Brussels 25

From January 31 to February 3, 2025, one of the two annual meetings of the artistic directors took place in Brussels. This event was combined with an academy organized by the ECHO Young Ambassadors, focusing on the theme "Organ Transcriptions Through Time: From Intabulation to Orchestration". The program featured a diverse range of concerts, lectures, masterclasses, and discussions, all centered around different approaches to transcription.

The four-day academy opened with a masterclass where experts such as Luc Ponet, Krzysztof Urbaniak and Juan-Maria Pedrero delved into the practice of intabulation in the 16th and 17th centuries. 

A particularly special moment was the opening concert, where five Young Ambassadors delivered an impressive and high-level musical performance, presenting a beautifully curated program that aligned perfectly with the theme of the weekend.

Beyond the musical sessions, the academy also hosted inspiring discussions, including a talk on crafting the perfect concert program with Bernard Foccroulle and Luc Ponet, as well as a roundtable on the evolution of organ transcriptions. The latter covered topics such as contemporary adaptations of video game music by Luca Akaeda Santesson and the orchestration of Franck’s Second Choral by Benoît Mernier.

Other aspects of transcription were explored in two fascinating masterclasses. Jean Ferrard and Benoît Mernier, organ professor at the Conservatoire royal de Bruxelles, examined Brussels' organ culture during the Spanish Netherlands through works by Peeter Cornet and Abraham Van den Kerckhoven. Meanwhile, Elias Praxmarer and Yoann Tardivel explored transcription in the 20th and 21st centuries, discussing the challenges, methods, and interpretations involved in this process.

Participants from across Europe also had the opportunity to explore the Belgian capital. During an artistic city walk, led by Marc Vanscheeuwijck, they discovered Brussels’ rich musical and cultural history. A particularly memorable moment was the ceremony where Manneken-Pis was dressed in an organ builder's costume, paying tribute to the city’s organ tradition. 

Another highlight was the concert featuring nyckelharpa (Didier François) and organ (Lukas Arvidsson)—a unique fusion of Baroque music and Swedish folk traditions.

The ECHO Days & Academy 2025 once again demonstrated why ECHO plays a vital role in promoting and preserving Europe’s organ heritage. By providing a platform for young talents and fostering innovation, this event contributes to the future of the organ as an artistic medium. You can also follow the ECHO Young Community on Instagram and Facebook. 

Marie Petit