Coudenberg Sound Box Fest - Belgium
The Coudenberg Sound Box Fest (CSBF) is a music festival that takes place in the archaeological remains of the historic Coudenberg Palace in Brussels, once the residence of the Dukes of Burgundy and Habsburg rulers, in the very heart of Europe. Founded in 2021 by Artistic Director Matteo Gemolo, the festival transforms this unique subterranean site into a living space where the acoustic and architectural heritage of the palace interacts with both early music and contemporary creation.
Early Music is indeed at the heart of the festival, but in a truly original manner: it is conceived as music “from” the past, not “of” the past, meaning that its historical roots inform, rather than confine, contemporary creativity. This vision drives the festival’s interdisciplinary approach, fostering collaborations with jazz bands, folk musicians, contemporary artists, and multimedia creators. By connecting centuries of musical expression, the festival establishes a dialogue between historical performance and modern artistic forms, demonstrating that Early Music can actively inspire and enrich today’s cultural landscape.
Within a brand-new interdisciplinary project entitled "Re-Coudenberg 2025 - 2031: Reenacting the Musical Life of A Royal Ghost", CSBF is developing an interdisciplinary artistic approach, combining concerts, workshops, masterclasses, scholarly research, mixed media projects, and educational initiatives. The goal is to re-discover and re-vive the lost musical traditions of one of Europe’s most remarkable historic courts, joining efforts with leading neighboring and European institutions. This initiative is part of a trajectory leading to two symbolic milestones: 2030, the bicentenary of the founding of Belgium, and 2031, the tricentenary of the destruction of the Coudenberg Palace.
Since 2025, the festival also fosters emerging talent through the NextGen program, providing young musicians with intensive training, performance opportunities, and professional visibility.
The festival highlights Brussels as a hub of innovation in early music, musical research, and interdisciplinary creation, offering (seasoned and new) audiences an immersive experience that connects history, heritage, and contemporary artistic practice in a singularly evocative setting.
Early Music is indeed at the heart of the festival, but in a truly original manner: it is conceived as music “from” the past, not “of” the past, meaning that its historical roots inform, rather than confine, contemporary creativity. This vision drives the festival’s interdisciplinary approach, fostering collaborations with jazz bands, folk musicians, contemporary artists, and multimedia creators. By connecting centuries of musical expression, the festival establishes a dialogue between historical performance and modern artistic forms, demonstrating that Early Music can actively inspire and enrich today’s cultural landscape.
Within a brand-new interdisciplinary project entitled "Re-Coudenberg 2025 - 2031: Reenacting the Musical Life of A Royal Ghost", CSBF is developing an interdisciplinary artistic approach, combining concerts, workshops, masterclasses, scholarly research, mixed media projects, and educational initiatives. The goal is to re-discover and re-vive the lost musical traditions of one of Europe’s most remarkable historic courts, joining efforts with leading neighboring and European institutions. This initiative is part of a trajectory leading to two symbolic milestones: 2030, the bicentenary of the founding of Belgium, and 2031, the tricentenary of the destruction of the Coudenberg Palace.
Since 2025, the festival also fosters emerging talent through the NextGen program, providing young musicians with intensive training, performance opportunities, and professional visibility.
The festival highlights Brussels as a hub of innovation in early music, musical research, and interdisciplinary creation, offering (seasoned and new) audiences an immersive experience that connects history, heritage, and contemporary artistic practice in a singularly evocative setting.
Coudenberg Sound Box Fest
Place royale 10, Brussels, Belgium
/ +32(0)471741083
/ info@soundboxfest.com