KCB strengthens cultural partnership with the Liszt Institute

© Lauren Wouters

A new chapter in international collaboration

On Tuesday the 18th of November 2025, KCB officially formalised its cultural collaboration with the Liszt Institute, Hungarian Cultural Center. This was achieved through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in the office of KCB Director Lulu Aertgeerts, marking an important step towards long-term cooperation between both institutions.

A shared commitment

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding brought together a dedicated group whose expertise represents the heart of both institutions. From KCB, General Director EhB/KCB Dennis Cluydts, KCB Director Lulu Aertgeerts, Former Director Jan D’haene, Campus Coordinator Stefaan Guilliams, External Relations Officer Micaela Ferrão and Librarian Johan Eeckeloo attended. They welcomed Director Mrs Zsófia Kovács from the Liszt Institute, alongside Adrienn Tóth Ferenci, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Hungary, Csaba Bartos responsible for cultural programming, and programme coordinators Boróka Takács and Villő Vajda, accompanied by intern Flóra Molnár.

Continuing a strong artistic and educational bond

The collaboration between KCB and the Liszt Institute has already grown over the past year through masterclasses, concerts and meaningful artistic exchanges. Even further back, Hungarian artists have played a significant role in the history of our conservatoire since its foundation. The Memorandum of Understanding builds on this tradition and creates a clear structure to develop new joint artistic and educational initiatives.

Looking to the future

With this agreement, both institutions aim to create lasting opportunities for students, professors and audiences. New ideas for masterclasses, performances and educational programmes are already being explored, proving that this collaboration is something both sides have been looking forward to and are eager to expand.

KCB Symphony Orchestra as the next major project

The upcoming concert, KCB Symphony Orchestra (29/11/2025 @ Flagey), is made possible through the collaboration with the Liszt Institute. The programme is entirely dedicated to Hungarian composers and brings the partnership between the two institutions vividly to life on stage. This concert beautifully demonstrates how KCB and the Liszt Institute are shaping their artistic and educational ambitions together.

KCB SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

The concert on the 26th of April 2026, part of the KCB Student Sounds @MIM series, will also be realised in collaboration with the Cultural Service of the Hungarian Embassy.