Those who know the Muziekkapel Koningin Elisabeth know that this place is more than a school or residence. In the stately green surroundings of Waterloo, young musicians are not only trained, but also guided in their growth towards mature stage artistry.
Here tradition and future meet, in a climate where mentorship, artistic freedom and human depth go hand in hand. Each year that endeavor takes tangible form during the Music Chapel Festival, the flagship of their artistic season.
The power of the elements
The 2025 edition, from 5 to 6 December, carries the theme The Four Elements – earth, water, air and fire. A poetic framework, but also an invitation to rediscover the versatility of music. Each element symbolizes a musical quality: the solidity of rhythm and ground tone (earth), the fluid movement of melody (water), the breath of phrasing (air), and the intensity of expression (fire). Throughout the program, these forces resound in diverse styles, from baroque to contemporary.
The festival opens on Friday 5 December with the symphony orchestra Les Métamorphoses, conducted by Raphaël Feye. Pianist Jonathan Fournel – winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition 2021 – shines alongside soloists such as Mirabelle Kajenjeri, Alexander Warenberg and Rino Yoshimoto. Together they explore the richness of the musical landscape, where dialogue and energy are central.
Fire and refinement
Saturday offers a wide palette: a performance for young audiences by Compagnie Artichoke, film screenings, and lectures that bridge sound and reflection. The closing concert is the apotheosis: the Brussels Philharmonic, conducted by Kazushi Ono, shares the stage with the MuCH Soloists. This partnership between top orchestra and young talent perfectly embodies the mission of the Muziekkapel: learning through doing, growing through making music together.
The program is not only built around the theme, but also around the idea of continuity: each generation builds on the previous one. The teachers of the Muziekkapel – including such greats as Augustin Dumay, Gary Hoffman, Sophie Koch and Stéphane Degout – work closely with their students, who during the festival demonstrate their artistic maturity. This cross-pollination makes the Music Chapel Festival unique in Belgium.
More than a showcase
The Muziekkapel Koningin Elisabeth is one of the few institutions where young musicians can live in residence, study and perform within an international network. Participants are trained not only technically, but also guided in programming, stage presentation and collaboration with orchestras. The annual festival is the culmination of that journey: a living laboratory where sound, concept and audience meet each other.
Click on the link for the complete program and ticket information. In addition to the main concerts, there are accessible OFF activities for families and curious listeners. Those who head to Flagey in Ixelles in early December will discover more than a series of concerts: they enter a space where music lives and breathes. Here generations merge, young artists find their voice, and tradition is born anew in fresh sounds. Solid as earth, fluid as water, light as air and fiery in spirit – this is how the Music Chapel Festival shows how music carries the four elements within itself.
Klassiek Centraal will be there on both days to closely follow this fascinating interplay of talent and inspiration and report on this two-day ode to the creative power of sound. Prior to the festival, you will be able to read some interviews with musicians on our site as a taste of things to come, who will be performing during the festival.