We have already written about the Musica Mundi School in Waterloo. An international institute for exceptional musical talents between 12 and 18 who follow a general study program with emphasis on musical education. These are selected young people from many countries worldwide who stay there as boarders, sometimes for months or even an entire school year without being able to go home. In itself a challenge.
During the course of a school year, the students organize a number of concerts inside and outside the school. On 20 February '25 it was listening to soloists whereas in December '24 it was chamber music. 20 of the 52 students gave their best. Reviewing all these young people is impossible and so we chose to, with a light hand, select a few of the students and briefly present our impressions of their performances. Generally speaking, during the one and a half years we have been following this unique school, you hear a remarkable progress. The first time we were already very impressed by the performances, now we heard even more evolution, as difficult as that is to imagine. Not every student has the same level, but it is certain that they all stand above average, safely at the top for young people of their age. One of the reasons is the very intense schooling and the lack of distraction – they simply live in the boarding school. The Oxford system of education is also very strongly developing for the mind. It all goes together and the result is astounding. You can assume that this school has no equal in the world.
Sister Amy and brother Liam Nassereddine (Netherlands)
Amy is 13 years old. She plays saxophone and she immediately shows that in my feeling the saxophone, which sometimes sounds a bit out of tune in the upper register, can sound perfectly in tune and as fine as a little flute, just as it can sound very warm in the lower register. For her age, Amy not only has great mastery and technique, she knows how to phrase and make music live, speak. The 'Kobold Dance' by Tom De Haes is dark and almost frightening in the first phrases, blooms into an inviting dance, becomes very subtle only to then continue as a real dancing kobold. Playing something like that is no small feat.
Liam plays piano like a mature, experienced concert pianist. This cheerful young fellow is 14. We listen, with goosebumps (!), to the third movement of Edvard Grieg's piano concerto opus 16. If you can already move an entire hall emotionally at that age, what else awaits when he truly becomes that experienced concert pianist?
For the great stages, nothing more and nothing less: Dobromir Dobrev
To stay with the piano: final year student Dobromir Dobrev (19 – Bulgaria) lets us understand that he can continue his studies in London, with a full scholarship. He performs the prelude and fugue BWV 849 by Johann Sebastian Bach. So calming, so fine, so pure, so beautiful, so Bach. On other occasions we heard him inspire the audience just as intensely with heavy romantic piano repertoire. This will be a top pianist insofar as he is not already one. Such a musician does not need competitions to break through.
Flemish talent becomes world class...
The violin playing of the Flemish Sophie De Keyser (15) was at least as overwhelming. Rarely, no, honestly, never before have I heard such a young violinist not only play so impeccably and without disturbing bow noise – what technique! – but especially her musicality, the intonation, the power, the maturity, the charisma, the insight, the understanding. Play it then, the third movement of the violin concerto by Felix Mendelssohn. She does it and not many soloists with name and fame will move you the way this young natural talent does.
We'll stop with these four students. Do not think that the others were more modest. We can only recommend you to follow this school, the concerts and especially the students. They are the soloists of the future.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V2bw_19luM[/embed]