Het Collectief Chamber Music Quintet

The chamber music group Het Collectief was founded in 1998 in Brussels. Working consistently from a solid nucleus of five musicians, the group has created an intriguing and idiosyncratic sound, achieved by an unfamiliar mix of strings, wind instruments and piano.

For its repertoire, Het Collectief returns to the Second Viennese School, the roots of modernism. Starting from this solid basis, it explores important twentieth century repertoire, including the very latest experimental trends. The group also creates a furore with daring crossovers between contemporary and traditional compositions and with adaptations of ancient music.

The group’s affinity with innovative twentieth century music has been widely recognized by the international music press, witness the many laudatory reviews that greeted the release of several CDs with works by Schoenberg, Bach, Messiaen, Chong, Vanhecke (Fuga Libera) and ‘12x12, A Musical Zodiac’ (Et’cetera Records), 'The feasts of fear and agony' (Fuga Libera), a portrait CD of the Flemish composer Bram Van Camp, with Liesbeth Devos, Soprano and Vykintas Baltakas, conductor. In September 2014 we launched our ‘Berg & Zemlinsky Lieder' CD (Zig Zag Territoires): 'Sieben frühe Lieder’ (Berg), ‘Maeterlinck Lieder’ (Zemlinsky), 'Berceuse Elegiaque' (Busoni) and 'Passacaglia' (Webern) with Katrien Baerts, Soprano and Reinbert de Leeuw, conductor. In November 2015 we launched 'Rikadla', a full Janacek repertoire CD with Collegium Vocale Gent and Reinbert de Leeuw, conductor. Our latest CD recording was launched in September 2020: 'Das Lied von der erde' MAHLER in an arrangement for 15 musicians made by Reinbert de Leeuw and with Lucile Richardot and Yves Saelens, soloists. This recording received more than 35 international press reviews and is an absolute collector's item. Also a tribute to Reinbert de Leeuw who passed away 14 February 2020. In September 2022 we launch a new CD recording focusing on the chamber music of Berg and Schönberg.

Next to the many concert platforms in Belgium, Het Collectief regularly brings its productions to concert venues abroad, including The Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, France, Spain, Austria, Malta, Cyprus, Lithuania, Latvia, South America (Brazil, Peru) and Asia (Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia).

Het Collectief received the KLARA award 2011 ‘Musician of the Year’. The 'Rikadla' recording received the prestigious German 'Schallplatten Kritik Preis - Bestenliste 1_2016'. Het Collectief was again nominated for the KLARA award 2017 'Ensemble of the Year.'

Het Collectief - Chamber Music Quintet
Thomas Dieltjens, piano
Julien Hervé, clarinet
Wibert Aerts, violin
Toon Fret, flute
Martijn Vink, cello