season 25-26
2026
Soloist with Toeterdonk
Sat 3.01 | Sun 4.01
GC Den Breughel - Haacht - Belgium
How to better start the new year than with some sparkling Bellini.
Cheers to a belcanto newyear!
But first I will be Walking the Dog and have some Oodles of Noodles. (George Gershwin/ Jimmy Dorsey)
For Oodles of Noodle, an energetic bigband piece written in the summer of 1932 I dove into a different world than usual. I love playing it on a Mark VI alto saxophone (thank you Bart :-)) and with a jazz flow mouthpiece (thank you Axel :-p) , very different from my usual setup but it seems to work :-)
Under the expert guidance of Maestro Simon Vanhoecke and with the lovely people of Tildonk!
opera ballet Vlaanderen | rites
Sat 17.01| Wed 21.01| Thu 22.01| Sat 24.01| Sun 25.01
Sat 31.01| Sun 1.02| Tue 3.02| Wed 4.02| Thu 5.02
Stadsschouwburg Antwerp - Belgium
Capitole Gent - Belgium
A concert with a lot of Ravel to celebrate the 100th anniversary of La Valse (which had its scenic world premiere with the Ballet of the then Royal Flemish Opera in Antwerp).
There will be amazing dancing in choreographies by ao Shahar Binyamini and Nacera Belaza and Pina Bausch.
I will play the soprano saxophone solo in Bolero, five times in Antwerp and five times in Ghent.
This piece used to make me think of gym class in high school, because of a running test with Bolero playing in the background.
But now I have many nice memories of having played this solo with the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, and Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen.
Excited to play it for the first time with the Opera Ballet Vlaanderen.
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academy Waterloo | masterclass
Sat 31.01
Academy Waterloo - Belgium
On January 31, I will be giving a masterclass to the saxophone class of Valentin Bouland.
We were colleagues during our studies at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles, and it’s wonderful to still collaborate and organize projects together years later.
It will be a pleasure to meet and work with young, motivated players—bravo on the organization!
Scarbo
Time Unfolded
Sun 1.02
Hubertustheater - Pelt - Belgium
Composers reflect their era, offering insight into the world they lived in.
Rameau and Bach, born eighteen months apart, both favored complex music but approached it differently—Rameau’s lively, ornate works focused on opera and ballet, while Bach, who remained in Germany, composed both secular and sacred music.
Bart created excellent arrangements of keyboard music by Rameau and Bach.The program brings together the old masters with living composers Pärt and Lago.
Ictus | maximalist!
Sat 14.02 | Sun 15.02
Rosas Performance Space - Brussels - Belgium
Carlos Sampaolesi leads a contemporary reinterpretation, inspired by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker's working notes during the choreographic writing of Rosas in Rosas. It will be performed by an ensemble of musicians that also represents the current state of Ictus: three generations of musicians-researchers…
Excited to be one of the musician-researchers in this project :-)
https://www.ictus.be/rosasdanstrosas
Ictus | einstein on the beach
[TOUR 2026]
Wed 20.05
Hellerau- Dresden - Germany
Fri 22.05
Musikfestpiele Herrenhausen - Hannover - Germany
Tue 26.05
Teatro Maestranza - Sevilla - Spain
Thu 28.05
Old Market - Bratislava - Slovakia
Sat 30.05
Epidaurus Festival - Athens - Greece
An open space and an Einsteinian time dilation for this very unusual concert:
200 minutes of rhythmic high-speed micro-surgery, contrasting dramatically with the text that is whispered into the mic.
We will perform this sensational score, which dates from 1976, – from Philip Glass’s vicious experimental period,
both very radical and very poppy – with Collegium Vocale Gent (choruses) and Suzanne Vega, who is even more charming thirty years after Tom’s Diner, as the narrator, and who takes on all the roles in this opera.
Belgian and European tour.
Four years after my last tour with this iconic opera of Philip Glass, which was an amazing experience, there is a new tour planned with Ictus, Collegium Vocale and Suzanne Vega . I am so happy to be part of the team again and really looking forward to performing Einstein on the Beach.
Performing this piece every time feels like an incredible trip.
Looking forward to taking the trip again 5 times on so many impressive locations!
https://www.ictus.be/einstein
Before 2026
ictus | recording Opus 1
Wed 26.11 | Thu 27.11 | Fri 28.11
Dada Studios - Brussels - Belgium
Recording session with the Taiwanese composer Shiuan Chang for his spectacular sound-installation project Opus 1
Sextet – clarinet, saxophone, piano, percussion, guitar, viola.
The project Opus 1 will be an amazing performance art piece. People Concerto, people will be part of the performance and trigger sounds. Very proud that some of the sounds the public in Taiwan will trigger will have been recorded by us.
