EVENTS

PipesandSpeakers 2023

14 February Göteborg (SE) Organ & MIDI in GSO Concert Hall, demo video for GIOA

25 June Herentals (BE) Waldetrudis Church

31 July Göteborg (SE) Organ & MIDI in GSO Concert Hall, demo video for GIOA

12-13 August Auch (FR) in collaboration with Modus

18-19-20 August Brugge (BE) Reiefestival Soundtrack Locus Iste - Benjamin Verdonck

8 October Cannes/Mougins (FR) Festival Orgue & Électronique

28 October Bodegem (BE) Musica@parola

12 November Brasschaat (BE) Vermeersch 1871

Locus Iste

Benjamin Verdonck / Lucas Van Haesbroeck / Joris Verdin

Orgel-orgie

Highlighted by Pieter T'Jonck

Organ orgy

In 2022, Benjamin Verdonck said goodbye to the Toneelhuis with 'Down the rabbit hole': object theater with the largest viewing box that he ever built together with Lucas Van Haesbroeck. He traveled with that cabinet to the Reiefestival in Bruges. He settled in the Joseph Ryelandt Hall. Joris Verdin provides the score: he plays the organ that was built in 1988. The result, 'Locus Iste', is musically and visually stunning.

….

It largely revolves around the organ here. It is as if Joris Verdin had decided to get all the possibilities out of that instrument. It starts with a jumble of sounds that make you doubt what you hear. Is this even an organ? Was the sound processed electronically? You will no more find out than you will understand how Verdonck makes his images. Gradually, however, the sound unravels until you suddenly swear you heard a small Renaissance ensemble, with flutes, strings and trumpets - no drums, though. Playful dance music, until dissonances creep in again and strange orchestrations, and even some electronic squeaks and crackles (or I was just imagining that). The sound richness of the organ is simply an experience in itself. Recommended.

https://www.pzazz.theater/nl/recensies/muziektheater/orgel-orgie

March – November 2022

16 March Roskilde (DE): Concert on the historical organ

28 - 29 March Paris, Département de Musique Ancienne, CRR de Paris/Sorbonne : Master Class « L’Orgue expressif »

7 – 13 April Epernay, Strasbourg: Recording of César Franck’s “12 Pieces”, together with Cindy Castillo and Bart Verheyen, for Musique en Wallonie & Orgelkunst (BE)

13 May: release of The complete Organ & Harmonium Works by César Franck, Ricercar 441, 5 CD. Remastering of the separately issued recordings.

16 – 17 May, Liège, Franck Symposium: Performing the organ works of César Franck

29 May, Lorient (FR): Organ concert in Notre Dame de Kerentrech, Cavaillé-Coll 1838 and Duo concert with Marie-Noëlle Bette-Leroy, piano. “Un dimanche chez les Franck”

4 June, Leuven (BE): Organ concert, Cavaillé-Coll 1880, Franck and his colleagues at Sainte-Clotilde

12 June, Antwerp-Berchem: Organ concert “PipesandSpeakers”, augmented organ with synthesizers, through MIDI.

23 June, Vienna: Musikverein, Brahms Saal, “Nun klingen sie wieder”, Physharmonica concert with Marie-Noëlle Bette-Leroy, pianoforte Bösendorfer 1835 and Maria Kubizek, violin

1 July, Stavele (BE): 64 Feet premieres “Las campanas”, new 4-hand composition for historical organ

2 July, Achel (BE): Bart Verheyen performs the Belgian premiere of “Fantasia de quinto tono”

9 July, Torre de Juan Abad, (ES) Organ concert with the premiere performance of “El Retablo”, composed for the restored altarpiece, and new four-hand pieces, with Marie-Noëlle Bette-Leroy

18 July Brussels, Notre Dame du Finistère, Organ and voice, with Françoise Masset

26 July Orp (BE): The Sound of the Nineteenth Century, “Un piano, un harmonium, deux musiciens et un camion. Un programme joyeux et accessible qui vous fait voyager au 19ème siècle. » Pianino Pleyel 1845, Harmonium Debain 1850, with Marie-Noëlle Bette-Leroy

28 July Jamagne (Philippeville) BE: The Sound of the Nineteenth Century

29 July Suippes (FR): The Sound of the Nineteenth Century

30 July Brécy-Brières (FR): The Sound of the Nineteenth Century

31 July Han-sur-Lesse (BE): The Sound of the Nineteenth Century

4 September Brussels, Ixelles-Elsene, Organ concert with the premiere performance of a new piece by Orfeas Demis

10 September Elche de la Sierra (ES) : Organ concert, Varias flores de Música recogidas de muchos organistas, part 3, with Marie-Noëlle Bette-Leroy

11 September Villa de Ves (ES): Organ concert, Varias flores de Música recogidas de muchos organistas, part 4, with Marie-Noëlle Bette-Leroy

24 September Wijk-bij-Duurstede (NL): Franck celebration, master class and concert with Cindy Castillo and Bart Verheyen

26 September Gravelines (FR) : Paris au XXe Siècle, avec la voix de Diane Burghelle-Vernet et les illustrations de François Schuiten. Dans le roman « Paris au XXème siècle », écrit en 1863, Jules Verne imagine Paris un siècle plus tard, en 1960. Il raconte la vie d'un jeune homme qui ne se retrouve pas dans les valeurs que la société lui propose. Á travers cette histoire, l’écrivain s'interroge: "Quelle est la place de l'artiste dans une société régie par la Finance et la Technique?" Interpellés par ce thème, Marie-Noëlle Bette-Leroy et Joris Verdin ont imaginé un programme musical autour du roman.

30 September Sint-Truiden (BE) : Piano Bechstein 1900 and harmonium Alexandre 1865 “Double Expression”, , with Marie-Noëlle Bette-Leroy

8 & 9 October Korbeek-Lo (BE): Messe Solennelle Rossini, with Jan Vermeulen and Hortus Musicalis, Luc Laurent.

15 October Brussels, Bozar: harmonium and voice, with Françoise Masset, Franck Celebration, Église des Dominicains

16-23 October: Gothenburg International Organ Academy

22 October Gothenburg International Organ Festival: “Franck Special”, organ pieces and vocal pieces, with Mathias Harms (SE), on the Willis Organ – Ørgryte

28 October Organ concert Igreja de Gueifães, Maia (PT)- Portuguese historical organ

29 October “L’Organiste”, César Franck complete performance in Casa da Musica, Porto (PT)

30 October Masterclass in casa da Musica.

4 November Renteria (ES): Organ and alboka, dulzaina, with Haritz Ezeiza

5 November Irun (ES): Organ Cavaillé-Coll, classical concert augmented with compositions based on images and videos

6 November Oiartzun (ES) : « Double Expression », harmonium, with Marie-Noëlle Bette- Leroy at the piano and vocal music by Orfeon Donostarria. Three concerts in the IX MEMORIAL AZKUE

20 November Oberhausen Sankt Marien (DE): Organ concert, Franck Celebration, with vocal pieces

25 November Tavira (PT): Santiago, organ Fontanes 1785

26 November Faro (PT): Catedral de Faro, organ Hulenkampf & Oldovini 1767