Coudenberg Sound Box Fest
The Coudenberg Palace proudly presents: the Coudenberg Sound Box Fest! Curated by Italian flautist and doctor in music performance Matteo Gemolo, this is where music meets history. Artists from Brussels and beyond perform and enchant their audience in the one-of-a-kind archaeological site in the heart of Europe. This wonderful initiative has grown and evolved since its inception in 2021, and now invites those interested to a series of 4 concerts, or joins you as a musical companion during your next visit. In addition to the concerts, the project also unfolds through a range of complementary activities, including conferences (such as The Sound of Brussels, in collaboration with the KCB, in 2025) and artistic installations (notably Cubiculum Musicae, developed with the CNRS and the Ricercar Lab in 2025).
Concerts
Get ready for a magical journey! Descend the stairs—and the centuries—into a world shaped by musical influences from across the ages. Each concert unites two remarkable ensembles, blending their artistry into a rich soundscape that spans from classical to contemporary music.
The festival has so far attracted internationally acclaimed musicians like Il Gardellino, Ricercar Consort, Anthony Romaniuk, Scherzi Musicali (Nicolas Achten), Ictus Ensemble, SIGNUM Saxophone Quartet, Sam Lee, and Petar Pejcic, winner of the 5th prize at the Queen Elisabeth Competition. At the same time, it remains committed to nurturing emerging talent, offering young and local artists a platform to shine.
Guided by the central theme "War and Peace," the 6th edition of the Coudenberg Sound Box Fest (2026) transforms once again the iconic spaces of Coudenberg Palace into a vibrant laboratory where early music meets contemporary creativity. The new season will bridge past and present by weaving together an extraordinary array of musical styles: from the medieval music of ClubMédiéval and the sacred polyphony of DionysosNow! and InAlto, to the contemporary percussion and physical acrobatics of AkroPercu, the electronic sounds and improvisation of BeraadGeslagen, and the world music traditions of Elias Bachoura. Exploring memory, resistance, and intercultural dialogue, the lineup also features Ensemble Matica de Flor—winners of the inaugural CSBF NextGen competition—and Ensemble Satellite, dedicated to suppressed 20th-century voices persecuted by totalitarian regimes.
This year's major innovations include a new "off-site" series in co-production with Bozar, the second season of the CSBF NextGen competition for young ensembles, an innovative cycle of conferences co-organized with ULB and IHEB, designed to bridge historical and musical perspectives with contemporary societal themes and a prestigious reception celebrating the 2026 REMA Summit in collaboration with the Embassy of Ireland, cementing the festival's international reach.
The full programme and further details will follow soon.
CSBFNextGen
Since its very first edition, the Coudenberg Sound Box Fest (CSBF) has embraced the idea of bringing together, within the same concert evening, an internationally acclaimed ensemble and a young, emerging group. Building on this founding principle, CSBF launched CSBFNextGen2025, a new programme and competition dedicated to discovering and supporting the next generation of early (and beyond) music ensembles.
The 2025 edition met with remarkable success, attracting more than 40 applications from 10 different countries, confirming both the international reach of the initiative and the strong interest of young ensembles in engaging with the unique musical heritage of the Coudenberg Palace. Following this enthusiastic response, CSBFNextGen will be relaunched in 2026, with an expanded artistic ambition.
Applications are welcomed primarily from early music ensembles who feel a strong connection to the palace’s rich musical history. In the inclusive spirit of the CSBF—which actively encourages dialogue between styles—ensembles from a wide range of genres, from jazz and folk to electronic and pop, are also invited to apply, provided their projects establish a meaningful relationship with the site’s heritage and its broader musical narratives.
In addition to performance opportunities, the prizes include the commission of a brand-new work by a contemporary composer, written expressly for the winning ensemble in 2026. The piece will be developed in close collaboration with the group, then recorded and presented in world premiere during the Coudenberg Sound Box Fest 2027, further reinforcing CSBF’s commitment to creation, transmission, and artistic innovation.
More information about the NextGen 2026 open call coming soon.
Musical Tour
Couldn’t make it to the concerts? Or would you like to relive the experience and atmosphere from one of those evenings? We’ve got you covered!
- During your next visit to the Coudenberg Palace, bring your mobile phone and headphones.
- Connect to the free wifi in the archaeological site
- Scan the QR-code to access the audioguide, or go to audioguide.coudenberg.brussels
- Select ‘Coudenberg Sound Box Fest’ – info available in French, Dutch, English and German.
- Enjoy your musical visit!
Won’t be able to make it any time soon, or rather enjoy the music at home? Watch and listen to some of the artists from previous Coudenberg Sound Box Fest editions on our YouTube channel.