Loooots of multiphonics, very nice glissandi , very high soprano notes, …
https://www.shiuanchang.com/opus1
conservatorium Mechelen | masterclass/ concert
Sat 22.11
Conservatorium Mechelen - Belgium
“A mediocre music teacher tells. A good music teacher explains. A superior music teacher demonstrates. A great music teacher inspires.” — William Arthur Ward
Having heard the students of Ann Nijs in Dinant last year at the national competition, I think she’s a great saxophone teacher, and it was a very nice day meeting her wonderful class in Mechelen and playing together with their ensemble.
Cosenza saxophone meeting | masterclass/concerts
Mon 3.11 -> Fri 7.11
Cosenza Conservatorio S. Giacomantonio - Italy
We had an amazing week in Italy for the Cosenza Saxophone Meeting — teaching, performing, and soaking up the last bits of sunshine before Winter is coming…
Very proud of the CRLG ensemble concert we presented and it was a pleasure to share the stage with my students in a brand new arrangement of Poulenc's Sonata for clarinet.
Kudos to Marina Notaro for the organization!
The Hague conservatory | Substitute masterclass
Thu 16.10 | Fri 17.10
The Hague Conservatory - The Netherlands
I had the pleasure to meet the wonderful saxophone students of Lars Niederstrasser and spend 2 days with them. I passed 2 very nice days in a truly 5 star conservatory and with such a nice group of young people, very eager to learn.
Thank you Lars, Pavica, Alex, Sonja, Mintara, Bela , Daniele, Zofia, Hao and Bruno :-)
I SOLISTI | SUMMER SCHOOL
Thu 28.08 | Fri 29.08
de Bijloke - Gent - Belgium
Start teaching after summer break with motivated young people,
great colleagues, and a beautiful place to work.
Bravo to all the participants and I Solisti!
https://www.isolisti.be/nl/academy/i-solisti-summer-school
Season 2024 - 2025
Ictus | Kanal Tours
Sat 14.09 | Sun 15.09 | Sat 21.09 | Sun 22.09
Kanal Centre Pompidou - Brussels - Belgium
Kanal Pompidou in Brussels is opening its doors to the on-going construction site of the new buildings. There are three sonic interventions to discover along the “ballades” through the Kanal site. It both draws attention to the focused and localized but also indicates the vast potential of the whole space. There is a street musician at the “public crossroad” playing a duet with their boombox, iridescent sounds of aluminium rods mixed with that of the voice, saxophone and accordion (not only the instruments themselves but also your ears play a role in constructing the melody), and harmonies being built by voices calling from far-far away.
Duo Tiebout / Van Beneden
Thu 26.09
Delvaux Museum - Koksijde - Belgium
The Paul Delvaux Museum in Koksijde hosts “Delvaux in Kleur en Klank”. This unique concert, featuring saxophonists Nele Tiebout and Bart Van Beneden, blends classical and contemporary music with Delvaux's iconic artwork. Highlights include new compositions by Mieke Vanhaute and Pieter Schuermans, alongside works by Ysaÿe, Marais, Poulenc, Henderickx, Lysight, Fontyn and Mozart.
Soloist with Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège
OPRL+ Soundtrack : Steven Spielberg & John Williams
Thu 24.10 | Fri 25.10 | Sat 26.10
Salle Philharmonique - Liège - Belgium
Sun 27.10
Triangel, Großer Saal - St. Vith - Belgium
Wed 30.10
Salle Henry Le Bœuf - Brussels - Belgium
Jaws, Indiana Jones, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Schindler's List, The Adventures of Tintin... Steven Spielberg and his favourite composer of 50 years, John Williams, have created countless blockbusters. These two creative giants have left their mark on the history of cinema, each elevating the art of the other to match the emotions as close as possible. The OPRL performs Williams' most famous music (inspired by the sounds of Mahler, Sibelius and jazz), with an original lighting design tailored to each piece of music.
Mon 28.10 | Tue 29.10 | Wed 30.10
HoWest - Brugge - Belgium
Scarbo / Recording
With sound engineer Jelle Tassyns and recording director Joyce Cuypers we record music of George Friedrich Haas, Mikel Kuehn, Frederik Neyrinck, Johann Sebastian Bach and Jean-Philippe Rameau.
Belgian National Orchestra
an American In Paris - George Gershwin
Sat 16.11
Salle Henry Le Bœuf - Brussels - Belgium
The Belgian National Orchestra, led by Antony Hermus, performs Michael Daugherty's "Metropolis Symphony" and Andrew Norman's "Play," a piece hailed as a 21st-century masterpiece. After a new work by Keiko Devaux, the Labèque sisters, Katia and Marielle, will perform Philip Glass's "Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra," composed for them in 2015. Also featured are Charles Ives' "Central Park in the Dark" and Gershwin's "An American in Paris."
