Evil Penguin TV

The beautiful opening concert of MA Festival 2020! With “Leçons de ténèbres pour le mercredi saint”, François Couperin composed one of the most stirring works in Baroque music. Coloured by bold harmonies and rich ornamentation, Jeremia’s lamentations attain an extraordinary intensity. Capriola Di Gioia renders Couperin’s intimate masterpiece for two sopranos and basso continuo.

Singer-songwriter Pitou composes poignant folk music reminiscent of the music of idiosyncratic figures such as Joni Mitchell. After two guest appearances at MiXmass, at MA Festival she once again shares the stage with the Belgian baroque ensemble B.O.X. Amidst the imposing ruins of the 17th-century Theresian Monastery, they break down the walls between baroque and pop.

Discover the original behind the Eurovision tunes! Charpentier’s most famous Te Deum – he wrote four – overawes in exultant D major, with an eight-part ensemble and show-stealing trumpets and timpani. It is no great surprise then that this work – and especially its instrumental prelude – became a hit! Together with B'Rock, resident artist Vox Luminis completes the programme with a triumphant ode to the patron saint of music: Cecilia. Commissioned by London’s 'Gentlemen Lovers of Musick', Purcell composed a celebratory festival of colours that shines brighter than ever in this rendition by two of Europe's most exciting Baroque ensembles.

Top orchestra meets urban artists Zediam (rapper and poet), Monique Harcum (vocalist) en Grazzhoppa (DJ and turntablist)! We Orchestrate Words - in short WOW - is an incubator for innovative, fresh discoveries from the urban scene. Rap, soul and grooves come together, the jazz orchestra responds to it and adds composition. Eventually worlds become interwoven into a contemporary soundtrack of a big city.

Compro Oro takes you on a Twang-American, psychedelic underground road trip to Africa, the Middle East and the Americas! Ghent based latin jazz collective Compro Oro released their catchy debut in 2015. The band explored traditional latin and cuban rhythms intermingled with wild guitar riffs and exotic vibraphone infusions. On the new album, ‘Suburban Exotica’, released in October 2019, the band takes things yet one step further, adding the sounds of the Middle East to the mix.

Normally at the back of the stage, now in the spotlight: the Percussion Trio of Antwerp Symphony Orchestra! The trio plays a challenging repertoire stretching from self-made arrangements of Bach to original pieces for percussion trio. The recording was made in the beautiful setting of AMUZ, which enhances the acoustical features of the percussion.

"The interesting thing about Beethoven is not only his personality and music but also the possibility to make a connection with contemporary music", Benjamin Haemhouts illustrates these words with this concert in deSingel. Beethoven's seventh symphony is performed together with compositions of Wim Henderickx and Frederik Neyrinck.

One of the best known compositions in classical music performed by Casco Phil in the wonderful Koningin Elisabethzaal.