RECOUDENBERG 2025 - 2031.
Under the artistic leadership of Matteo Gemolo, the Coudenberg Sound Box Fest enters an ambitious new chapter with the launch of ReCoudenberg. Unveiled during the festival’s 2025 edition, this initiative marks a bold evolution, bridging historical research with contemporary artistic innovation. This interdisciplinary project, supported by national and international partners, invites us to ask: What was the musical life of a forgotten mysterious Royal Palace, and how can we reimagine and experience it again today? In a twist on the familiar idea of haunted castles, here it is the palace itself that is a ghost — only its deepest skeleton remains, leaving vast space for imagination and plenty of echoes for stories yet to be told. ReCoudenberg bridges rigorous musicological and historical research with contemporary and inventive reflection, weaving together diverse disciplines to unveil the palace’s rich musical past — once the court of the Dukes of Burgundy, the Habsburg Netherlands, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Spanish and Austrian Habsburgs — while engaging with the questions and realities of our present world, in a capital city like Brussels at the heart of Europe, so cosmopolitan in its history as in its present.
Unfolded between 2025 and 2031, with key milestones in 2030, Belgium’s bicentenary, and 2031, the 300th tragic anniversary of the Coudenberg Palace destruction, this project wishes to re-vive, re-enact and re-imagine the forgotten and rich musical heritage of the Coudenberg Palace and positions the festival as a platform for experimentation, education, and broad-audience engagement with history, sound, space, and the role of early music in the 21st century. Through ReCoudenberg, the festival evolves beyond its original concert series format, expanding into artistic installations, research and educational projects, conferences, recordings, videoclips, and interdisciplinary initiatives. At its core, ReCoudenberg seeks to redefine the possibilities of an early music festival at an international level – not only in innovative programming, but also in its lasting impact on cultural heritage, cross-pollination between different disciplines, and experimentation.
Research & Scholarship
Partnering with leading academic institutions such as ULB, KCB, CrB and RicercarLab (University of Tours), ReCoudenberg explores the rich musical tapestry of the Coudenberg court, from religious to secular works. These findings will be shared through both a scholarly monograph and a popular history book, debuting in 2030 in celebration of Belgium’s 200th anniversary.
4-CD anthology
A 4-CD anthology celebrating the musical heritage of the Coudenberg Palace from the 15th to the 18th century. Released under the Musique en Wallonie label, this collection features world-premiere recordings of previously unknown works, brought to life in collaboration with leading Belgian ensembles. The project is further enriched by digitized archives, now made available for public access.
Off-site concerts
In collaboration with leading local institutions such as Bozar, MIM, KBR and Palace of the Academies, this series of co-produced concerts invites the public to rediscover the musical landscape of the historic Coudenberg Hill—once a seat of power, now the vibrant heart of Brussels.
Interdisciplinary Projects & Digital Platform
Multidisciplinary Collaborations: Our program bridges the worlds of Art, Fashion, and Gastronomy, blending music and visual arts with the exploration of historical culinary traditions. This interdisciplinary approach is further enriched by exclusive premieres of new films, including 'Une autre Renaissance' (by Joachim Thome & Jérôme Laffont). This documentary, focusing on the Flemish Primitives, is set for international broadcast on RTBF, VRT, Arte France, and ARTE Germany during the Autumn/Winter 2027 season.
Education & Mediation
The project features CSBFNextGen mentorships, student workshops, and masterclasses, alongside immersive installations designed to engage audiences. It boasts partnerships with the Royal Conservatoires of Brussels (CrB and KCB) and focuses on cultural mediation for children through collaborations with Les Jeunesses Musicales.
European Vision
Through wider European partnerships, including REMA (European Network for Early Music), ReCoudenberg aims to foster transnational exchanges, mobility for artists, and interdisciplinary collaboration, positioning CSBF as a model for early music festivals that engage heritage, innovation, and contemporary culture.
A digital platform
At the heart of the project lies a cutting-edge digital platform—a unified gateway where all activities converge. From interactive scores and sound archives to exclusive video content and educational resources, the platform invites European audiences to explore the initiative’s various layers through an intuitive and engaging digital journey.
Legacy
By bridging scholarly research, world-class performance, and digital innovation, ReCoudenberg ensures a lasting cultural legacy and international visibility. The project fosters a dynamic dialogue between European heritage and contemporary Belgian artistic practice, breathing new life into the long-forgotten musical history of the Coudenberg Palace—a narrative that continues to resonate with today’s societal challenges and our shared cultural identity.
