1999: Musical couple Leonid Kerbel and Hagid Hassid-Kerbel, who love each other, founded the Musica Mundi Festival, which has taken place annually ever since at the lake of Genval, just across the language border in Walloon Brabant.
The aim was to bring together great world-renowned names with young talented musicians from all over the world who could take courses during the festival and perform. That goal was achieved and more, the internationally renowned Musica Mundi School in Waterloo was, as it were, born from it.
Meanwhile, we are now in July 2025, and the festival is experiencing a very well-attended edition. More than 60 young musicians between 10 and 19 years old from all over the world are present to take lessons with artists in residence. The school is, as it were, overcrowded: the artists in residence, the invited performing musicians, many of the permanent students and the participants in the masterclasses stay at the school. The cook has her hands full: breakfast, lunch, dinner. And that's without even mentioning the laundry of all the sheets and much more.
A large family requires many household tasks, and anyone who thinks this is not a family is mistaken. Whether it's all those mentioned and the school staff, festival staff members, sponsors and donors who help the school survive financially, the audience and anyone else forgotten here: it is a family. The atmosphere is completely different from any concert hall, however large or small, everything has something homely about it. Is it because of the many young people walking through the corridors? Is it something that emanates from the enterprising couple Kerbel? A special energy, camaraderie, meaning, quality, recognition and striving for the very best, the very highest without pretension forms a whole that makes both the festival and the school so attractive.
The musicians are cheered by the participating young people as they take to the stage. Well, that of course puts a big smile on the faces of the musicians on duty and it also means that they perform differently than usual, somewhat more loosely thanks to the spontaneity that overwhelms them from all these young future musicians. For that reason alone, you should attend the festival at least once, to experience the atmosphere, the conviviality, the fatherly and motherly conduct of the 'foster parents' Leonid and Hagid, who act strictly but fairly when necessary. With bell in hand, Mrs. Kerbel walks through the corridors at the end of the break: woe to those not back in the hall on time…
Klassiek Centraal followed, for the first time (well, July is after all a holiday month), part of the festival and was present at the concert with the Ebène string quartet and the recital by violinist Maxim Vengerov and pianist Polina Osetinskaya. You can read here andhere more about these two concerts. We were also able to attend the closing gala concert, featuring violinist Esther Yoo (KEW violin award winner 2012) as soloist.
Quite a few participants share the stage with both permanent students of the school and with the artists in residence, including alumni of the Musica Mundi School. It is quite unique that this mix of seasoned professionals, young graduate musicians and students share the stage together as soloists, in small ensembles and orchestras. From the first to the last concert, you hear nothing but high quality. Close your eyes and you wouldn't know that sometimes children of 10, 11 years old are on stage.
If you want to relive the Musica Mundi Festival 2025, you can find it on the YouTube channel of the Musica Mundi School (link below this article). Want to spend your July holiday next year or in the years to come differently? You already know our tip…