Antony Hermus, conductor
Katia Labèque, piano
Marielle Labèque, piano
Soloist with
choir Gregoriusgild
Sat 23.11
Onze-Lieve-Vrouwkerk - Sint-Niklaas - Belgium
The concert features two profound works by James Whitbourn (1963–2024), a British composer known for blending ancient choral traditions with contemporary sounds. His "Son of God Mass" and "Requiem Canticorum," for choir, organ, and soprano saxophone, offer a spiritual experience by uniting Latin texts with modern elements.
Swedish saxophonist Anders Paulsson (b. 1961) showcases his talents in "Advent Music" (1990), where the unusual combination of soprano sax, choir, and organ shines. He also arranged three beloved spirituals: Swing Low, Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen, and Deep River.
The evening concludes with Evening Prayer by Ola Gjeilo.
Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen
Bolero - Maurice Ravel
Thu 28.11
Concertgebouw - Brugge - Belgium
Fri 29.11
Sun 01.12
DeSingel - Antwerpen - Belgium
The energetic conductor Duncan Ward takes you on a swinging journey, with a pit stop at Les Indes Galantes. Go wild as they sway from Rameau's opera to Stravinsky's Pulcinella and get lost in Berio's Folk Songs. A young composer adds a brand new folk song to the programme. Finish in ecstasy with Ravel's Bolero, performed together with the youth orchestra SOV Young.
Spectra ensemble
Unveiled
Sat 07.12
As part of "Ear to the Ground #5," the discovery festival at De Bijloke for musical adventurers, renowned German jazz saxophonist and composer Ingrid Laubrock is this year’s special guest. Now based in New York, Laubrock is celebrated for her bold compositions.
SPECTRA performs her 2022 piece Unveiled, inspired by nature's irregular patterns. Laubrock describes it as exploring the beauty of imperfect repetition, shaped by her morning walks through San Antonio Canyon Park. The work unfolds like dewdrop-covered spider webs, gradually revealing hidden layers of sound.
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Scarbo
Time Unfolded
Sun 19.01.25
Concertstudio - Kortrijk- Belgium
tickets: Thttps://www.wildewesten.be/nl/event/scarbo
Composers reflect their era, offering insight into their world.
Rameau and Bach, born 18 months apart, both favored complex music but with different approaches—Rameau’s lively, ornate works focused on opera and ballet, while Bach, staying in Germany, composed both secular and sacred music.
Similarly, minimalists Arvo Pärt and Philip Glass, born 15 months apart, developed distinct styles—Pärt with his Tintinnabuli and Glass with repetitive, layered structures.
Frederik Neyrinck connects past and present, blending renaissance influences and modern techniques in his vibrant, rhythmic works like ...B.S. unfolded... [Kandinsky-Etüde 9].
Spectra Ensemble
For Cathy
Sat 26.01
Salle Henry Le Bœuf - Brussels - Belgium
Cathy Berberian was a trailblazing artist who revolutionized classical music with her versatile voice, inspiring major 20th-century composers, including her husband, Luciano Berio. Both would have turned 100 in 2025, prompting this tribute.
At the heart of the concert is Berio’s Recital I: for Cathy, a witty collage featuring music from Monteverdi, Wagner, and Schönberg, performed by rising star Sarah Aristidou with SPECTRA. The program also includes Berio’s Folk Songs and Berberian’s Stripsody, alongside Luc Brewaeys' Fêtes à tensions, a rich, playful homage to his musical heroes.
Fri 21.02
Spectra Ensemble
Prozession
As a specialist in timbre, SPECTRA is the ideal fit for Enno Poppe’s layered sound world.
"Composing isn’t solving a sudoku," says German composer Enno Poppe, known for his boundless creativity, unique instrument combinations, and refined sense of color. His ideas seem limitless, much like the music in Prozession. With rich percussion at its core, the ensemble is further energized by electric guitar and two vintage organ synthesizers, adding vibrant color to the piece.
I Solisti
Peter Greenaway / Louis Andriessen: M is for Man, Mozart, Music
Fri 07.03
AMUZ - Antwerpen - Belgium
For Louis Andriessen, minimalism didn’t have to be dull. The Dutch composer, who passed in 2021, wrote bold, sensory music that thrived on momentum, often pushing the boundaries of convention. I SOLISTI honors the late giant, who would have turned 85 this year, with a cinematic tribute.
The program features Workers Union (1975), a rhythmic protest piece demanding better conditions for factory workers, still powerful after nearly 50 years. Also included is M is for Man, Mozart, Music (1991), a playful homage to Mozart, paired with Peter Greenaway’s postmodern film. The concert concludes with Two Trumpets Descending, by Andriessen’s friend and student, Martijn Padding.