The Royal Conservatory of Brussels (french: Conservatoire royal de Bruxelles, nl, Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel) is a historic conservatory in Brussels, Belgium. Starting its activities in 1813, it received its official name in 1832. Providing performing music and drama courses, the institution became renowned partly because of the international reputation of its successive directors such as François-Joseph Fétis,

François-Auguste Gevaert François-Auguste Gevaert (31 July 1828 in Huysse, near Oudenaarde – 24 December 1908 in Brussels) was a Belgian musicologist and composer.N. Slonimsky, Ed., ''Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians'', 8th ed., Schirmer Books, NY Li ...

Edgar Tinel Edgar Pierre Joseph Tinel (27 March 185428 October 1912) was a Belgian composer and pianist. He was born in Sinaai, today part of Sint-Niklaas in East Flanders, Belgium, and died in Brussels. After studies at the Brussels Conservatory with Lou ...

Joseph Jongen Joseph Marie Alphonse Nicolas Jongen (14 December 1873 – 12 July 1953) was a Belgian organist, composer, and music educator. Biography Jongen was born in Liège, where his parents had moved from Flanders. On the strength of an amazing precocity ...

Marcel Poot Marcel Poot (7 May 1901 in Vilvoorde, Belgium – 12 June 1988 in Brussels) was a Belgian composer, professor, and musician. Personal life His father, Jan Poot, was Director of the (Flemish Theatre) in Brussels. Early life Born to the dire ...

, but more because it has been attended by many of the top musicians, actors and artists in Belgium such as Arthur Grumiaux, José Van Dam, Sigiswald Kuijken, Josse De Pauw, Luk van Mello and

Luk De Konink Luk De Koninck (born 8 July 1952, Belgium) is a Belgian television actor. Education De Koninck studied drama at the Koninlijk Conservatorium in Brussels, making his acting breakthrough in 1975, debuting in the TV series ''Klaaglied om Agnes'' ...

. Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone, also studied at the Brussels Conservatory. In 1967, the institution split into two separate entities: the , which teaches in Dutch, and the , which continued teaching in

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

. While the French-speaking entity remained an independent public institution of higher education (''École supérieure des arts''), the Flemish entity integrated the

Erasmus University College Erasmus University College (EUC) is a public liberal arts college situated in Rotterdam, South Holland. It is the undergraduate honours college of the Erasmus University Rotterdam, offering it's students a BSc degree in Liberal Arts & Sciences. ...

as one of its Schools of Arts.

Building

The current Royal Conservatory building consists of three wings arranged around a courtyard and is the work of architect

Jean-Pierre Cluysenaer Jean-Pierre Cluysenaar (1811–1880) was a Belgian architect. He is the father of the Cluysenaar family. Family He was born in Kampen in the Netherlands as a son of Joannes Kluysenaar and Garidenia Kluysenaar, a Dutch family of archite ...

, built to his designs between 1872 and 1876. The style is neo-Renaissance, influenced by the Lescot Wing of the Louvre. The decorative program of the facade is very elaborate, with five separate pediment sculptures (''Instrumental Music'' by

Liège Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far from b ...

sculptor Adolphe Fassin, ''Orchestration'' by

Charles van der Stappen Charles van der Stappen (also Karl van der Stappen; 19 September 1843 – 21 October 1910), was a Belgian sculptor, born in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode. Life Educated at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels (1859–1868), van der Stappen' ...

, ''Composition'' by

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

sculptor

Frans Deckers Frans Deckers (20 March 1835 – 18 October 1916) was a Belgian sculptor. Life and work Joannes Franciscus Deckers was born in Antwerp on 20 March 1835, to Jean François Deckers (born in Merksem, circa 1800), a baker, and Maria Catharina Stumper ...

, ''Performing Arts'' by

Antoine-Félix Bouré Antoine-Félix Bouré (8 July 1831 – 8 April 1883), known in his own time as Félix Bouré but sometimes found in modern scholarship as Antoine Bouré, was a Belgian sculptor, best known for his monumental lions. Life and career Bouré was b ...

, and ''Poetry'' by

Tournai Tournai or Tournay ( ; ; nl, Doornik ; pcd, Tornai; wa, Tornè ; la, Tornacum) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. It lies southwest of Brussels on the river Scheldt. Tournai is part of Euromet ...

sculptor Barthélemy Frison) and other incidental work including garlands, caryatids,

palm trees Palm most commonly refers to: * Palm of the hand, the central region of the front of the hand * Palm plants, of family Arecaceae **List of Arecaceae genera * Several other plants known as "palm" Palm or Palms may also refer to: Music * Palm (ba ...

and musical instruments by sculptors Georges Houtstont, Paul de Vigne, Antoine-Joseph Van Rasbourgh, Auguste Braekevelt, and Égide Mélot.

