Altviool
bachelor of master in de Kunsten

Viola

For whom?

  • You want to pursue your passion for playing the viola and dream of a professional music career.
  • You want to further develop your artistic expertise with the help of internationally renowned professors.
  • You have the necessary knowledge and skills to pass the admission test.

Your future

With your degree in Viola, you can become a freelance musician or play in an orchestra/ensemble. You can also continue studying and become an artist-teacher or perhaps an artistic researcher? This study programme is the preparation for a brilliant future both on and off stage.

Orchestra / Ensemble

Making music in a group format is important for your development and therefore compulsory during your studies. As a viola player, you can join the string orchestra, symphonic orchestra or the contemporary ensemble among others.

Seminar & Masterclasses

Renowned guest professors from Belgium and abroad are invited to pass on their knowledge to you. In recent years, we welcomed for example Wladimir Kossnajenko.

Brussels

You will have the chance to study in a metropolis with both large concert halls as well as small jazz clubs, the ideal starting point for a professional music career. Your campuses are surrounded by beautiful cathedrals, trending coffee bars and green parks to unwind in.

The KCB focusses on the broad artistic formation of each individual. The lessons are based on direct interaction between teacher and student due to the small amount of students in each class. The great number of orchestral productions each year allows us to gain experience on the stage and learn the ins and outs of the greatest pieces is in music history. 
 

Foto van Joachim
Joachim
Student Music

After your study

Professional music career

With a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Music from the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel, you can choose many professional directions. Who knows, you might end up:

  • in a (inter)nationally renowned orchestra or ensemble
  • in the arts education field
  • in the social artistic field
  • at cultural institutions or governments as advisor or policy maker
Pastorale SOII 2023 KCB (f Tom De Beuckelaer)

Further studies

Abbreviated bachelor's degree

After your bachelor, you can move on to a master's degree and even an additional master's degree in another instrument, through a abbreviated bachelor's degree. Postgraduates are also among the possibilities.

 
Verkorte Educatieve Master Muziek

Merk je tijdens je studie dat lesgeven iets voor jou is? Aan het KCB kan je ook een Verkorte Educatieve master Muziek volgen. Zo kan je meteen aan de slag als kunstenaar-leraar.

 
Artistic researcher

Interested in a career as an artistic researcher? KCB organises various events around research and also offers you the opportunity to do a PhD in collaboration with the Brussels Arts Platform and the VUB (university).

Your subjects

Bachelor

Required subjects Ba1 (CR) BA2 (CR) BA3 (CR)
Main instrument I, II, III 24 24 27
Chamber music 1, 2   6 6
Orchestra 1, 2, 3  6 6 6
Theory and ear training  1, 2 4 4  
Rhythm and intonation   1, 2 5 5  
Harmony and analysis   1, 2 9 9  
History of music 1, 2, 3 6 6 6
Formal analysis 1     6
Encyclopedia and research 3    
Posture and movement 3    
History of culture     3
Optional subjects     6
Total  60 60 60

Master

Required subjects Ma1 (CR) Ma2 (CR)
Main instrument IV 27  
Master exam   30
Chamber music 3, 4 6 12
Orchestra 4, 5 6 6
Formal analysis 2 6  
Introduction to philosophy 3  
Artistic Research Practices 3  
Optional subjects 9 12
Total  60 60

More information about your subjects.

Alumni in focus

Atico Razera

Atico Razera graduated in 2016 from the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel and has played in the Symfonie Orkest Vlaanderen, the Brussels Chamber Orchestra and is now active with the Aarhus Symfonieorkester in Denemark.

Atico Razera

Your professors

In order to develop your talents to the fullest you need a teacher that is capable to help and motivate you in the right way. Our teaching staff is world renowned and have years and years of experience both as performers but also as pedagogues. 

Do you have any specific questions before you register for the admission tests? Would you like to meet your teacher before you take the big step? Below is a list of all teachers with contact information.

Begeleiding
Paul De Clerck

Paul De Clerck

Professor Viola

After studying the viola with E. Schiffer at the Brussels Royal Conservatory, Paul De Clerck continued his studies with A. Gertler, B. Giuranna (Italy) and E. Vardi (New York).

He was a member of the chamber orchestra I Fiamminghi, the Arriaga String Quartet and Brussels String Quartet.

Paul De Clerck performed as a soloist with various international ensembles and orchestras, conducted by Benzi, Tamayo, Cambreling, Layer, Montgomery, Rundel, Schönwandt, Octors,... He was solo violist at the Symphony Orchestra of La Monnaie, a fixed job that he quit after ten years to focus on chamber music and contemporary music with - a.o. - Ensemble Modern Frankfurt and ICTUS.

