Klarafestival reflects on migration and displacement through music

Until 24 March, the renowned Klarafestival is taking over venues across Brussels (plus a few in Antwerp and Bruges), offering an eclectic musical programme revolving around the theme of Home Sweet Home, which addresses pertinent issues such as migration, dislocation, exile and identity.

The festival theme couldn’t be more present-day, and clearly shows that a cultural event can provide more than entertainment. “I want to do more than just proposing a mix of relaxation and beauty”, says Klarafestival’s artistic director Hendrik Storme, adding: “I think it is our duty to contribute to current debates and ask difficult questions about who we are, what we do and where we want to be, as a society and as individual human beings.”

This willingness to look beyond the realms of music and engaging with society is something that has always been part of the festival’s mission, which wants to build bridges between people – something that might be more important than ever right now. “Brexit, Trump, the increase of right-wing conservative ideas, the closing of borders, the building of walls… we can’t remain on the sidelines anymore”, Storme explains.

But can a music festival really deal with these complicated matters in a lighthearted way? The answer is a definite yes. With a high-quality programme featuring composers that were forced to migrate or flee themselves, Klarafestival shows how their creations reflect these experiences while revealing music’s uniting power as an amalgam of different cultural influences. “If we can talk today of a rich music history, we have to thank the many migration flows over the past centuries”, says Storme: “Look at the Javanese Gamelan influences in Debussy’s music for instance.”

Accordingly, Home Sweet Home finds space for classical music legends such as celebrated Russian composer and pianist Rachmaninov, who had to flee his home country after the revolution in 1917, an experience that shines through in his music. “The works he composed in the US are full of nostalgia”, Storme tells us. And Czech composers Smetana, Dvořák and Janáček, for example, all use elements of Slavic melodies and songs in their pieces.

But the festival doesn’t just look to the past. Its highlight is undoubtedly the performance of the Syrian Expat Philharmonic Orchestra (SEPO), bringing attention to the horrific war in the musicians’ home country, which they were forced to flee. Their joint concert at BOZAR with the National Orchestra of Belgium is entitled Salaam Syria. It reinforces the message of peace on the eve of the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks in Brussels. “We want to invite people to look positively at migration and the beautiful cross-cultural creations that can come out of it”, Storme concludes.

After a turbulent time, Brussels is continuing to shine as a cultural beacon on the national and international stage. Listen to all the live performances on Klara Radio.

Klara Festival, until 24 March
Across Brussels
Klarafestival.be