19 July - 2 August, 2020

22° edition

The course is open for violin, viola, cello, double-bass, piano, harp & clarinet players aged 10-20.

A 21 year old engagement 

The mission of Musica Mundi is to develop the musical and human potential of young talents from all over the world. 

Driven by this philosophy, every summer for the last 20 years Musica Mundi has been holding an international chamber music course and festival for young musicians aged 10 to 20.Each year, the course is attended by some 70 participants from all corners of the world: 30 countries were represented in 2019 !

Musica Mundi is aware that many talented young musicians come from underprivileged backgrounds and countries and as such do not have access to schemes of a similar nature. This is why Musica Mundi believes helping them is a priority. In practice, numerous talented young musicians attending the course over recent years have received support in covering their tuition fees and accommodation costs. 

The Musica Mundi Festival is an integral part of the course. This is why the choice of the Artists is vital to complete the educational idea. 

Among the artists who are already members of the big Musica Mundi family: Ivry Gitlis, Maxim Vengerov, Mischa Maisky, Joshua Bell, Menahem Pressler, Nicholas Angelich, Gidon Kremer, Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin, Steven Isserlis, The King’s Singers, Jordi Savall, Fazil Say... 

Musica Mundi was since its creation a source of inspiration for many journalists and media partners. In summer 2013 a full length documentary was filmed by the RTBF and the VRT and broadcasted all over the world. 

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The “Musica Mundi School” opened September 2018 !!!

Goodwill Ambassador - Maxim Vengerov

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The mission of Musica Mundi is to develop the musical and human potential of young talents from all over the world. By putting these already highly gifted young talents in direct contact with other young talents from around the world, and with some of today’s greatest pedagogues and artists, the impact on their lives, in terms of development, stimulation and personal enrichment, will be immeasurable. Driven by this same philosophy, every summer for the last 21 years Musica Mundi has been holding an international chamber music course and festival for young musicians aged 10 to 20. Each year, the course is attended by some 70 participants from all corners of the world: 30 countries were represented in 2019. The vast majority of these talented young people have few or no financial resources; thanks to sponsors and patrons, they receive full scholarships which cover both their living expenses and their musical education. The growing success of the course and the festival over the last years, and numerous encounters with musicians from all over the world, have made the two founders of Musica Mundi, Hagit Hassid-Kerbel (pianist) and Leonid Kerbel (violinist), aware of the urgent need to set up a primary and secondary school for young musicians. A school that offers young musicians aged 10 to 18 the opportunity to simultaneously and harmoniously receive a general education and a professional musical education, both of high quality, irrespective of their financial situation. There are very few schools in the world offering such an education program. Most of these schools are in Eastern Europe or Asia. In Central and Western Europe there are no such schools, with the exception of Great Britain. During the Musica Mundi concert at the Centre of Fine Arts of Brussels on the 2nd May 2011, Maxim Vengerov announced that he was to serve as ambassador for the school project! The Musica Mundi School is created on the historical and spiritual site of the “Monastere de Fichermont” - part of the listed and fully preserved areas of the battlefield of Waterloo. Thanks to an exceptional collaboration with the Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels, the “Musica Mundi School” created in Fichermont its international primary and secondary music school with boarding house. The school, with English as its vehicular language, offers a complete general education from the 5th primary year and up to the 6th secondary year. It follows the Cambridge International Examinations program and qualifications, and delivers a high school diploma certified by this program. A boarding school welcomes the young talents who arrive from all over the world. Professional music education is provided by all the artists who are already part of the “Musica Mundi Family” - Maxim Vengerov, the school’s Goodwill Ambassador, Ivry Gitlis, Jérôme Pernoo, Jacques Rouvier, Vladimir Perlin, Ronald Van Spaendonck, Catherine Michel and many others... Instrumental teachers for all orchestral instruments and piano, master pedagogues and artists in residence are present at the school regularly. Young talents are accepted on the basis of an audition and according to their talent only. Scholarships are offered to those in need.

The Musica Mundi School is the only “ALL STEINWAY SCHOOL” in Belgium and in the surrounding countries, providing its young talents with these majestic pianos and therefore with excellent practicing and performing conditions.

The school opened in September 2018 with 25 young musicians accepted after an important selection process. Students arrive from countries such as Australia, Malaysia, China, Ukraine, Albania, Slovenia, Georgia, Russia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Poland, Germany, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, Turkey and Holland. 5 classes were created, from the 1st to the 5th secondary with 3 up to 9 students per class. For the academic year 2019-2020, school has accepted ,after auditions, 11 more students to reach a total of 36. Both educations are mixed harmoniously and with a lot of thought and consideration. The well being of the students is the main factor that guides this healthy mixture. Students have faced-and this for the first time-the official Cambridge Exams in May 2019 and have performed regularly during the year in public and private concerts. Numerous events are already programmed for 2019-2020. 

Come and visit us and witness for yourself the life in this unique institution !

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WITH THE

SUPPORT OF

Under the Patronage

of Her Majesty

Queen Mathilde

granted in years

2003, 2008, 2013, 2018

Thanks to its players, who play responsibly and for small amounts, the Belgian National Lottery can pay out a substantial part of its income to society in the form of subsidies for projects and organizations of a scientific, sporting, social nature and/or cultural, as the acoustic transformations of the Musica Mundi School.

Have granted their esteemed patronage

Mrs. Sophie Wilmès

Prime Minister of Belgium

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Mr. & Mrs. Herman Van Rompuy

Former President of the European Council

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The European Parliament

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Madame Florence Reuter

Bourgmestre de Waterloo

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His Excellency Mr. Martin Kotthaus

Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany

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His Excellency Mr. Artur Orzechowski

Ambassador of the Republic of Poland

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Her Excellency Mrs. Alison Rose

British Ambassador to Belgium

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The Honorable Mr. Ronald J. Gidwitz

Ambassador of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Belgium

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Her Excellency Mrs. Maria Christina Lundqvist

Ambassador of Sweden in Belgium

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Son Excellence Mr. Emmanuel Nahshon

Ambassadeur d'Israël auprès du Royaume de Belgique

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The Russian Embassy

With the presence of

Monsieur Yves Vander Cruysen
Echevin de la Culture - commune de Waterloo

Mr. John Martin

Honorary committee

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Mischa Maisky
Martha Argerich
Ivry Gitlis
Maxim Vengerov

Steven Isserlis
Pavel Gililov
Fred Brouwers

Friends committee

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Madame Evelyne Bruckner
Madame Viviane Grossmann
Madame Mathy Kandiyoti
Monsieur Jean-Pierre Derue
Monsieur Alexandre Lipski
Monsieur Raphaël Lipski
Monsieur Carlo Schreiber