I SOLISTI

BELGIAN WIND ENSEMBLE ANTWERP

Innovative | versatile | surprising

Classical music with a creative twist, that is what I SOLISTI stands for.
What started as a traditional wind octet over 30 years ago has grown, under the leadership of artistic director and founding father Francis Pollet, into an internationally known ensemble and production house.

Conceptual and dramaturgical thinking go along with strong performances by outstanding musicians. Providing opportunities to young talented artists and producing adventurous projects, creations and music theatre are part of the DNA of I SOLISTI.

Activities of the ensemble

The activities of I SOLISTI consists of four main pillars:

The musical heritage of 250 years of wind (r)evolution from Mozart to the present day, serves as the guiding principle throughout all our work, which is carried out with extreme devotion and is passionatialy embraced, questioned and innovated.

MUSICIANS

I SOLISTI unites famed top musicians, each of whom has individually established a solid reputation as a soloist and orchestra or chamber musician. A permanent core group of 25 musicians forms the foundation of the ensemble and is expanded or scaled down on the project’s requirements.

COLLABORATIONS

We have a close collaboration with nearly all important venues in Belgium. Our ensemble is also regularly invited to a diverse set of festivals and concert halls throughout Europe. Our goal to spread the value of wind music to various horizons has led us to inspiring collaborations with i.a.:

  • renowned soloist

    (Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden, Jan Michiels, Liebrecht Vanbeckevoort, etc.)

  • choirs

    (Flemish Radio Choir, Collegium Vocale Ghent, etc.)

  • conductors

    (Lucas Vis, Bo Holten, Hervé Niquet, Etienne Siebens, etc.)

  • theatre houses and groups

    (hetpaleis, FroeFroe, Kopergietery, LOD, etc.)

  • festivals

    (Klara-festival, Festival of Flanders, etc.)

  • artists

    (Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer, Jan Decleir, Gerda Dendooven, Bart Moeyaert, Josse De Pauw, etc.)

For many years I SOLISTI has been in residence at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp and campus resident of deSingel International Arts Campus. There is a close artistic partnership with the Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ Amsterdam, Musis & City Theatre Arnhem, the Concert Hall Bruges en Music Center De Bijloke Ghent.

I SOLISTI fulfills a unique position within the Belgian music landscape and is structurally subsidized by the Flemish Government.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Since August 2020, composer Frederik Neyrinck has joined the artistic team of I SOLISTI as Artist in Residence for four seasons. Besides being composer for I SOLISTI, Frederik also takes on his role as a coach and inspiration within the ACADEMY and is a member of the Artistic Advisory Board.

The young and promising conductor Martijn Dendievel joined the artistic team. He is not only member of the Artistic Advisory Board but also takes on his role of conductor for several major projects.