You are here: Home Introduction EN

The supports of the RMIW

 

To achieve this educational and cultural program, the RMIW have the financial and logistic support of institutional sponsors:

  •     The city of Wavre
  •     The Province of Walloon Brabant
  •     The Academy of Music, Dance and Arts of Speech of Wavre
  •     The Provincial Institute of Secondary Education (IPES - institut Provincial d'Education Secondaire)
  •     VisitWavre, tourism promotor of the City of Wavre

 

as well of private sponsors : 

  •     Musiq3
  •     Sotroplant
  •    EEcocur
  •    Anonymous private sponsor

 

And last but not least, let not forget those that make it all possible:  Our famous Host Families of Wavre

Since our foundation, those families are there, every year,  to accommodate and embrace with all their friendship, our young students.

Recent cultural activities

·    17.06.2023 - Wavre - Saint-Jean Baptiste Church. L’Orchestre Symphonique Royal du Val de Sambre (65 musicians), classified in category excellence by the Fédération Musicale du Hainaut is considered one of the best amateur orchestras in Belgium. The musical program under the direction of Bart Bouckaert was particularly rich : Le coq d’or of Rimsky-Korsakov, Suite n° 1 of Igor Stravinsky et 5th Symphony (Le Destin) of Beethoven. Placed as part of the music festival, the profits of the evening were intended for 2 Wavrian associations : Le Resto du Cœur and Wavre Solidarité.

 ·   02.12.2022 - Wavre - La Sucrerie. Christmas concert. It was a geat joy to hostthe talented musicians of the « Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie », and particularly the soloïst Anne Pingen (alto), under the direction of Jean-François Chamberlan.  After these late uncertain times, the program aimed to be light, invigorating and accessible, composed of a palette of wonderful artistic moments. This musical journey ended with Tchaikovsky's sublime "Souvenir of Florence".

 ·   01.01.2021 - Wavre - La Sucrerie. Concert Wald Ensemble & Holly Choe. When a Korean chamber orchestra with soloists from the best European orchestras meet the flamboyant Holly Hyun Choe, a young American-Korean conductor that recently won the Maestra competition of Paris, the mastery, energy and joy of giving us a colorful concert will be there. The Wald Ensemble is a chamber composed of young Koreans actively performing in Europe as soloists, chamber musicians and orchestral musicians. This is the first time he performes outside of Korea ; his presence celebrates the 120th Anniversary of Korea-Belgium Diplomatic Relations.

·    21.12.19 - Wavre - La Sucrerie. Christmas concert. The famous boys choir Les Pastoureaux, composed of young man aged from 7 to 14 year with heavenly soprano and alto voices, has given a magnificent Christmas concert in the brand new concert hall La Sucrerie. Also on stage, the great soloists Marc Grauwels (flute), Sophie Halynckx (cello) and the Chamber Orchestra "I Virtuosi di Waterloo".

·    19.05.19 - Wavre - City Hall. The Chamber Orchestra "I Virtuosi di Waterloo", has given an brillia nt concert starring Marc Grauwels, flute, Jean-Frédéric Molard, violin and Min Kyung Chun, flute. Miss Chun is one of the jong talents coached by M. Grauwels during the Master Classes 2019.

·    17.02.19 - Wavre - City Hall. The Trio Astor KLEZMER, conducted by Marc Grauwels, a very loyal flute teacher of our Master Classes, but also the Joëlle STRAUSS (elegant violin player and singer) and Christophe DELPORTE (the most talented accordion player) performed an amazing concert dedicated to the music of central Europe.
The event was organized by the non-profit organisation Tagast (www.tagast.be) active in helping pastoralists in Niger and looking for funds to support a school in Ib’Dnaza, Niger, caring for 110 children.

·    04.12.18 - Louvain-La-Neuve - The symphonic Orchestra OSEL, under direction of  Philippe Gérard, has given an extra-ordinary concert in the Aula Magna chamber. During the 2018 Master Classes of the RMIW, several members of the OSEL have auditioned pupils. They selected the young pianist Robert Creimerman, 17 ans, from the class of the soloist Christian Beldi, to perform the 1st concerto for piano by Beethoven. 

