On April 22, KBR and the Musical Instruments Museum (MIM) open the exhibition 'Toots 100. The Sound of a Belgian Legend' as part of the celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of music legend Toots Thielemans.
Toots Thielemans would have turned one hundred in 2022. This Belgian legend grew up in the Marollen and became one of the greatest harmonica players of all time. He performed on stages around the world.
In this immersive exhibition, visitors discover the unique sound of Toots, which reflects his musical genius and engaging personality. 'Toots 100. The Sound of a Belgian Legend' aims to be an 'experience': with headphones, visitors can fully immerse themselves in the tonal color of Toots' universe and make his sound their own. An unforgettable musical journey is guaranteed.
Visitors will also see an impressive collection of musical instruments, records, personal correspondence, scores and previously unpublished musical and visual material. Several contemporary artists have contributed work for the occasion of the Toots year. Jean-Claude Salemi, Pieter Fannes, Jan van der Veken, Dominique Goblet and Leen Van Hulst present their work in the exhibition.
The exhibition is part of the Toots year 2022, an initiative of The Legacy of Toots Thielemans vzw in collaboration with the Private Toots Thielemans Foundation and visit.brussels. The exhibition will be extended in the form of a cultural program. A colloquium will be organized from May 9 to 11, and on May 10 there will be a concert featuring students from the two Brussels conservatories performing new works based on compositions by Toots. In addition, KBR and the MIM organize a series of lectures, nocturnes, summer workshops and guided tours.