Resources
Organisation
Hugues Navez
Founding President and Artistic Director
info@bigfest.beMatthieu van den Biggelaar
Festival co-founder
info@digitalsc.orgPerformers
Saturday 28 November 2026 - 09:00
Brussels National Guitar Competition
« Ilse & Nicolas Alfonso »
« Public final round - Announcement of winners - Awards ceremony »
The national competition candidate will be evaluated by the Jury made up of personalities from the Belgian and international artistic world. This round will be followed by the announcement of the results and the awards ceremony.
Saturday 28 November 2026 - 15:00
Recital by the 1st Prize of the Brussels International Guitar Competition
« Ilse & Nicolas Alfonso » 2025
Yiang Zhang (China)
« In the Limelight »
Alfonso, Mertz, Castelnuovo-Tedesco...
Saturday 28 November 2026 - 15:00
Ensemble de Guitares du Conservatoire de Ciney (Belgium)
Saturday 28 November 2026 - 15:00
Ensemble de Guitares « Guitarissimo » de l’Académie d’Uccle (Belgium)
Saturday 28 November 2026 - 15:00
Ensemble de Guitares de l'Académie de Berchem-Sainte-Agathe (Belgium)
Saturday 28 November 2026 - 15:00
Ensemble de Guitares « Braine Guitar Collective » de l’Académie de Braine-l’Alleud (Belgium)
Sunday 29 November 2026 - 14:30
Brussels International Guitar Competition
« Ilse & Nicolas Alfonso »
« Public final round - Announcement of winners - Awards ceremony »
The international competition finalists, a maximum of three, each give a 25-minute recital which will be evaluated by the Jury made up of personalities from the Belgian and international artistic world. This round will be followed by the announcement of the results and the awards ceremony.
Sunday 29 November 2026 - 15:30
Brussels International Guitar Composition Competition
« Ilse & Nicolas Alfonso »
« Announcement of winner - Awards ceremony »
Created in 2021 to mark the 20 years since the passing of Nicolas Alfonso, this international composition competition aims to enrich the repertoire of the guitar. The name of the Laureate will be announced after deliberation by the Jury, composed of personalities from the Belgian and international artistic world. The announcement of the results will be followed by the Awards ceremony.
Saturday 28 November 2026 - 20:00
14 young virtuosos playing together
Ensemble de Guitares du Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles
« Dreams »
Vivaldi, Piazzolla, Marquez…
Inaugurated by Ilse & Nicolas Alfonso in 1965 and one of Europe's oldest, the unique guitar class at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles-École Supérieure des Arts comprises numerous very high standard Belgian and foreign students. Hugues Navez, assisted by Thomas Montagne and Thomas Vanin, has been the full professor of this class since 1999. The Conservatoire offers these future professionals the opportunity to perform regularly on stage : Château du Karreveld, Flagey, the Brussels Parliament, the Brussels Musical Instruments Museum (MIM), the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Maison de la Musique, the Salon Musicora in Paris... Conducted by their professor, current students perform together and share their passion with the public.
Saturday 28 November 2026 - 20:00
A Surprising Duo: Accordion & Guitar
Duo Gorka Hermosa, accordion & Alejandro Ceballos, guitar (Spain)
« Ecos de Falla en el Norte »
de Falla, Bacarisse, Sáinz de la Maza, Hermosa…
Sunday 29 November 2026 - 20:00
A Fabulous Young Guitar Duo
Duo Thaïs Cosnefroy & Antoine Miralles, guitars (France/Czechia/Belgium)
Both graduates (Master’s degree) from the guitar class of the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles
« Dreaming of Spain »
Albéniz, Presti, Halffter…
Sunday 29 November 2026 - 20:00
Jazz & classical, a festive and virtuoso crossover
Franceries & Friends Band (France)
Hélène Berger (piano), Chloé Franceries (flute), Éric Franceries (guitar),
Pierre Maingourd (double bass) & Valentin Franceries (drums)
« Classic meets Jazz »
Music by Claude Bolling
Lecture
« Essential principles for performances on the classical guitar (technique and styles) »
by Marco Tamayo (Austria / Cuba)
Professor at the Universität der Künste in Berlin (UDK) and the Mozarteum in Salzburg
Venue
Hay Doun Cultural Center
All the activities of the 2026 Brussels International Guitar Festival & Competitions will take place at the Hay Doun Cultural Center.
Rue du Gaz, 831020 Brussels · View map
Metro: Bockstael
Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles
The master class of Antonio Segura will take place at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles.
Rue du Chêne, 171000 Brussels · View map
Metro: Central Station
Master Classes
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...
Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles
· Tuesday 1st December 2026
· Rue du Chêne, 17
1000 Brussels
Masterclass schedule
Friday 27 November 2026
09:00 - 13:00
Marco Tamayo
Friday 27 November 2026
14:00 - 18:00
Alejandro Ceballos
Sunday 29 November 2026
09:00 - 13:00
Marco Tamayo
Monday 30 November 2026
09:00 - 13:00
Éric Franceries
Monday 30 November 2026
14:00 - 18:00
Éric Franceries
Tuesday 1 December 2026
09:00 - 12:00
Antonio Segura
Tuesday 1 December 2026
13:00 - 15:00
Antonio Segura
More Info
Free Admission
Exhibition
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.
More Info
Free Admission