·    04.10.18 – Wavre-Basilic Notre-Dame de Basse Wavre - Concert Samuel Hasselhorn, 1st finalist of the Queen Elisabeth contest 2018.
In partnership with the Festivals of Wallonia, the City of Wavre and the Syndicat d'initiative of Wavre.
Samuel Hasselhorn, baryton and joseph Middleton, piano

·        05.10.17 - Wavre, Church Saint-Jean-Baptiste : Concert Victor Julien-Laferrière, 1st finalist of the Queen Elisabeth contest 2017.
In partnership with Les Festivals de Wallonie, the City of Wavre and the Syndicat d'initiative de Wavre.
Victor Julie-Laferrière, cello and Guillaume Bellom, piano

·        17.02.17 – Wavre: Trio Astor Klemzer - Marc Grauwels, flute - Joëlle Strauss, singing & violin - Christophe Delporte, accordeon. Support to the non profit organisation TAGAST. 

·        30.09.16 – Wavre, Church Saint-Jean-Baptiste : ‘The Oriental origins of organ. In the context of the Festival musical du Brabant wallon’. - Arnaud Van de Cauter, organ. - Keyvan Chamirani, percussions. - Adrien Mabire, cornet and flute. 

·        15.10.15 – Wavre, Church Saint-Jean-Baptiste: in the context of the Festival musical du Brabant wallon – Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia, with director Frank Braley, piano.
Solist : Maxime Van Heghe, trumpet. 

·        14.06.15 – Wavre, City Hall : Cycle  Spring of Freedom – Marc Grauwels, flute and Yves Storms, guitare, with the 'Récitants de l’Académie de musique de Wavre'. 

·        12.10.14 –Wavre, Columban Space - * In the context of the Festival musical du Brabant wallon – Cycle ‘At the crossing of balcanic traditions and tango’ – Trio Astor Klemzer – Marc Grauwels, flûte - Joëlle Strauss, singing & violin - Christophe Delporte, accordeon.

·        11.05.14 - Wavre, Church Saint-Jean-Baptiste : Concert Jean-Claude Van den Eynde, piano - Véronique Bogaerts, violin - Sarah Dupriez, cello. With the participation of Yannick van de Velde, piano (semi-finalist of the Queen Elisabeth Competition)

Welcome to the site of the non-profit association
'Rencontres Musicales Internationales en Wallonie'

Hôtel de Ville

You will find here all the practical informations related to the RMIW activities

  • past,
  • present and
  • to come.

 

For any question related to our organisation, you can contact us through our e-mail .

 

To learn more about A.S.B.L. "Rencontres Musicales Internationales en Wallonie" …
 (ASBL means non-profit-making association)

The three founders.

The RMIW were created in 1997 by a music-loving lady living from Wavre, Madam  Laure MERCIER, who aimed to promote young musical talents.
To guarantee the success of her project, Laure surrounded herself by an artistic advisor, renowned pianist, the soloist Christian Beldi and by an entrepreneur, Mister Christian de Cannière.

Madame Mercier herself had been host family for candidates to the Queen Elisabeth Contest. . That experience explains the characteristic of the Master Classes in Wavre:  accommodating pupils inside host families, all volunteers, from Wavre and neighborhood

Laure left us in 2012, but her contagious enthusiasm for music has motivated the volunteer members of the current administration council to carry on her dream..

 

The educative and cultural activities of the RMIW.

Teaching activities.

The main activity of this non-profit-making association is organizing Master Classes for young, high-leveled musicians hoping to improve their skills in contact with world-famous masters.

The reputation of our teachers is a top stimulant for the students enrolled in our annual Master Classes.

Every year, the Rencontres Musicales welcome between 40 and 80 students from all over the world. For the 20 last years, the following countries were represented: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chili, China, South Korea, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Great-Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, G D of Luxemburg, Norway, Holland, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Rumania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, USA, Vietnam.

Cultural activities

Outside this recurrent annual activity, The Rencontres Musicales arrange different concerts and other musical events in relation with the latest news. For example, we setup on regular base, a major concert with the participation of one of the 12 finalists of the « Concours Reine Elisabeth ».

Since 2014, our association became a partner of the prestigious " Musical Festival of Wallonia – Walloon Brabant" and we organise together a high level concert in the region of Wavre.

On the other hand, depending on the news, we lend our support to the setting up of musical events, when we do not organize them ourselves

Support activities

Our non-profit-making association organises some cultural events in order, among other reasons, to collect funds allowing us to organise our Master Classes.
To support our young musicians, we also look for sponsors.

In Remembering to its President Founder, the RMIW awards each year a " Laure Mercier Price" of a value of 200 € to the senior class students of the "Académie de Musique, Danse et Arts de la Parole"* of the city of WAVRE, achieving the Highest Merit.

(*Academy of Music, Dance and Art of Speech)