13th Edition Brussels International Guitar Festival & Competitions

Viva la Vida!

22 > 26.11.2024

Dedicated to « Our Planet, the Earth », we welcome you to the 13th 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 international competition and the composition competition.

Classical, Latino, Baroque, modern, contemporary music, jazz as well as a world music… The many facets of the world's most played instrument will be showcased thanks to a rich and varied programme : solo guitar, duo, trio, ensemble, guitar with orchestra, trumpet, singing…

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, Vietnam, Spain, France, Italy, Austria, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg…) as well as young artists on the verge of a promising career, for whom the festival serves as a launch pad.

The 2024 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.

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…

Hugues Navez Founding President and Artistic Director Full Professor of the Guitar Class & Head of the Guitar Department at the Brussels Royal Conservatory

Concerts & Shows

An exceptional evening « La Chapelle Musicale de Tournai » Orchestra, conducted by Philippe Gérard (Belgium) « Simple Symphony » by Benjamin Britten

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« La Chapelle Musicale de Tournai » Orchestra

A splendid concerto performed by four young virtuosos Charly D’Ambra, Antoine Miralles, Corentin Schlegel & Rei Tanaka, guitars (Belgium/France/Japan) Four graduates (Master’s degree) from the guitar class of the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles « La Chapelle Musicale de Tournai » Orchestra, conducted by Philippe Gérard (Belgium) « Concierto Andaluz » for four guitars and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo Homage to Joaquín Rodrigo on the 25th anniversary of his disappearance

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Charly D’Ambra, Antoine Miralles, Corentin Schlegel & Rei Tanaka

A Spanish composer and a young musician to discover Corentin Schlegel, guitar (Belgium/France) Graduate (Master’s degree) from the guitar class of the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles « La Chapelle Musicale de Tournai » Orchestra, conducted by Philippe Gérard (Belgium) « Brisas de Cádiz » for guitar and orchestra by Ángel G. Piñero (Belgian premiere)

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Corentin Schlegel

Two virtuosos acclaimed all over the world
Together for the first time in Belgium !
Duo Thu Le (Vietnam/Italy) & Marco Tamayo (Cuba/Austria), guitars « La Chapelle Musicale de Tournai » Orchestra, conducted by Philippe Gérard (Belgium) « Concierto Madrigal » for two guitars and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo Homage to Joaquín Rodrigo on the 25th anniversary of his disappearance

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Duo Thu Le & Marco Tamayo

Discoveries - Tango, Habanera, Calipso...
Latin music composed by Renaud Lécuyer, 1st Prize of the « Ilse & Nicolas Alfonso » Brussels International Guitar Composition Competition 2023
For the first time in Belgium !
Il Teatro Latino Quintet (Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) Christiane Grethen-Gras (flute), Svenja Beuren (mandolin), Jean-Yves Lorenzi (guitar),
Renaud Lécuyer (guitar) & Laurent Payfert (double bass)
« A Latin journey » Compositions by Renaud Lécuyer (Belgian premiere)

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Il Teatro Latino Quintet

A duo of famous virtuosos
Together for the first time in Belgium !
Duo Thu Le (Vietnam/Italy) & Marco Tamayo (Cuba/Austria), guitars « Together beyond borders » Carulli, Mertz, Gismonti, Pereira...

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Duo Thu Le & Marco Tamayo

Three talented young musicians united in diversity
For the first time in Belgium !
Atria Guitar Trio (Belgium/Brazil/France) Marcos Ferreira Gomes, Victor Fouriaud & Evangelos Triantafilakis (guitars)
Three graduates (Master’s degree) from the guitar class of the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles
« Mandacaru » Bellinati, Mirto, Roux, Dyens...

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Atria Guitar Trio

The world renowned Spanish guitar virtuoso José María Gallardo del Rey, guitar (Spain) « Por los campos de España » Sanz, Albéniz, de Falla, Gallardo del Rey...

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José María Gallardo del Rey

Recital by the 1st Prize of the Brussels International Guitar Competition « Ilse & Nicolas Alfonso » 2023
For the first time in Belgium !
Leonardo Vannimartini, guitar (Italy) « In the Limelight » Alfonso, Regondi, Chopin, Tansman...

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Leonardo Vannimartini

A surprising duo: jazz, world, variety and film music
Together for the first time in Belgium !
Sacré Duo (France) Éric Franceries (guitar) & Francis Célérier (trumpet) « Lullaby of Birdland » Kosma, Machado, Nougaro, Shearing...

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Leonardo Vannimartini

12 young virtuosos playing together Ensemble de Guitares du Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles conducted by Hugues Navez « Cascades » Tisserand (world premiere), Pujol (Belgian premiere), Albéniz, Bizet

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Ensemble de guitares du Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles

World Music Karim Baggili Quintet (Belgium) Karim Baggili (guitar, oud, voice), Vivian Ladrière (drums, percussion),
Youri Nanaï (bass), Etienne Serck (percussion) & Karoline de la Serna (voice, bombo)
« Ocho Manos » compositions by Karim Baggili

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Karim Baggili Quintet

Lecture - in French and English

Sunday 24 November 2024 - 17:30

Marco Tamayo

« 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

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Exhibition « Ilse & Nicolas Alfonso »

From Friday 22 November 2024 to Tuesday 26 November 2024 - from 10:00 to 20:00

The legendary couple Ilse and Nicolas Alfonso

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.

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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...

Venue : Théâtre du Vaudeville - Galerie de la Reine, 13 - 1000 Brussels

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date time artists
Friday 22 November 2024 09:30 - 12:30 Marco Tamayo
Friday 22 November 2024 14:00 - 17:00 Éric Franceries
Saturday 23 November 2024 09:30 - 12:30 Thu Le
Monday 25 November 2024 09:30 - 12:30 José María Gallardo del Rey
Monday 25 November 2024 14:00 - 17:00 Marco Tamayo
Tuesday 26 November 2024 09:30 - 12:30 Éric Franceries