| 1st International Belgian Brass Academy 6 – 12 July 2008, Tongeren, Belgium | 1 March, 2008 | |||||
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The ensemble Belgian Brass, working in co-operation with the Basilica Festival van Vlaanderen and the City of Tongeren, has announced the 1st International Belgian Brass Academy, taking place 6th – 12th July 2008 in the beautiful medieval town of Tongeren. Belgian Brass’s press release informs us that “a prestigious series of masterclasses, recitals and concerts will gather the ne plus ultra of the brass world in Belgium. We want to offer students the opportunity to study for a week in ideal circumstances with the best musicians around. Tongeren will be blown upside down, with a ‘brass overload’ in different concert locations such as the world-renowned Basilica of Our Lady, the Casino, and throughout the historic city centre. But there is more: we invite everyone to come to Tongeren to enjoy this unusual concentration of brass talent, and to be immersed in the rich historic and cultural heritage that this town in the middle of Europe has to offer. First-class teachers will share their time and knowledge with motivated young brass players in an intensive summer course. On top of that, there will be workshops and masterclasses by the performing ensembles in the Academy’s concert series. Next to these traditional summer course elements, we will add chamber music and ensemble lessons with the great Fred Mills, formerly of Canadian Brass. Every day, we will offer individual lessons by members of Belgian Brass, at least one concert and one masterclass but more often two. The activities will take place in different halls throughout the city centre, thus uncovering the rich cultural infrastructure of Tongeren. To name but a few of our performers: Michel Becquet, Jeff Nelsen, Reinhold Friedrich, Roger Webster, Stef Pillaert ... In the breathtaking Basilica of Our Lady (inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list) with its superb acoustics, we will be hosting nothing but the finest brass ensembles around. In a week-long explosion of sound, these ensembles and soloists will be performing in this historic concert venue: German Brass; Canadian Brass; Belgian Brass; Spanish Brass Luur Metalls; Epsilon Brass; Festival Brassband. At the end of the week various groups will be performing on the open-air ‘Market-stage’ and in the city centre during the day and after the Basilica Festival Concerts, including salsa band, big band, street theatre groups ... and not forgetting the great Belgian food and beer! Tongeren is full of great places to wine and dine, to have a drink, or to start and/or end a party! One thing is certain: it’s all about brass in Tongeren from the 6th until the 12th of July. For more information on the Belgian Brass Academy including all application details please visit the first website linked below.. Links:
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