal philharmonic orchestra of Flanders".

Johan Decavele is a Belgian historian and archivist who has published widely on the history of Ghent and on the history of the Reformation. He was a contributor to the Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation and to Oxford Art Online.

Lambrecht Lambrechts Flemish writer and poet (1865–1932)

Lambrecht Lambrechts was a Flemish writer and poet. He also published under the pseudonyms RL Doornkapper, Jan van Hasselt and J. Herten.

Jan Van Landeghem is a Belgian composer, musicologist, organist, harpsichordist and conductor.

References

  1. Homepage Festival
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-11-03. Retrieved 2010-11-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Laus Polyphoniae".
  4. "Flanders Festival International Ghent, Classical music festival". www.festivalgent.be. Archived from the original on 10 December 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  5. "Welkom". www.happynewfestival.be. Archived from the original on 19 April 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  6. "Home". basilica.be.
  7. "Home". festivalmechelen.be.
  8. "Muziek van de 20e en 21e eeuw - Festival 20·21".
  9. "Muziek van de 20e en 21e eeuw - Festival 20·21".