Ars Musica 2026 opens on Saturday with a Nordic-themed programme, “Arctic Fever”, bringing music from Iceland to the Baltic states to audiences across Belgium until 7 December.
The festival will feature two guest artists of honour: Norwegian composer Kristine Tjøgersen, known for organic, even “biological,” work that seeks to give nature a voice, and Swedish composer Anders Hillborg, whose major symphonic scores are performed by some of the world’s leading orchestras and musicians.
The event is now led by a new duo, with Patrick Leterme as artistic director and Katrien Dobbelaere overseeing operations and finance. For this edition, they have selected 50 events across 25 venues in ten cities, including 20 world premieres.
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The programme will be spread across the country and developed through partnerships with venues and institutions such as Namur’s Grand Manège Concert Hall, Miry Concert Hall in Ghent, Concertgebouw Bruges, PBA Charleroi, Manège Fonck in Liège, the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, Studio Ictus, the Museum of Natural Sciences, Bozar, Le Senghor, Le Botanique and Cinema Palace.
This year’s festival is built around three main themes. First, much of the programme draws on music from the planet’s northern latitudes.
Second, it will use music to explore climate change, melting ice and biodiversity under pressure.
Third, “Arctic Fever” also aims to celebrate joy through movement and dance.
Among the composers featured are Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Arvo Pärt and Kaija Saariaho, alongside world premieres by Helena Tulve and Erkki-Sven Tüür.
The festival will also present original projects such as Belgian composer Jean-Luc Fafchamps’s Messe des Glaces, written for soprano Sarah Defrise and the Namur Chamber Choir.
Dance and urban culture will also form part of the programme, with beatbox, rap, voguing and waacking featuring in works including Nous sommes Orage by Bastien David, created by the Ensemble Intercontemporain.
Ars Musica, Belgium’s leading festival for contemporary music creation, says it aims to offer a fully immersive and sensory experience.
