Koor&Stem organised an intense choir weekend around Claudio Monteverdi's (1567-1643) Mariavespers on the weekend of 25 and 26 April. Some forty singers from across the country, with diverse musical backgrounds, and a select group of instrumentalists (strings and winds) gathered on Friday evening in the chapel of the KULeuven‑campus Carolus in Antwerp: a beautiful baroque space that immediately set the right atmosphere.
The first read-through
Around 19.00 it was time for the first read-through. Particularly exciting, because you couldn't really gauge beforehand how intensely you needed to prepare to be able to hold your own straight away. I didn't take any chances and prepared myself – for me, rather above-average – thoroughly. I had sung the Vespers before, but that was a long time ago, and I absolutely wanted to avoid falling behind at that first rehearsal.
In retrospect, that preparation was far from unnecessary. We sang from a different score, with the usual alternative readings and alterations, which immediately required sharpness and focus. You couldn't call it "ingrained", but that first read-through was downright impressive. So impressive, in fact, that it was already well past 22.00 when Wim Becu – the driving force of the entire weekend – decided to call it a night.
After the usual singers' passage through the café, I got to bed a bit later, dreaming of more. Meeting scheduled for the next morning at 10.00.
Short night, high pitch
Wim Becu chose to perform the Vespers at A = 466 Hz, 4' meantone – in other words: a full tone higher than what is usually standard in early music. I can assure you: after a short night, as a tenor you soon belong in the bass register, let alone that you would be heading cheerfully towards 466.
Yet enthusiasm and a calm build-up quickly awoke the voices. We dived deeper into the score and worked deliberately on the most difficult passages. In between, Wim peppered the rehearsals with anecdotes, such as the one about Jordi Savall, who allegedly recorded deep into the night to the great annoyance of a singer who had to sing Audi caelum at three o'clock in the morning. To my mind, that caelum was already closed the night before – at least, that's how I would have put it. Those stories gave the weekend extra colour.
Lunch and international encounters
In the afternoon, Koor&Stem provided a sandwich lunch. Those moments – together with the short breaks – were ideal for networking with fellow singers and catching up with the cornettist from Argentina, the theorbo player from Ferrara and the trombonist from Spain. This group was so international. What a pleasure to experience this together.
Afternoon with a change of command
In the afternoon there was a change of command: Emilie De Voght, renowned pedagogue, singer and choir conductor, took over the baton and led us through the complex Lauda Jerusalem, while Wim worked intensively with the instrumentalists downstairs in the salon.
What stood out here was how strongly Emilie's extensive choral and vocal experience came through in her didactic approach. She was able to articulate very clearly how certain passages are best sung and why, with concrete instructions that directly aligned with what a voice needs. That was enlightening and enriching. Although this session was unfortunately fairly short, I still took away a number of particularly valuable tips. This part could easily have lasted longer.
Dinner and evening rehearsal
Shortly after, the group dispersed to dine in the city. In retrospect, this was a missed opportunity to eat together – a small tip for an otherwise brilliant organisation.
In the evening, we continued to rehearse diligently, although fatigue was clearly weighing on us. We had been working since 10 o'clock that morning with this monumental composition, which sometimes has up to ten voices. It was therefore a particularly sensible decision to wrap up around 21.00, so that everyone could start the next day somewhat fresh: the day of the performance.
The final day
"Fit" was perhaps a slightly too optimistic word. Personally, I felt the strain of the past few days strongly reverberating. As an amateur singer, you're simply not used to that pace. Yet the spirit soon returned, and as we went along, the realisation began to grow that the end of the weekend was approaching – and thus also the farewell to this wonderful work. I caught myself counting: two more times Lauda Jerusalem, three more times Dixit Dominus… each time with the word "alas" attached to it.
The final details were dotted and crossed, and the rehearsal just before the performance was deliberately skipped. This choice was clearly driven by a desire to give everyone mental peace and space to prepare inwardly. After such an intense weekend, that proved to be a particularly sensible decision.
A large part of the group then headed to the nearby Nottebohmzaal, which was exceptionally open that day. There – presumably – the most legendary Koor&Stem promotional film ever made was recorded. Curious? Be sure to take a look on Facebook.
The performance
Dressed neatly in black with a touch of spring – entirely in line with the beautiful poster – everything was set up. There was a good turnout of the audience, with of course plenty of familiar faces. The performance itself went smoothly, although fatigue played a role here and there. This also applied to the small organ, which due to overheating and a broken valve produced an annoying squeaking sound. With no organ builders available on Sunday, Arne Van Handenhoven – our excellent continuo player – had no choice but to constantly switch registers on and off.
The audience responded enthusiastically. While these may well have been "the fans," I couldn't shake the impression that they were genuinely impressed. Of course, this performance was far from recording or concert-worthy – but that wasn't the intention at all.
What should not go unmentioned is the unbridled energy of Wim Becu. From Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, his drive, sharpness and enthusiasm remained remarkably constant. He too must have been tired by the end of the weekend, but there was no sign of it. His commitment, alertness and musical fire were particularly infectious and gave the entire weekend extra momentum.
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Music as a bridge
I like to paraphrase Jan Van Elsacker – once my voice teacher and a particularly gifted Monteverdi interpreter – who summed it up beautifully: "Sometimes the most beautiful thing of the day announces itself only at the very last moment. A fleeting Facebook message at three o'clock in the afternoon: an invitation to a musical performance, barely an hour later, just around the corner. But upon arrival, the true music turned out to be not only in Monteverdi's scores, but especially in the faces of those present. A wave of emotion at seeing so many familiar faces: former singers from the Antwerp Cathedral Choir, voices from times past, still the beating heart of the amateur music scene.
The most fragile moment came with a greeting from a lovely lady. In the mist of time I didn't recognize her immediately, until that one sentence fell: 'Dominique from Scarabee…'
Those words, forty years later, made the clock turn back instantly. Under the inspiring and masterful direction of Wim Becu, the ensemble rose above itself. What he manages to achieve in such a short time is truly admirable.
People sometimes say: music softens manners. But this afternoon was more than that. Music became a bridge to the past, a comfort in the present and a reason to look each other deeply in the eyes again."
In conclusion
It couldn't be summed up better. What a weekend. What an organization. And what bonds have been forged. I sincerely hope that Koor&Stem continues to organize many more weekends like this, with the same dynamism and the same commitment. There will undoubtedly be some lessons learned that will emerge from the survey, but today admiration prevails above all. A sincere shout-out to Liesbeth Segers and the entire organizing team.
Koor&Stem is a Flemish organization dedicated to supporting and developing choirs and singing culture. Choir weekends and singing courses play a key role in this. They bring singers, conductors and accompanists together in a learning and meeting environment where both musical and social goals are central.
The purpose of such initiatives is not only to improve singing quality through coaching, workshops and rehearsals, but also to inspire and connect singers. By intensively working together on voice training, repertoire and ensemble singing, Koor&Stem stimulates artistic growth and singing pleasure. These weekends fit perfectly within their broader mission to strengthen choir life in Flanders and bring people together around music.