Dedicated to Freedoms, we welcome you to the 12th edition of the Brussels International Guitar Festival & Competitions, the not-to-be missed and eagerly awaited event in the capital of Europe for music fans and aficionados of the guitar.
The only one of its kind, « the Brussels guitar fiesta » attracts a large crowd and over the years has established itself as one of the major festivals in Europe.
The splendid Théâtre du Vaudeville, located right in the heart of Brussels in the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, will host concerts, shows, master classes, a lecture, an exhibition as well as the public final rounds of the national competition, the international competition and the composition competition.
Classical, Latino, Baroque, modern, contemporary music, Brazilian jazz as well as a Flamenco show… The many facets of the world's most played instrument will be showcased thanks to a rich and varied programme : solo, duo, ensemble, guitar with orchestra, saxophone, percussion, singing, violin…
Always seeking new experiences, the festival offers the public the chance to attend numerous world and Belgian premieres and listen to big names in guitar music from various countries (Belgium, Brazil, Spain, Hungary, France, Italy, Austria…) as well as young artists on the verge of a promising career, for whom the festival serves as a launch pad.
The 2023 selection, via a new exhibition, pays tribute to the Masters Ilse & Nicolas Alfonso, who opened the first guitar classes in the Belgian Music Academies as well as the guitar class at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles in 1965, thereby becoming the founders of the Belgian Guitar School.
Finally, the ever popular « Luthiers & Exhibitors Salon » will welcome its visitors in the impressive Exhibition gallery located under the Théâtre du Vaudeville.
Open to everyone, whether just curious or confirmed music lovers, this exceptional edition will be more than ever full of joy, emotions, discoveries and conviviality…
More Infos Free Admission
More Infos Free Admission
More Infos Free Admission
More Infos Free Admission
The great flurry of editorial activity coupled with the new printing technologies which have developed since the end of the 20th century, now enable guitarists to obtain multiple editions of both old and new repertoires, even where these are protected by copyright. A vast range of editions, some of which do not exist in a paper version, are now available on the web. The question of « which score should be selected and according to which criteria », forms the theme of this lecture.
Supported by documents and exceptional archives, this exhibition traces the life and work of the legendary couple Ilse and Nicolas Alfonso, both on stage and in real life. Virtuoso guitarists, they performed to great acclaim in the top international venues and recorded numerous solo and duo albums. Both professors with renowned reputations, they opened the first guitar classes in the Belgian Music Academies and in 1965, supported by H.M. Queen Elizabeth of Belgium, inaugurated the guitar class at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles, thus becoming the de facto founders of the Belgian Guitar School.
Many performers and professors at the Brussels International Guitar Festival & Competitions will share their musical expertise and provide personal advice on performance playing to students, future professional musicians, from the guitar class at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles, in the form of master classes open to the public...
Venue : Théâtre du Vaudeville - Galerie de la Reine, 13 - 1000 Brussels
| date | time | artists |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 24 November 2023 | 09:30 - 12:30 | Marco Tamayo |
| Friday 24 November 2023 | 14:00 - 17:00 | Gaëlle Solal |
| Saturday 25 November 2023 | 14:00 - 17:00 | Peter Katona |
| Sunday 26 November 2023 | 13:30 - 16:30 | Thibault Cauvin |
| Monday 27 November 2023 | 09:30 - 12:30 | Evangelina Mascardi |
| Monday 27 November 2023 | 13:30 - 16:30 | Frédéric Zigante |
| Tuesday 28 November 2023 | 09:30 - 12:30 | Marco Tamayo |