Auxiliary activities

Concerts

Each year a variety of regular student concerts and performances is organised by the Conservatory, boasting over hundred events and enhanced by two festivals. The right wing of the Conservatory contains a 600 seats ornate concert hall in Napoleon-III style with exceptional acoustic qualities, equipped with a Cavaillé-Coll organ. Wiki - Salle de concert du CRB 1

Musical Instrument Museum (MIM)

Founded in 1877 to provide students with a practical education about ancien instruments, the Conservatory museum, currently referred to as the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) of Brussels displays over 8,000 ancient instruments acquired by the celebrated musicologist François-Joseph Fétis, rare pieces from the initial collection, from the various funds or from new acquisitions. Since 2000, the museum, one of the most important ones of its kind, is located in the prestigious

Art Nouveau Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...

building conceived in 1899 by the architect

Paul Saintenoy Paul Saintenoy (19 June 1862 – 18 July 1952) was a Belgian architect, teacher, architectural historian, and writer. Family ] Born in 1862 in Ixelles, a municipality of Brussels, Belgium, Saintenoy was the son of the architect Gustave Sainte ...

for the former Old England (department store), Old England department store.

Library

Initially created with a pedagogic aim, the Conservatory library hosts about 250,000 references, representing a scientific instrument of international resonance. CRB - Bibliothèque

It primarily consists of works about music (including more than 1200 musical or musicological periodicals), as well as of autograph, printed or digitized (scanned) scores. There is also an important collection of more than 8.000 libretti of Italian, French or German operas from the XVIIe and XVIIIe s., lute and guitar tablatures, several thousands of handwritten letters of musicians, iconographic documents (over 9.000 pieces), concert programmes and various types of recordings (magnetic tapes, video, 78 and 33 rpm vinyl, CD, etc.). Next to the core collections, the library possesses several subcollections of historical importance, together forming an extensive patrimony: * the Johann J.H. Westphal collection bought by Fétis (manuscripts of C.P.E. Bach an
G.P. Telemann
, * the Richard Wagener collection acquired by the librarian Alfred Wotquenne (German music from the XVIIe, XVIIIe and XIXe s. including 40 autograph manuscripts from three sons of J.-S. Bach), * the Jean-Lucien Hollenfeltz collection (documents of Constance Mozart and her youngest son Franz Xaver Amadeus Mozart), * the Maria Malibran collection (documents and objects from the cantatrice and her close family), * the

Edmond Michotte collection The Edmond Michotte collection is a donation to the Royal Conservatory of Brussels phased between 1897 and 1913, by the Belgian homonymous composer and musicographer, of an important part of the private library of Rossini with whom he became frien ...

(pieces from Rossini's private library), * the Józef Wieniawski collection (autograph scores from the pianist), * the Laurent Halleux collection, * the Joseph Jongen collection. The library is open to the general public. In 2015, the library acquired the score collection of CeBeDeM (Belgian Centre for Music Documentation). In doing so it also took over the latter's objectives in promoting Belgian contemporary music worldwide.

Personalities linked to the Royal Conservatory of Brussels

Directors

* 1833–1871: François-Joseph Fétis * 1871–1908:

* 1908–1912:

* 1912–1925:

Léon Du Bois Charles-Louis-Léon Du Bois (10 Jan 1859 - 19 November 1935) was a Belgian organist, composer, and conductor. Life and career Born in Brussels, Du Bois was educated at the Royal Conservatory in his native city. In 1885 he won the Prix de Rome fo ...

* 1925–1939:

* 1939–1949:

Léon Jongen Léon Jongen (2 March 1884 – 18 November 1969) was a Belgian composer and organist. Musical career He was born in Liège, on March 2, 1884. His father Alphonse had an atelier there and worked as a woodcarver. Jongen studied at the Royal Cons ...

* 1949–1966:

Directors of the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles

* 1966–1973: Camille Schmit (in French) * 1974–1987: Éric Feldbusch (in French) * 1987–2002: Jean Baily (in French) * 2003–present: Frédéric de Roos

Directors of the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel

* 1966–1994: Kamiel D'Hooghe (in Dutch) * 1994–2004: Arie Van Lysebeth (in Dutch) * 2004–2008: Rafael D'haene * 2008–2017: Peter Swinnen * 2017–2021: Kathleen Coessens *2021–present: Jan D'haene

Notable faculty

* Charles-Auguste de Bériot, violin * Daniel Blumenthal (piano) * Lola Bobesco (violin) *

François Daneels François Daneels (born 1921 Tubize, Belgium—20 April 2010 Tubize, Belgium) was an internationally renowned virtuoso classical saxophonist, a prolific composer, and music educator from Belgium. From 1954 to 1981, Daneels was professor of saxophon ...

