I Solisti del Vento
explores the rich wind repertoire from Mozart until the present days
I Solisti del Vento is a Belgian wind ensemble with a longstanding tradition. The ensemble was founded by
musicians of the former New Belgian Chamber Orchestra (Nieuw Belgisch Kamerorkest) in 1987 and was
originally called 'Die Harmonie'. In 1996 the ensemble was able to set up an autonomous and professional
structure, mainly thanks to the inspiring leadership of artistic and general director Francis Pollet.
The artistic ideology is based on the wish to bring the rich wind repertoire on international stages. As such, the
ensemble not only focuses it’s attention on the works for octet and the more 20th-century dixtuor line-up, but
also takes the exploration of the extensive and particularly captivating wind repertoire from Mozart until the
present day as guiding principle for its programmes. Therefore the strength and instrumentation of the
ensemble is flexible (20 musicians: wind players, piano, percussion, double bass and harp) and can vary
according to the programme to be performed.
I Solisti del Vento was a guest at the most prestigious Belgian venues. The ensemble commissions and creates
many new pieces and participates regularly in recordings. It has, for instance, been invited to perform in every
music@venture festival edition (biannual contemporary music festival in Antwerp), ever since it started in 2001.
Also at the Festival of Flanders and at events of radio station Klara, the ensemble is a regular guest.
Abroad, I Solisti del Vento is increasingly famous: it has performed in several European countries. I Solisti is
programmed very often on Dutch stages. Recently, the ensemble was invited to perform at the international
festivals of Edinburgh, Helsinki, Bremen, Tallinn, Saintes, Nancy and Turin.
The ensemble was conducted by Philippe Herreweghe, Etienne Siebens, Ivan Meylemans, Paul Hillier, Bo
Holten, Lucas Vis and Hervé Niquet. I Solisti del Vento also regularly performs with renowned soloists,
ensembles and choirs like soprano Claron Mc Fadden, pianists Michel Béroff , Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden and
Irene Russo, the Quatuor Danel, the Spiegel Stringquartet, Collegium Vocale Ghent and the Flemish Radio Choir.
I Solisti del Vento builds bridges towards other disciplines of arts in order to carry out the value of wind music
to other horizons. On the other hand, the ensemble believes in a constantly evolving creativity and inspiring
artistic tension for performer as well as listener, which flows from such interdisciplinary encounters. In 2005 the
ensemble started with the music-theatre play Frankenstein with Theatre Stap (a theatre house which works
with disabled youngsters). During the Mozart year 2006, I Solisti del Vento participated in two of Mozarts
operas. “Le Nozze di Figaro” was performed in collaboration with author Stefan Hertmans and the Music
Theatre Transparant, and together with Theatre Taptoe (a professional theatre company, combining actors and
figures) the ensemble performed the original arrangement by Triebensee of “Don Giovanni” in a play called
‘Don G.’
In the children’s production ‘Olek schoot een beer’ - Olek shot a bear - , a musical tale written by author Bart
Moeyaert, I Solisti del Vento performs the accompanying music by Wim Henderickx. Under the name of Olek,
this production will be dramatized in 2009. In autumn 2008 the ensemble presented the music theatre version
of Wagners ‘Fliegende Holländer’, a co-production with Theatre Taptoe. A new Requiem is presented in
November 2009 in collaboration with Muziektheater Transparant and preparations are being made for a new
opera project ‘Il barbiere di Siviglia’ by Rossini.
Research and contemporary music are also part of the mission of the ensemble. Specific themes or
composition assignments help I Solisti del Vento to keep a finger on the pulse of the actual music. For
‘research’, the ensemble scrutinizes every season an interesting composer. In December 2008 e.g., at the
occasion of Messiaens 100th birthday anniversary, I Solisti and the international Arts Centre deSingel set up a
Messiaen Festival in Antwerp (Belgium): concerts, lectures, workshops and musicological research presented an
overall picture of the French composer.
Since September 1999 I Solisti del Vento is granted the title “Wind Ensemble in Residence at the Royal Flemish
Conservatoire of Antwerp”. In February 2002, I Solisti del Vento was chosen by the jury of the KBC Music prize
Golden Wings ('Gouden Vleugels') as laureate to function as a mentor for the promising young jazz sextet High
Voltage. In January 2003 I Solisti del Vento and High Voltage were awarded the Klara Tandem Trophy for their
outstanding joint venture.
Thanks to the support of the Flemish Community, I Solisti del Vento has become a leading wind ensemble and
an innovating factor on the Flemish music scene.
Discography
Mozart Wind Serenades
Works for bassoon dedicated to Francis Pollet
Works dedicated to I Solisti del Vento
Hein Van de Geyn, Bert van den Brink & I Solisti del Vento
Chamber Music for Winds/Piano 'Beethoven-Craens'
with pianist Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden
Serenades for Winds “Dvořák - Alpaerts - Strauss”
Weill/Stravinski, I Solisti and Flemish Radio choir conducted by P. Hillier
subvention: Flemish Community
Contact
I Solisti del Vento vzw
International Arts Center deSingel
Jan Van Rijswijcklaan 155
2018 Antwerpen
T +32 3 241 01 34 – F +32 3 244 18 14
[email protected] – www.isolistidelvento.be
ISdV 90-01
ISdV 96-01
ISdV 99-01
CCHR 75028 SA
AS-00-A-640008-C
KTC 4001
release in 2009
Francis Pollet: artistic and general director - [email protected]
Inge Simoens: administration director, coordination and communication - [email protected]
Leen Vandenborre: production – [email protected]