REMA – Conferentie Early music

What is REMA?

REMA (Réseau Européen de Musique Ancienne) is the European network for early music. REMA brings together professionals from the early music sector: ensembles, festivals, concert halls, research institutes, conservatoires, record labels, instrument makers and local networks. The network has over 210 members from 29 European countries and presents itself as a unique forum for exchange, collaboration and joint projects.

In addition to regular local networking events and meetings, REMA organises a major gathering for the entire European early music sector every three years: the Early Music Summit. During this event, members and interested stakeholders from the early music field come together to discuss the sector’s artistic, social and structural challenges. Space is set aside for discussions and workshops focused on sustainability and the future of early music. In 2026, the theme will be ‘What we stand for’.

Flemish showcases

Flanders Arts Institute is presenting four showcases for an international, professional audience. We selected four ensembles through an open call: find out more about them below.

Jean Petit

Jean Petit is a young Baroque ensemble, founded by mezzo-soprano Sterre Decru and harpsichordist Sanderijn Demuynck. The ensemble has grown into a group of seven young musicians, all of whom trained at the conservatoires of The Hague, Basel and Brussels, with a focus on theatrical works from the 17th and 18th centuries. Their very first album was released in May 2025.

With their programme À la cour, they aim to offer the audience a glimpse into the fascinating world of 17th- and 18th-century French court life and the music that resounded within the walls of Versailles at that time. The combination of dramatic opera arias and intimate court songs reveals the full range and nuances of the voice, creating a compelling whole.

Imago Mundi

Imago Mundi is the artistic platform of lutenist and creator Sofie Vanden Eynde. Since its foundation in 2012, the ensemble has been developing groundbreaking music theatre and concerts in which old and new music, different cultures and diverse artistic disciplines come together. Drawing on an exploratory and unifying artistic practice, Imago Mundi creates projects that take their cue from social, historical and existential themes. Productions exploring themes such as melancholy, mental health, cultural identity, destruction and recovery, emptiness, female composers and intercultural encounters link historical music with contemporary composition, literature, visual arts and live electronics. At the heart of everything is the quest to find new ways for music from the past to resonate meaningfully within today’s society.

WOLF

WOLF is a Belgian music ensemble founded in 2012 by clarinettist Jean-Philippe Poncin. At its core are wind players who are among the most sought-after Belgian musicians in the field of historical performance practice. The ensemble specialises in repertoire from the Classical and early Romantic periods, performed on period instruments. The sound and playing style of period instruments form the guiding principle in their exploration of the aesthetics of the repertoire.

WOLF brings together different generations of musicians and places the transfer of knowledge at the heart of its artistic practice. In the summer of 2026, WOLF’s second album was released on Ricercar – Outhere Music. To mark the bicentenary of the death of Carl Maria von Weber, the ensemble recorded a programme centred on Der Freischütz in Karl Flachs’s rarely performed wind arrangement (1822).

Klankennest

Klankennest is an innovative Flemish art collective that creates immersive performance installations designed specifically for young children (babies and toddlers). Central to their practice is a dynamic collaboration with a diverse group of multidisciplinary artists and musicians. Klankennest often bridges the gap between contemporary discoveries and historical traditions by working with leading experts in the field of early music and Historically Informed Performance (HIP).

This specialised expertise was particularly evident in their production ARK (inspired by Hildegard von Bingen) and comes to even greater fruition in OKAPI, the performance being shown at REMA, in which a Baroque viola is combined with bespoke sound sculptures made of clay. By blending the emotional purity of early music with a warm, tactile performance ritual, Klankennest has gained widespread recognition, built up sustainable international touring networks and demonstrated that diverse musical heritages can speak to the next generation in a direct, instinctive and universal way.

Save the date

This year’s event will take place from 24 to 27 November in Bruges and Ghent. Keep an eye on our channels for more news about the programme.

More about the Early Music Summit

More information

Do you have questions? Contact our colleague Ward.