, saxophone *

Luc Devos Luc or LUC may refer to: Places * Luc, Hautes-Pyrénées, France, a commune * Luc, Lozère, France, a commune * Le Luc, France, a commune * Luč, Baranja, Croatia, a settlement People and fictional characters * Luc (given name) * Luc (surn ...

(piano) *

Paul Dombrecht Paul Dombrecht (born 1948, Ostend) is a Belgian oboist performing on period instruments as well as the modern oboe. He appears frequently with other prominent musicians and baroque orchestras. He is the son of Stefaan Dombrecht, who was organis ...

(oboe) *

François Fernandez François Fernandez (born 22 February 1960) is a French classical violinist who specializes in historically informed performance. Career Born in Rouen in a family of musicians, Fernandez began learning the classical violin at the age of twelve ...

(baroque) * Bernard Foccroule, organ *

Julien Ghyoros Julien Ghyoros was a Belgian composer and orchestral conductor. He was born as Julien Gogos on 18 November 1922 in Liège, Belgium, a son of Jeanne Dehairs and Konstantinos Gogos. He used the name Julien Ghyoros for professional purposes, and in 19 ...

, direction * Katarina Glowicka, computer music *

Philippe Graffin Philippe Graffin (born 1964 in Romilly-sur-Seine) is a French violinist The following lists of violinists are available: * List of classical violinists, notable violinists from the baroque era onwards * List of contemporary classical violinis ...

, violin * Yossif Ivanov (violin) *

Barthold Kuijken Barthold Kuijken (; born 8 March 1949, Dilbeek) is a Belgians, Belgian flautist and Recorder (musical instrument), recorder player, known for playing baroque music on Historically informed performance, historical instruments and particularly kno ...

(baroque) * Jacques Leduc (direction, composition) *

Jacques-Nicolas Lemmens Jacques-Nicolas (Jaak-Nicolaas) Lemmens (3 January 1823 – 30 January 1881), was an organist, music teacher, and composer for his instrument. Biography Born at Zoerle-Parwijs, near Westerlo, Belgium, Lemmens took lessons from François-Josep ...

, organ * Jean Louël, piano * Jan Michiels (piano) * Norbert Nozy ( brass band) * Igor Oistrach (violin) *

Philippe Pierlot Philippe Pierlot (born 1958) is a Belgian viola da gamba player and a conductor in historically informed performance. He is also an academic teacher at the royal conservatories of The Hague and Brussels. Career Born in Liège, Pierlot learne ...

(baroque) * Marie Pleyel, piano *

Eliane Reyes Eliane can refer to: Éliane * Éliane a French feminine given name ** Éliane, the name for Hill A1 in the 1954 battle of Dien Bien Phu taken by Colonel General Nguyễn Hữu An * Pierre Éliane (1955), French singer and Carmelite friar Eliane I ...

, piano *

Adolphe Samuel Adolphe-Abraham Samuel (11 July 1824 Liège, Belgium – 11 September 1898 Ghent, Belgium) was a Belgian music critic, teacher, conductor and composer. Biography Adolphe-Abraham Samuel was born in Liège in an artistic family. His parents en ...

, composition *

Adrien François Servais Adrien is a given name and surname, and the French spelling for the name Adrian. It is also the masculine form of the feminine name Adrienne. It may refer to: People Given name * Adrien Auzout (1622–1691), French astronomer * Adrien Baillet (1 ...

(cello) *

André Souris André Souris (; 10 July 1899 – 12 February 1970) was a Belgian composer, conductor, musicologist, and writer associated with the surrealist movement. Biography Souris was born in Marchienne-au-Pont, Belgium, and studied at the Conservatory ...

(direction, composition) *

Annelies Van Parys Annelies Van Parys (born 5 June 1975) is a Belgian classical composer of chamber music, symphonic music, music for theatre productions and opera. Life Born in Bruges, Van Parys studied at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent, piano with Johan Duijck a ...

, form analysis * Henri Vieuxtemps, violin *

Boyan Vodenitcharov Boyan Vodenitcharov ( bg, Боян Воденичаров) (born 1960) is a Bulgarian pianist and composer. While a student in Sofia's State Conservatory (where he was later a teacher) he won the 1982 National Composition Competition, and was awar ...

(piano) *

Henryk Wieniawski Henryk Wieniawski (; 10 July 183531 March 1880) was a Polish virtuoso violinist, composer and pedagogue who is regarded amongst the greatest violinists in history. His younger brother Józef Wieniawski and nephew Adam Tadeusz Wieniawski were al ...

