The Sound of Voice

For several years, The Sound of … has been the theme of a fantastic festival day with classical and contemporary music performed by well-known as well as unknown artists.

Each time, we link our theme to that of the Queen Elisabeth Competition, which will once again focus on Voice in May 2023. Discover heavenly voices from Belgium and other countries in the atmospheric setting of Keizersberg Abbey.

Programme:

• Elina Duni (solo) - place: Abbey church, 14.00 h - 14.50 h
• Bach revisited - place: Chapter house, 14.15 h - 15.00 h en 17.45 h - 18.30 h
• Duo Ruut (EE) - place: Refectory, 15.15 h - 16.15 h
• The four seasons ... without Vivaldi / Thomas Blondelle and Liebrecht Vanbeckevoort - place: Abbey church, 16.30 h - 17.30 h
• Marja Mortensson and Daniel Herskedal (NO) - place: Refectory, 17.45 h - 18.45 h
• Astrid Stockman - place: Abbey church, 19.00 h - 20.00 h

Bach revisited

We usually associate Johann Sebastian Bach with intense sorrow and human suffering, but he also composed many festive and jubilant cantatas full of joy and longing.

Soprano Annelies Van Gramberen shows Johann Sebastian Bach from his most exuberant side. Together with her ensemble, she sings wonderful arias about love and happiness with unusual instrumentation for accordion, voice, hobo and cello.

Between the arias, another masterpiece by this fantastic composer can be heard: his famous Solo Cello Suite No. 1.

Astrid Stockman

Belgian soprano Astrid Stockman is not afraid of taking on a challenge, witness the string of excellent performances she has given. We find Astrid’s unique soprano voice so captivating that we have given her carte blanche for this Sound of Voice.

She has gladly accepted the challenge and is now putting together a concert programme for this unique festival day.

With convincing interpretations of oratorios, songs and operas, Astrid effortlessly alternates between early and contemporary music. Her versatility makes her a popular soloist in Belgium and abroad. She has performed at Bozar, De Munt-La Monnaie and the O. Festival in Rotterdam and has lent her voice to and presented numerous diverse projects and TV shows.

The 4 seasons ... without Vivaldi 
Thomas Blondelle and Liebrecht Vanbeckevoort

Tenor Thomas Blondelle and pianist Liebrecht Vanbeckevoort, two Belgian laureates of the Queen Elisabeth Competition, summarize the four seasons in a one-hour lieder recital. A journey that takes you from the cold winter tears in Schubert's Winterreise, over the spring fever in Schumann's Dichterliebe, to sunny, summery Italian songs. They close the musical year in the beautiful autumn with Richard Strauss and Franz Liszt, among others.

Elina Duni (solo)

The Swiss-Albanian singer Elina Duni has a golden voice that adapts to different styles like a chameleon. She sings traditionals from Albania, French chansons and jazz standards with a heartwarming naturalness.

On her latest album Lost Ships, she collaborates with British guitar prodigy Rob Luft. With migration and asylum as their theme, the duo brings a colourful mix that ranges from covers of Aznavour and Sinatra over Albanian and American traditionals to their own warm-blooded songs.

Duni released her previous solo album Partir in 2019 on the renowned ECM label. With a mix of her own songs and original covers of, among others, Jacques Brel, she won the Klara Prize for Best International CD World.

“She sings in many languages ​​and accompanies herself on piano, guitar or percussion and here again tells the story of migration seen from the southern European point of view in general and of her move to London in particular. Penetrating, poetic, music that sticks to your skin.” according to the Klara jury.

Duo Ruut (EE)

Their sound combines a single Estonian zither with two remarkable voices. Ann-Lisett Rebane and Katariina Kivi mix Estonian traditions with influences from different cultures in contemporary songwriting. Since they compose on one instrument, Duo Ruut's music is minimalist at its core, but also full of new and imaginative ideas. 

Marja Mortensson and Daniel Herskedal (NO)

A unique concert by a Norwegian duo that aims to preserve an ancient singing tradition. Joik is the traditional singing in Sami music and one of the oldest musical forms in Europe.

Marja Mortensson sings in her native language. Norwegian composer and tuba player Daniel Herskedal pushes the boundaries of his instrument and leaves a glow of mesmerizing atmospheres with his original sound.

The Green Pilot Program supports this concert.

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PRACTICAL TIPS 

• Be on time! The day is tightly planned and we want the concerts to start on time.
• We work with a festival wristband that gives you access to all locations. You must therefore exchange your ticket in advance for a wristband at the information point (at the entrance to the monastery). The information point is already open from 1.15 pm, the first performance starts at 2 pm.
• The Abbey Refectory can accommodate 150 people and the Chapter Hall can accommodate 100 people. We therefore program Bach revisited twice in the Chapter Hall.
• Out of respect for the artists, we ask that you do not walk in and out during the concerts.
• You cannot stay in the Abdijkerk between the various concerts because of change-overs and sound checks.
• From 1.30 to 7 pm, we provide a bar in the inner garden (in the corridor in case of rain). You can have a drink, taste the delicious Keizersberg beer or have a bite to eat (cake or abbey cheese). Please note: you are not allowed to take your drink to the concert locations.
• Due to works, there is almost no parking on the abbey site. We recommend that you come on foot, by bicycle or by public transport. You will also find all indications on the location plan.
  >>The nearest bus stop is Leuven Keizersberg (in the A. Woutersstraat, 200 meters from the monastery). Check the De Lijn timetable for this.
  >>>If you come by car, it is best to park cheaply in parking Vaartkom. From the car park, take the elevator to the fourth floor: on the Tramweg you will reach the Abbey Park via a few stairs and you can walk to the entrance of the monastery (400 meters).

More info

Green Pilot Program

The concert of Marja Mortensson and Daniel Herskedal is supported by the Green Pilot program of the Europe Jazz Network (EJN). 

The EJN Green Pilot tours focus on innovative touring models based on the principles of sustainable touring and fair and balanced practices in the music sector. They consist of international tours of artistic projects between at least four different venues and involving at least two EJN members. Transportation between the venues is done in the most sustainable way, and different "green actions" and communication actions are put in place for each of the concerts, in accordance with the EJN Green Rider. 

Green Pilot Tours is a project by Europe Jazz Network (EJN), co-funded by the European Union under the Creative Europe programme 2022-2024. Through this project, EJN offers a financial contribution to its members designed to stimulate collaboration between EJN members and to put in place sustainability actions in organising tours and events.