Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel Named Venue of ICCF
The Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel has been officially named the venue of the ICCF – Chamber Classics International Festival, marking a new and prestigious chapter in the festival’s artistic journey.
With its rich heritage, intimate concert spaces, and unwavering dedication to musical excellence, the Music Chapel provides an ideal setting for a festival devoted to the refinement and expressive depth of chamber music.
The origins of the Music Chapel are rooted in the vision of two remarkable personalities: Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, herself a passionate violinist determined to support gifted young musicians, and Eugène Ysaÿe, one of the most celebrated violinists and composers of his era. United by a shared commitment to nurturing emerging talent, they envisaged not only a highly specialized musical institution but also an international competition that would recognize and elevate outstanding artists. That competition, renowned from its inception, would later become the world-famous Queen Elisabeth Competition.
The Music Chapel was inaugurated on 11 July 1939 and quickly established itself as a beacon of artistic excellence. From the very beginning, it was dedicated to the training of exceptionally talented young musicians, offering them an environment that combined rigorous instruction with creative freedom. The distinguished critic Emile Vuillermoz famously described the institution as a “modern Villa Medici,” evoking its role as a sanctuary where art, discipline, and inspiration coexist.
Following the interruption caused by the Second World War, the Music Chapel resumed its educational mission in 1956. For decades, it welcomed a select group of young musicians and composers in residence, each guided by a professor of their choice during intensive three-year cycles. This personalized mentorship model fostered the development of several generations of elite artists who would go on to achieve prominence on international stages and in leading academic institutions.
Today, by hosting the ICCF – Chamber Classics International Festival, the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel reaffirms its historical commitment to artistic excellence and the cultivation of chamber music at the highest level. The synergy between the festival’s international scope and the Chapel’s legacy of mentorship and refinement promises to create a truly inspiring cultural event — one that honors tradition while embracing the future of classical music.
