On Sunday, June 17, the city of Geel was not only the center of the country for young runners crossing its streets, it was also the center of classical music. The audience seats in CC De Werft filled up nicely for the Golden Labels Awards, Klassiek Centraal's annual event.
Since June 2009, Klassiek Centraal has awarded the Golden Labels during a ceremony. These are prizes for classical music in multiple categories. The first category is CD/DVD (max. 10 prizes), the second category covers books and stage performances including opera, ballet, symphonic music, chamber music and others, limited to five Golden Labels. The third category is more focused on individuals and organizations for their remarkable achievements. This year, the spotlight was on festivals, projects, young talent, and lifetime achievement.
15 of the 20 laureates came from home and abroad to receive their prize. An achievement in itself, as it's not easy to bring people with packed concert schedules together for such an event. Some of those absent sent video messages with their thanks, so they were virtually present as well.
Katelijne Boon (Klara) guided the ceremony with rich substance and ease, with friendliness and humility, keeping all attention 100% on the laureates.
Bernard Fierens Gevaert, descendant of the founder of the Brussels royal conservatory and Advisor for Classical Music for the French-speaking Community (a position that, inexplicably, doesn't exist in Flanders) gave a sometimes powerful keynote address. He especially emphasized the attention that Klassiek Centraal gives to young and/or unknown talent that belongs to the world class. He also explicitly thanked Ludwig Van Mechelen, founder of Klassiek Centraal and initiator of the 'Golden Label' with the words: "If Klassiek Centraal didn't exist, it would have to be invented now".
The celebration was livened up musically and with dance by some Golden Label laureates and rising talent. Composer Piet Swert wrote a piece for clarinet and oboe as a special contribution. Roeland Hendrikx (Golden Label Lifetime Achievement) played this work with Swert (Golden Label CD), which received great applause from the audience. 13-year-old pianist Steven Kleeven, first laureate of the Cantabile competition 2018, played a Chopin ballade solo and then a work by Poulenc for piano and clarinet, together with Roeland Hendrikx.
The 16-year-old top musician Balder Dendievel performed a work for oboe and piano together with his mother. Later during the ceremony, he received the Golden Label Young Talent from the hands of 'Uncle Willem' (Edwin Rutten).
The Israeli mandolin player Alon Sariel (Golden Label CD) not only performed a solo work, he also accompanied Ugo Mattheo De Keyser, a 12-year-old ballet dancer with rarely seen talent. Together with Mees Pardoen and Lena Van Hout (who choreographed the dances in just a few hours after Arwen Verbesselt was injured two days before the awards), they danced to a work by Piet Swerts, performed by, among others, Roeland Hendrikx. Lena Van Hout danced a strikingly beautiful solo to music by Telemann.
Geel's mayor Vera Celis closed the ceremony with a heartfelt thank you to Klassiek Centraal for organizing the event and with full praise for the well-deserved laureates. She immediately invited Klassiek Centraal to organize the Golden Labels Awards again in her city. We'll let you in on this: the city of Mechelen also wants to open its doors to Klassiek Centraal to celebrate 10 Years of Golden Labels in June 2019. It's going to be quite a competition.
You can view the complete list of Golden Labels here and find a full photo report at here.
