Annual report 2025: Participation

Education

The Antwerp Symphony Orchestra aims to inspire children to enjoy classical music from an early age. Thanks to various educational projects, children, young people, and students were introduced to the world of the orchestra (within a school context) in 2025.

De Muziekkoffer

The Antwerp Symphony Orchestra invites toddlers to discover the world of the orchestra. Guided by a trunk full of music, they are introduced to all the instruments of the orchestra. Afterwards, the children attend a rehearsal for fifteen minutes, sitting close to the musicians. In 2025, 'The Music Trunk' took place 25 times, introducing 659 toddlers to classical music.

Abracadabra!

In this musical initiation, a class from special need primary education first receives an introductory session in the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra's Music Studio. Afterwards, the pupils take their seats in the hall to watch the conductor at work during part of an orchestral rehearsal. The accompanying instructors are special education teachers themselves and can use sign-supported speech (SMOG) if required.

School performances with accompanying classroom workshops

During the KIDconcerts, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra performs symphonic music combined with an engaging story told by talented actors: the ideal way to discover orchestral music. For each KIDconcert, separate school performances for primary education are organised, both at the Queen Elisabeth Hall in Antwerp and Muziekcentrum De Bijloke in Ghent. Schools are sent educational materials in advance to familiarise pupils with the inner workings of a professional orchestra. Furthermore, schools have the opportunity to book a preparatory workshop, where an experienced music coach visits the school to introduce the story and the music. This allows pupils to discover the stories behind the music, making the concert experience even more powerful.

De Grote Ontmoeting

During a music and dance workshop at school, pupils experiment with the building blocks of a major symphonic work. Under the guidance of experienced instructors from the arts education organisation De Veerman, they are introduced to a masterpiece from the classical repertoire in a playful, interactive, and creative way. During a rehearsal at the Elisabeth Hall, the pupils hear the orchestra at work. Afterwards, they meet several musicians during a 'speed dating' session, followed by a playful reflection on their concert experience.

De Muziekfabriek

Young people are given an informal look behind the scenes of the orchestra and all its facets. A music instructor takes the class group backstage for an interactive introduction to how an orchestra operates, the mechanics of musical instruments, and the building blocks of the symphonic repertoire. Afterwards, the pupils slip into the hall to attend part of the rehearsal and experience how a symphonic orchestra truly works.

Backstage Buzz

For pupils attending regular concerts, the orchestra provides a tailored introduction prior to the performance, featuring a musician, the conductor, or the soloist.

Outreach

In addition to its regular concerts, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra fulfils a broad social mission. Various socio-cultural groups are introduced to classical music thanks to an extensive range of threshold-reducing projects in home base Antwerp. 

OpMaatorkest

Each year, the opMaatorkest gives more than 200 children from Antwerp primary schools—primarily located in socially disadvantaged and multicultural neighbourhoods—the chance to encounter classical music, learn to play an instrument in a group, and develop their talents. In addition to weekly music lessons, regular vocal coaching, and monthly group rehearsals at school led by Antwerp Symphony coaches, the opMaatorkest also had the opportunity to perform on the stage of the grand Queen Elisabeth Hall.

Antwerp Symphony Orchestra Mobiel

With Antwerp Symphony Orchestra Mobile, the orchestra focuses on a very specific group within society: people who are physically unable to attend a regular concert. Thirty-three musicians from the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra travelled to various healthcare institutions to perform a light, accessible, and tailored musical programme. Through this project, the orchestra enables those who cannot make it to a concert hall to participate in classical musical life.

In 2025, these locations included the OPZ in Geel, De Kapel in Zoersel, the Zevenbergen Service Centre, FPC Antwerp, and Theater Stap in Turnhout. These concerts brought a varied and accessible programme to people who otherwise have limited access to live classical music.Welcome tickets & discounts

Welcome tickets and discounts

For several years now, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra has focused on cooperating with regular partners such as the City of Antwerp, Atlas, Vrijuit, Sta-an, Recht-Op and ArmenTekort. This network is used to distribute €4 tickets to make even the most prestigious concerts accessible to the widest possible audience. In addition, young people, students, people with disabilities and other target groups also enjoy discounts in order to lower the threshold to classical concerts as much as possible.

Doe Maar Mee

The Antwerp Symphony Orchestra has designed a groundbreaking concept specifically for people who encounter barriers at standard concerts, offering an inclusive concert experience for anyone who wants to experience classical music in a different way. It is well-established that classical music and movement have a positive influence on mental well-being—and everyone deserves to reap those rewards.

For this project, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra collaborates with Andrew Greenwood. He utilises the switch2move method, in which he brings classical music and movement together in a multi-sensory total experience.

Visitors are introduced to the method during an on-site workshop, led by a chamber music ensemble from the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra and guided by a movement coach. Afterwards, they visit the Queen Elisabeth Hall in Antwerp for the final concert. 

In 2025, the preparatory on-site workshops and a final concert at the Queen Elisabeth Hall took place for Doe Maar Mee.