Program

Toccanti

This sextet was formed by Gerda Abts and three of her pas students at the Koninklijk conservatorium Antwerpen, Marte De Leeuw, Maria and Elina Markatatou. Together with Saar Wijns, mandolin (Lemmensinstituut, music therapy) and Sam Vertommen, guitar (Koninklijk conservatorium Antwerpen).

"Toccanti stands for six passionate musicians who wanted to share the joy they get from music with as much people as possible. The combination of the warm, profound guitar sounds and the melodious mandolins make this ensemble unique in Belgium. Romantique, modern, baroque or classical, we do not avoid any period. This results in a various and fascinating repertoire in whom everyone can find himself. In late October the idea to reunite arose. We say reunite because we all played together before. We first met in the academy of Lier and at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp and as they say, the rest is history..." (tekst Marte)

Southern Sounds

Program with exciting mandolin and guitar music from the baroque period up to the 21th century. In this Gerda Abts has an ensemble together with Pieter Van Tichelen and her students mandolin form the Higher Academy: Marte De Leeuw, Johan Corrales and Saar Wijns, as well as the guitarists whom play with Pieter and Marte in duo: Johan Dias and Sam Vertommen.

They perform work by Raffaele Calace, Sylvius Leopold Weiss, Herbert Baumann, Francesco Piccone, Hermann Ambrosius and Carlos Munier. In addition they play an inedited anomynous work Pieter Van Tichelen has discovered as musicologist. This ensemble plays in an ever alternating strength: solo, duo, trio or ensemble. Together with the very varying repertory this concert is quite versatile and got a tremendous enthousiast applause.

the repertory of this ensemble is very extended and can be adapted to the demand. Gerda Abts and her sensemble also join forces with the " Brasschaats mandolineorkest" conducted by Marcel De Cauwer.

Gerda Abts, Pieter Van Tichelen and Marte De Leeuw, baroque mandolin, mandolin and mandola

Johan Corrales and Saar Wijns, mandolin

Sam Vertommen en Johan Dias, guitar

(Read more about the musicians on the page biography)

Una cordi di gioia

Program with brilliant baroque music. Each year the " Antwerps barokensemble (ABE)" starts a new project. In 2011 the project "Echt Antwerps" together with the word artist Katty Wtterwulghe; in 2012 "Les Amis de Versailles" 
together with four dancers, the "Modern Barock Ensemble";
 in 2013 "Una Storia d’Amore" with Christel de Meulder, soprano, and  Martin Hoevenaars, mime; 
December 2014 & 2015 their project is now together with Gerda Abts in "Una Corda di Gioia".

Gerda Abts, mandolin, mandola
Het Antwerps Barokensemble:

Jef Van Boven and Pauline Bergsma, traverse flute
Hilde van Hoijweghen, baroque cello
Marie-Ange Boost, harpsichord, organ

Works from

(Read more about the musicians on the page biography)