Every year, the Polyphonic Performance Spaces research festival brings the best of artistic research to Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel. This edition explores The Sound of Brussels: the city’s exceptionally rich sonic heritage, -past, present, and future.
This year’s programme pays tribute to the cultural and educational legacy of KCB, showcasing rare treasures from its library, highlighting connections with renowned instrument makers, and offering a future perspective on its evolving role in the musical landscape. Another hidden gem, the Coudenberg Palace, will be brought back to life through a series of lectures that illuminate the musical and historical context of the period 1500–1800. The journey continues into the interwar years, when Brussels emerged as a vibrant stage for international modernism. Composers such as Béla Bartók, Igor Stravinsky, and Darius Milhaud found eager audiences for their work within the city, while Brussels also became a thriving hub for the international jazz scene, a legacy that continues to resonate powerfully to this day.
The Sound of Brussels invites exploration, there is so much to discover. Take your sense of adventure and join us for a series of lectures and workshops by internationally renowned performers and scholars!
Discover the full programme! There's also an online booklet available.