Research Projects

The research projects gathered here approach music-making as a form of enquiry: each begins with a question that can only be answered from within artistic practice.

Ranging from questions of notation and interpretation to the recovery of neglected repertoire and the invention of new performance practices, these projects share a conviction that the performer is not a passive executant but an active thinker. Score and stage become sites of discovery, where knowledge is produced through doing.

Explore the projects below to see how our researchers are reshaping what it means to bring this music to life.

Ongoing Research

A complex collection of astronomical charts, zodiac symbols, and illustrations, including a figure in a robe, accompanied by scientific and astrological markings.

A whirlpool of imaginary sounds

Colorful busts of the philosopher Peter Benoit lined up on a wooden surface outdoors.

Benoit’s language

A round marble-topped table in a dimly lit pub, with a magazine titled "Tam-Tam," a glass of beer, a small copper dish, and a vintage-style stained glass table lamp.

Tam-tam, the turbulent and musical birth of surrealism, 1924-1936

Sheet music titled 'CONCERT' for solo cello, composed by R. Schumann, Op. 129, with tempo marking 'Nicht zu schnell'.

Singing the cello - vocality as a principle of Romantic instrumental playing in Schumann’s work

A cozy home office with wooden furniture, a flat-screen TV, a keyboard, bookshelves filled with books and papers, a music stand, and a patterned rug.

Silence… A critical interpretation and realization of the unfinished works of Wim Henderickx

A painting of three women in a richly decorated room. One woman is seated and playing a guitar, another is standing and reading a book, and a young girl is sitting and looking at a book. The room features a fireplace with a bust and books on top, as well as a vase of flowers and ornate curtains.

Guitar songs and the 19th century popular music culture

Handwritten musical score on aged paper with some notes and annotations.

Flute concertos of Benoit and Hanssens in the spotlight

Research Archive

Elegant handwritten word 'Silvia' with an underline.

Paris copy or independent school? Exploring the Belgian flute schools after the Belgian independence

A music performance with a man playing piano, a woman playing cello, and others in the background in a concert setting.

La Grande Bouffe - challenges in the performance of musical comedy

Music sheet titled 'INFINIZIO' by Wim Henderickx, labeled as 'for variable ensemble', with musical notes and annotations.

Infinizio. The graphic score as a tool for the performance of Wim Henderickx’s music.

A close-up image of handwritten sheet music with musical notes, annotations, and markings on yellowed paper.

HIP XIX&XX

A vintage black and white illustration for a theatrical performance titled 'Contes et Ballades par Pierre Benoît', depicting a flying horse and performers, with elaborate text and artistic details.

‘Narrated at the hearth’. The early piano music of Peter Benoit (1834-1901) as ‘hear poetry’.

A classic oil painting of a young woman with dark hair, wearing a white gown, sitting indoors next to a large red curtain, with a thoughtful expression.

‘Souvenir de Malibran’, the edition and valorization of a forgotten cantate.

Three women in elegant, vintage dresses are interacting in a richly decorated room. One woman is sitting at a table reaching for a small item, while the other two are leaning over a sofa, engaging in a conversation.

Echoes of home: reimagining the domestic musical soundscape of 19th century Belgium

FAAM: Flemish Archive for Annotated Music

Group of people on a mountain peak celebrating with balloons and flags.

The Sentimental Affirmation Summit. Paul Van Ostaijen and musical modernism 1914-1930

Open book displaying the cover page and sheet music of a vintage music book titled 'Garage' by E. L. T. Mesens and Philippe Soupault, with handwritten notes in blue ink on the sheet music page.

‘The roaring twenties’: origin and evolution of music modernism in the 1920s in Antwerp

A black and white photo of a woman with light-colored, wavy hair, looking at the camera, with leaves partially covering her face, outdoors with trees in the background.

‘La baronne compose’: songs and chamber music by baroness Jacqueline Fontyn

Sheet music titled 'Symphonie' by Pierre Sueurmont, with a tempo marking of Largo maestoso, featuring parts for flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon.

Pierre Suremont (1762-1831): a forgotten Antwerp composer

Watercolor painting of a group of clowns and performers at a circus, with some standing and others seated, colorful costumes, and a cheerful atmosphere.

Harlequin. Karel Albert, August Baeyens, Paul Van Ostaijen and musical modernism in Flanders (1918-1928)

Two men sitting inside a church or chapel, with pews and stained glass windows in the background.

Pipes and Tubes: Flemish music for brass and organ

Elegant handwritten word 'Gluii' with a horizontal line beneath it.

Paris copy or independent school? Exploring Belgian flute schools in the Belle Époque

Four people in formal attire at a social gathering, smiling and interacting indoors.

Jewish music at the Antwerp conservatoire: ‘Entartete Kunst’?

Cover art for a book or music album titled 'Belges,' featuring a silhouette of a person looking at a mysterious face mask or sculpture outdoors at night, with a large crescent moon, trees, and musical notes.

Belgian symbolism in the art song

Actors performing a scene on stage, with some sitting on a sofa and others standing around, depicting a theatrical play.