, violin * Eugène Ysaÿe, violin * Juliusz Zarębski, piano

Notable alumni

* Isaac Albéniz * Elie Apper *

Atar Arad Atar Arad (Hebrew: עתר ארד; born 8 March 1945) is an Israeli American violist, professor of music, essayist and composer. Biography Arad and his brother, architect Ron Arad, were born in Tel Aviv, Israel. Arad began his training on the vio ...

Oskar Back Oskar Back (9 June 18793 January 1963) was a noted Austrian-born Dutch classical violinist and pedagogue. He taught at the Amsterdam Conservatory for 42 years, and also had a significant earlier teaching career in Belgium. Biography Oskar Back was ...

Peter Benoit Peter Benoit (17 August 18348 March 1901) was a Flemish composer of Belgian nationality. Biography Petrus Leonardus Leopoldus Benoit was born in Harelbeke, Flanders, Belgium in 1834. He was taught music at an early age by his father and the vil ...

* Fabrizio Cassol *

Claire Chevallier Claire Chevallier (born in 1969) is a Franco-Belgian pianist who specializes in the fortepiano. Biography Chevallier studied piano at the Conservatoires of Nancy and Strasbourg (class of Hélène Boschi) then with Bruno Rigutto in Paris. She t ...

* Alain Crépin *

* Lara Fabian *

Gianfranco Pappalardo Fiumara Gianfranco Pappalardo Fiumara (born July 2, 1978 in Catania, Sicily) is an Italian pianist, specializing in baroque performance. Career Fiumara is a graduate from the Milan Conservatory. He performed as soloist at Carnegie Hall in New York City ...

* John Giordano *

Edwin Grasse Edwin Grasse (13 August 1884 – 8 April 1954) was an American violinist, organ (music), organist and composer. Among his compositions were orchestral works, including a symphony and a violin concerto, and much chamber music, including a string ...

* Mansoor Hosseini * Albert Huybrechts *

Anthony Jennings Anthony Jennings may refer to: *Anthony Jennings (musician) (1945–1995), New Zealand harpsichordist, organist, choral and orchestral director, and academic *Anthony Jennings (American football) (born 1994), American college football quarterback * ...

Désiré Magnus Désiré Magnus (né Magnus Deutz; 13 June 1828 – 17 December 1883) was a Belgian concert pianist, teacher and composer of salon music who published under the pseudonym D. Magnus. Biography Magnus was born in Brussels and studied piano with G ...

Alma Moodie Alma Mary Templeton Moodie (12 September 18987 March 1943) was an Australian violinist who established an excellent reputation in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s. She was regarded as the foremost female violinist during the inter-war years, and s ...

Norbert H. J. Nozy Norbert H. J. Nozy (born 9 September 1952 in Halen, Belgium) is a contemporary Belgian conductor, music educator, and classical saxophonist. Education Nozy was introduced to music at a young age through his father, Norbert Nozy, who was in a loc ...

André Rieu André Léon Marie Nicolas Rieu (; is a Dutch violinist and conductor best known for creating the waltz-playing Johann Strauss Orchestra. Rieu and his orchestra have turned classical and waltz music into a worldwide concert touring act. He r ...

* Elsa Ruegger * Noël Samyn ( fr) * Adolphe Sax *

Celia Torra Celia may refer to: General *Celia (given name) *''Celia'', a subgenus of carabid beetles of the genus '' Amara'' *Celia, the last natural-born Pyrenean Ibex * Celia (virtual assistant), AI virtual assistant by Huawei *, a number of ships with t ...

* José van Dam *

Carl Verbraeken Carl Gustav Verbraeken (born 18 September 1950 in Wilrijk, Belgium) is a Belgian composer. Verbraeken studied at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. He wrote more than 1000 works, including piano music, chamber music and orchestral works. Since ...

Aimee Wiele Aimee van de Wiele (8 March 1907 - 2 November 1991) was a Belgian keyboardist and composer, born in Brussels. She began her music studies at the Brussels Conservatory, where she studied with E. Bosquet and won the Laure van Cutsem prize for piano, ...

Alfred Wotquenne Alfred Wotquenne (; 25 January 186725 September 1939) was a Belgian musical bibliographer, best known for his catalogues of the works of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and Christoph Willibald Gluck. Biography Wotquenne was born in Lobbes, Hainault, Be ...

* Eugène Ysaÿe

References

External links

Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel

Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles

Erasmus University College

Arts Platform Brussels

http://www.lacambre.be

http://www.insas.be

Royal Conservatory of Brussels library catalog

CeBeDeM

Virtual exhibition : La collection de manuscrits de Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) à la Bibliothèque des Conservatoires royaux de Bruxelles
(French only) {{authority control Educational institutions established in 1813 1813 establishments in the Southern Netherlands Arts organizations established in the 1810s Drama schools in Belgium Music schools in Belgium Film schools in Belgium Music in Brussels