Paul De Clerck has been intensively working on historical performance practice with Collegium Vocale Gent, as a soloist with Anima Eterna and with musical partners such as Piet Kuijken, Boyan Vodenitcharov, Frank Theuns. He teaches the viola at the Brussels Royal Conservatory and chamber music at the Orpheus Institute in Ghent. Paul De Clerck is a regular guest teacher at master classes in Belgium and abroad. As an actor-musician, he has worked with Needcompany, Dito Dito and Stan.

Contact Paul:

Email

 

Tony Nys

Tony Nys

Professor Viola & Chamber Music

Tony Nys started his musical training at the age of five taking up violin lessons with Tomiko Shida. Later he continued his studies at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel with Clemens Quatacker and Philippe Hirschhorn.

Between 1994 and 1997, he was the first violin of the Fétis String Quartet, attending masterclasses with the Alban Berg Quartet, the Borodin Quartet and the Amadeus Quartet. Ever since, chamber music has been a natural environment for him.

As a violist in the Danel quartet from 1998 up to 2005, he played worldwide in numerous festivals, recordings and performances of newly composed pieces.

Since 2005, he is a fix member of the TrioFenix Stringtrio and he has regularly worked with ensembles such as Prometheus, Ictus, Ensemble Modern, Explorations, Oxalys … Between 2008 and 2018, he was also a member of the Malibran Stringquartet.

He shared the concert stage with many renowned artists and ensembles such as the Borodin Quartet, the Brodsky Quartet, the Petersen Quartet, Garth Knox, Gérard Caussé, Alina Ibrahimova, Philippe Graffin, Frank Braley, and many more …

Tony Nys played as viola-solo in La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra between 2007 and 2018. In that position he was regularly invited by many orchestras in Belgium, Holland, Germany and the UK.

As a member of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, he played worldwide with conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Pierre Boulez, Gustavo Duhamel …

Currently he teaches viola and chamber music and is head of strings at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel. He also teaches the Advanced Chamber Music Course at the Orpheus Instituut in Gent.

Contact Tony Nys:

Email

Projects in the spotlight

Let's Dance | String Orchestra

The string orchestra has no conductor. Thus, the violin, viola, cello and double bass students learn to listen to each other while playing and to tune in well with each other. The string orchestra is led by double bass professor Koenraad Hofman.

Northern Echoes | Symphonic Orchestra

In the symphonic orchestra of autumn 2022, none other than conductor Bjarte Engeset came to teach our students the beauty of Scandinavian music. They performed Nielsen's Helios Overture, Elgar's Concerto in E minor for cello and orchestra with soloist João Gonçalves and Sibelius' second symphony.

Northern Echoes | Symfonieorkest KCB 2022 (f Alexandre Schlub)

Your campus

Campus Regentschapsstraat & Kleine Zavel

Our campuses are located in the vibrant Sablon district right in the heart of Brussels. The Conservatoire's stately main building on the Regentschapsstraat with its magnificent Concert Hall is one of Brussel's landmarks. Around the corner is our campus on Kleine Zavel where you can attend classes and study in the best conditions. Moreover, you can use our premises to study during the week and at weekends.

How can I access the campuses?

Alexandre
regent hoofdgebouw

Renovation of the main building

After years of negotiations, we are proud to announce that the plans for the renovation of our impressive main building on Regentschapsstraat have been approved. More info on this can be found here.

Go abroad

During your studies at the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel, you will come in contact with the world: after all, you study in Brussels, Europe's most cosmopolitan capital. KCB offers guest lectures by international professionals or by a professor from a foreign partner school, international projects,... we will train you to become a professional ready for tomorrow's increasingly international world.

Do you want to spend some time abroad yourself? You can! Studying for a semester (or academic year) at a partner university or doing an internship abroad, mais oui, of course! Find out more about internationalisation.

KVDS

Visit us!

Info Moments

We organise several info moments during the second semester, such as (online) info days and open class moments.

Concerts

We welcome you to our many concerts, masterclasses and research days. Also come and listen to a caleidoscoop concert by our BA1 and BA2 students or our public exams. That way you can see what you would learn as a future KCB student. Every academic year, there are numerous productions in which our students perform. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay informed.

INFO & TICKETS

Concerten

Enrolment & Admission Tests

AT

To start your studies at the Koninklijk Conservatorium, you must pass an artistic admission test. For information on the entrance exams - such as dates, the programmes to prepare, the enrolment conditions/fees and the module to enrol - click on the button below.

ADMISSION TESTS

Nieuwjaarsconcert (f Reda Izo)

Any question?

For more information on this programme you can contact the student administration via secretariaat.kcb@ehb.be.