The Magic Of School Tours To Musical Brussels

Travelling overseas to explore the musical heritage of a location often takes school

tours to places like Vienna and even further afield; but Brussels is a wonderful place to go as well. As the capital city in Belgium, Brussels is a quick hop from the United Kingdom and it offers an array of interesting and educational elements to explore.

Having grown from the 10th century fortress, the city is now a leading member of the European Union. The official languages of the city are French and Dutch, but that doesnt mean that while on school tours to learn about the music and musical history of the city students will be unable to understand what is happening - many people speak English and the music of any city often speaks for itself. While you are in Brussels, be sure to take time to visit the Musical Instrument Museum and the Bozar Centre for Fine Arts.

Musical Instrument Museum

Located at Montagne de la Cour-Hofberg 2, the Musical Instrument Museum was founded in 1877 and is currently part of the Royal Museum for Arts and History. The collection began with 100 Indian instruments given to King Leopold II and a few other purposely purchased collections. The current collection boasts over 7,000 instruments that hail from all over the world and cross time frames and periods of musical popularity with ease. Each of the collections is looked after by organologists, due to their specialism in their particular field of musical instruments.

The rooms with themed exhibits take visitors through the history of musical instruments, from ancient Egypt and experimental historical performances, to the rooms dedicated to the traditional musical instruments of various areas of Europe and the rest of the world, and, finally, into the galleries that are given over to the newer, technological style of instruments. In addition, there is a soundscape that showcases 194 fragments of music at different points in the museum. School tours that take in the Musical Instrument Museum should ensure students take note of the stunning building which houses the museum. The former Old England Department Store was designed by Paul Saintenoy in 1899 and is part of the Art Nouveau style.

The Bozar

The Bozar Centre for Fine Arts is an excellent resource for those visiting on school tours. With a memorable name and situated on the Rue Ravenstein 23, The Bozar is also known as the Palais des Beaux-Arts and was designed by Victor Horta. It took over a decade to complete and was finally opened in 1928. The Bozar is much more than just a concert hall, however; it contains a movie theatre, exhibition and conference spaces, lecture rooms and recital halls. The Bozar is home to the Socit Philharmonique/Philharmonische Vereniging and the National Orchestra of Belgium, and, as such, it allows exceptional opportunities to tour the building and catch one of a variety of musically inclined events that take place year-round. If you plan your visit right, you can be in attendance at the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition, where the worlds major orchestras are invited to play in the Le Boeuf Hall.

by: Angela Bowden

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