I attended Brussels Chello Festival, a biannual, which had started in 2018 at The Royal Conservatory of Brussels among friends, colleagues and mentors, became the Brussels event, which is dedicated to the Chello itself! 3 days full program: Friday, Saturday, Sunday!

One of the most enthusiastic people is its own artistic director Han Bin Yoon, who is also a professional performer, a Chello player himself at the festival! He runs among the floors in the Flagey Building, takes the microphone, when needed, takes the floor when necessary! He welcomes the audience and thanks it after!

The Brussels Chello Festival © photo Yelena van Kharitonova

 During the three days 14 cellists, 7 pianists and 3 musical friends take the stage to perform! Each and every part of the festival has a special name: “When the cello began to sing” to “From Bach to Harry Potter”! The most dear to my heart was the following part of the Festival: “Life after the 2026 Queen Elisabeth Competition”, which I attended myself in May! So, it’s nostalgia at this Festival! The winners and the finalists of it are a part of the Festival and it’s heartbreaking to see and hear them again, playing from this big stage!

© photo Yelena van Kharitonova

After the competition I was privileged to invite Dilshod Narzillaev to play at my private event on Cultural Diplomacy at Holland House Brussels! And on the 28th of October he was playing solo at the magistrate premises of the University Foundation, by a special invitation of Queen Elisabeth’s and its representative Mrs. Marie Vander Elst, who is very proud that the recent edition’s participants keeping the ball rolling and performing at the highest level!

© photo Yelena van Kharitonova

Queen Elizabeth Competition is a partner with The Brussels Cello Festival, it makes sense! The finalists and laureates such as: Etorre Pagani, Victor Julien-Lafertiere, Marie Hallynck and Aleksey Shadrin are the true ambassadors of the Competition and many of them have been studying at The Queen Elisabeth Chapel!

The biggest joy gives the performance of big stars, who are playing at the Festival as well! Sascha Goetzel was conducting the opening concert with Brussels Philharmonic and accompanying Victor Julien-Lafferriere for Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier Adventure soiree! The conductor came all over from Austria for it!

A special exhibition downtown at Flagey was dedicated to the cello making and Chello makers! Various Belgian chello makers were showcasing new instruments for the public and giving masterclasses about the chello making!

© photo Yelena van Kharitonova

Another memorable moment was when all the young Queen Elisabeth Competition’s crowd was on the stage, creating a harmonious cacophony with their energetic performances!
Just after the Halloween and on the Dia de Muertes, it was a performance dedicated to Harry Potter! From Bach to Harry Potter was the name of the Closing Concert! And the bridge to the next edition of the Festival in 2028! Which will mark the 10th Jubilee of it! As for me, it should go back to the Conservatory, where it started and which is now under construction! The Festival’s editorial 2026 went very well and was wrapped-up, also thank you to numerous sponsors such as DELEN BANK, but not only! I take my hat off to Brussels Chello Society, which is behind it!

Isabelle de Borchgrave’s new monography has been published

Isabelle de Borchgrave’s new monography has been published