Dear music lover,
Can't you go to a concert hall? Then we'll come to you!
Under the direction of our music director Hugh Wolff and a group of musicians from the Belgian National Orchestra, we will perform an excerpt from Beethoven's Egmont Overture, our "Symphony of Hope". With this ensemble, we hope to bring you back into the atmosphere of a concert for a little while.
In these times of uncertainty and isolation, we want you to hear and feel the power and beauty of music. "Our orchestra and our passion for music contribute to the essence of our society. They make us aware of what we can achieve through close cooperation and listening, and of the wonderful masterpieces we are then able to produce" (Hans Waege, Intendant).
Our vision of the future is positive. After all, this period also makes us aware of what really matters. "When this is over, I hope we treat each other with a deeper awareness of how fragile everything is – that we value togetherness, cooperation, and working for the common good more than ever" (Hugh Wolff, conductor).
The whole is always more than the sum of its parts. So we hope that by combining our musical strengths, we have been able to bring you some comfort.
Do you also know someone who could use a little recognition or who deserves a word of thanks? Then don't forget to give them this round of applause!
We hope to see you soon at one of our concerts.
Take good care of yourself and your loved ones.
The musicians and the whole team of the Belgian National Orchestra
Dear music lovers,
It's so sadly quiet and empty in the Henry Le Boeuf Concert Hall. We had been looking forward to performing music for you, but in the current circumstances, the health of the public, the employees and the artists is our top priority. Therefore, in accordance with the strict instructions of the Belgian authorities, all concerts of the Belgian National Orchestra are suspended through 19 April. If you already have a ticket, you will be contacted as soon as possible regarding a refund or exchange. Please consider choosing an exchange rather than a refund. This way, you can continue to support us in these difficult times. We have already chosen to pay all our musicians, including freelance players, fair compensation for cancelled productions.
We don't know what the future will look like after April 19. The Belgian National Orchestra is closely following the government’s instructions regarding the Covid-19 pandemic. Please follow the situation on the Belgian National Orchestra website https://www.nationalorchestra.be or on the BOZAR website https://www.bozar.be. We remain active on social media (Facebook and Instagram).
We are sure that you understand the difficulty of the current situation. We are all working hard to make sure we can offer you the best and most beautiful music as soon as conditions allow us.
Take care of yourself and your loved ones.
The team of the Belgian National Orchestra
Founded in 1936, the Belgian National Orchestra is in permanent residence in BOZAR.
Since 2017, the American conductor Hugh Wolff has been at the helm of the orchestra. The Belgian National Orchestra performs alongside renowned soloists such as Vilde Frang, Gidon Kremer or Rolando Villazón, but also with young talent. It is also interested in the younger generation of listeners and does not shy away from innovative projects such as its collaboration with the pop-rock artist Ozark Henry.
This season, the orchestra performs alongside soloists such as Khatia Buniatishvili, Renaud Capuçon, Jonas Kaufmann, Nelson Freire, Steven Isserlis, Michelle DeYoung and Branford Marsalis among others, and under the direction of guest conductors such as Stanislav Kochanovsky, Cristian Măcelaru and Hartmut Haenchen among others.
Its discography, released mainly on the Fuga Libera label, enjoys international recognition.