‘Brussels Recorders United - will not take place’

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Brussels Recorders United was founded in 2019 by recorder player Katelijne Lanneau. This recorder orchestra aims to unite all Brussels recorder players regardless of level, age, language or cultural background. The heart of the orchestra are recorder teachers and students of different music academies of the Brussels-Capital region. Brussels Recorders United creates a unique sound with more than 70 enthusiastic recorder players from ages 9 to 99 and with instruments ranging from the classical soprano recorder to the 2-metre-high contrabass recorder. Both experimental contemporary music and improvisation play an important role.

Commissioned by Klarafestival, the Mexican composer Angélica Castelló wrote a new work for Brussels Recorders United: La ville résonante. The composition is based on the marvelous sound world of the city of Brussels. Castelló made recordings of ambient noise in different city locations with players of Brussels Recorders United: Brussels-North railway station during rush hour, the flea market of Place du Jeu de Balle, the slaughterhouses of Anderlecht, the hypnotic atmosphere of the swimming pool in Sint-Joost and the surrealistic tranquillity of the water spring of the Jean-Félix Happark in Etterbeek.

Castelló weaves this sound material in an electroacoustic tape which takes both audience and musicians “on a dream journey through Brussels”. Departing from a semi-improvised score for recorder orchestra, Brussels Recorders United creates an echo or a reflection on the fascinating soundscape of Brussels.