Vooruit 100 years

In 2022, Royal Symphonic Wind Band Vooruit Harelbeke celebrates its centenary!

An anniversary to remember, but above all to celebrate well.

Next on the agenda

Gala Concert
Friday 30 December, 20h, CC Het Spoor Harelbeke

See you there!

WMC Kerkrade: 3rd Prize in Concert Division with Record Score

On 31 July, our orchestra broke its own scoring record atthe World Music Contest 2022 in Kerkrade, The Netherlands. With a record-high 95,30%, we were awarded 3rd place in the Concert Division, the highest category in the international competition for wind bands.

Top-notch program

We performed 3 pieces at the competition: 'The Miraculous Mandarin' by Béla Bartók, 'La Délaïssado' by Joseph Canteloube with soprano soloist Laetitia Gerards, and the world creation of 'Along Dark Paths' by Kenneth Hesketh. The composer wrote this last piece on special requst for our band, in light of our centenary, which we celebrate this year. The pieces were accompanied by two poems, written and performed by poet Mattijs Deraedt.

Intense rehearsals and building friendships

Prior to the competition, our musicians spent four intense days of rehearsals at the 'Nieuwe Kerk' in The Hague. This created a unique setting to perfect the program together, and to strenghten the bonds within the group of musicians. The result is a record score for the orchestra, thanks to an enormous group effort.

Proud

Chef-conductor Erik Desimpelaere is proud of the reuslt: "We chose a very challenging, diverse and intense musical program. All of the musicians, board members and volunteers gave the best of themselves during the previous weeks and months, with as result a strong group that performed the pieces at a very high level on the WMC stage. And the jury clearly appreciated that."

Book: 'Orkest van de wereld. 100 jaar Harmonie Vooruit Harelbeke in 100 objecten'

(English: 'Orchestra of the World. 100 Years of Symphonic Wind Band Vooruit in 100 Objects')

In 'Orkest van de wereld. 100 jaar Harmonie Vooruit Harelbeke in 100 objecten', historians Leendert Acke and Elwin Hofman tell the story of a wind band that grew from a propaganda machine of the local Harelbeek socialist movement to an orchestra with musical ambitions on a world scale.

Vooruit's history provides a glimpse into the evolution of brass bands throughout the country over the past century.

Using one hundred objects - instruments, photos, scores, stickers, newspaper clippings and much more - the history of the wind band comes to life. 'Orkest van de wereld’ is a book about music and politics, about friendships and conflicts and about triumphs and setbacks.

The book is available in Dutch.

Order your copy here!