Music in the Cathedral
The Cathedral hosts no less than three permanent concert series! In addition, special concerts can be heard regularly, in keeping with the Cathedral's mission to bring religious music within the appropriate time frame. On Holy Days the traditional Easter and Christmas concerts resound and the weekly Mass celebrations are graced by both well-known melodies and special pieces from the organist's personal repertoire.
Every first Sunday of the month is 'Organ Sunday'. At 11.45 am, there is a free concert in the Cathedral Organ on Sunday series, in which the two great Cathedral organs, the romantic Schyven organ and the baroque-style Metzler organ, play a starring role.
Later that day, at 4 pm, the monthly Sunday Music will sound from the choir loft around the Schyven organ or from one of the chapels. In this intimate concert series, music director and organist Peter Van de Velde has planned the most surprising programmes, usually in collaboration with another instrumentalist or singer. Here you can get a taste of the atmosphere. Sunday Music is free to residents of the province of Antwerp. For other visitors, the standard entrance fees for the Cathedral apply.
During the summer months, visitors to the Cathedral can listen to afternoon concerts in the Orgel na de Noen (Organ After Noon) series. On Friday afternoons in July and August between 12.45 and 1.30 pm, organists from home and abroad take turns behind the Schyven organ or the Metzler organ. Tickets cost €12 and are available on the day at the entrance counter of the Cathedral.
Once a year - usually in the month of June - the Cathedral is home to the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. Information and ticket sales for this concert are via www.antwerpsymphonyorchestra.be.
PROGRAMME
December 2024
Sunday, 1 December, 11.45 am: Cathedral organ on Sunday
Peter Van de Velde plays music around the 'Advent' theme on the Schyven organ
Sunday, 1 December, 4 pm: Sunday music
Music on the theme of 'hope and expectation' by M. Reger and C. Saint-Saëns, among others, with mezzo-soprano Anastasiia Staroselska and Peter Van de Velde at the Schyven organ
Sunday, 22 December, 3 pm: Christmas Concert
With the Flanders Boys Choir conducted by Dieter Van Handenhoven & the cathedral choirs (adult choir and children's choir), featuring mezzo-soprano Anastasiia Staroselska, organist Peter Van de Velde, gitarist Nico Couck and brass ensemble Brassery XL. Music: 'Gloria' by John Rutter, 'I sing the birth' by Andrew Ford & Christmas Carols
Thursday, 26 December, 5 pm: Christmas Benefit Concert
Peter Van de Velde plays the Schyven organ. Music by P. Cochereau (Variations sur un vieux Noel), G. Macchia (Toccata 'The first Noel'), C. Jacquemin en R. Purvis
The Cathedral organs are also active during the larger, religious celebrations. On all Sundays, organist Peter Van de Velde accompanies the High Mass at 10 am and the Vespers service at 5 pm, as well as on Saturdays at the evening Masses at 4 pm in Dutch and in English at 5.30 pm
On Holy Days, special concerts can be heard in the Cathedral too. During Holy Week, a Passion concert (chamber music) sounds on Wednesday at 8 pm and an organ concert on the Metzler organ with works by Johann Sebastian Bach on Easter Monday at 5 pm. On Good Friday, a special tradition has developed over the past years with a performance of St John's Passion in liturgical context at 8 pm. Religious music as it is meant to be. During the Advent and Christmas seasons too, things are anything but quiet at the Cathedral. On Boxing Day (December 26) there is a Christmas Benefit concert on the Schyven organ. A Christmas concert with the Cathedral choirs will be coming in the future.