Margaret Hermant

Where Is Home? 

Coming home in music

A man steps onto the stage, cello in hand. He looks out into the concert hall, spreads his arms and says, ‘Welcome. Tonight, you are not listeners, but participants. Our meeting is an exchange.’ Then he begins to sing and play, and everything becomes clear. He absorbs the audience’s energy like a human antenna and returns it tenfold. The concert hall shifts into an intimate living room. Everyone who witnessed it walks away transformed. 

This is essentially how a concert by Abel Selaocoe unfolds. Together with this charismatic cellist, singer and composer, we warmly welcome you to the 21st Klarafestival. As a festival artist, Selaocoe will play three concerts spanning the full spectrum of his musical world. From traditional music from his native South Africa to baroque, jazz, contemporary classical and improvisation: he melds all these influences into a unique body of work, centred on identity and cultural exchange.

The theme of this year's festival is taken from the debut album of Selaocoe’s own Bantu Ensemble: Where Is Home? It is an open question with endless answers – especially in the super-diverse city of Brussels, home to 180 nationalities and 100 languages. Our capital is a crossroads, a refuge, a temporary or permanent home for countless individuals, each carrying their own story. Every day, we feel privileged that our festival can take root in such fertile soil.

Klarafestival 2026 is an ode to the city we call home. During Muziekberg/Mont des Musiques, Brussels musicians will take over the Kunstberg (Mont des Arts) for a day, from the Musical Instruments Museum to Bozar, from the Ravenstein Gallery to the Royal Museums of Fine Arts. And both Radio Lomax and the choir Les Invisibles (La Voix des Femmes Sans Papiers) will perform Brussels songs with diverse roots. 

Our mission is to show as wide an audience as possible that classical music is alive and kicking. Even the most familiar works take on fresh life in the hands of the adventurous musicians we surround ourselves with. Prepare to be captivated by Bach's St John Passion as conducted by Maxim Emelyanychev. Marvel at Beethoven and Strauss with the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg. Rediscover Chopin and Scriabin in a performance by Alexandre Kantorow. Or encounter keyboard phenomenon Anthony Romaniuk: like Abel Selaocoe, he intertwines his own compositions with the established repertoire, from Bach to Björk.  

This festival programme features many more musical kindred spirits. Annelies Van Parys completed the 8th symphony of her former teacher Luc Brewaeys. Pianists Kris Defoort and Stephane Ginsburgh pay tribute to their friend Philippe Boesmans, who would have turned 90 in 2026. Abel Selaocoe, in turn, improvises with like-minded souls, both old and new, and performs a brand-new cello concerto by American composer Jessie Montgomery. 

None of this would be possible without the support of our partners in Brussels and beyond. Bozar, Flagey, De Munt, Ancienne Belgique, Brussels Philharmonic, Belgian National Orchestra, Passa Porta, BNA-BBOT and the Luc Brewaeys Foundation all contribute to Klarafestival’s unique DNA. Our indispensable private partners include KPMG Belgium, Proximus, Brugse Zot, Gimv/WorxInvest and Interparking. We are grateful for the support of the Flemish Community, the Flemish Community Commission, the Brussels-Capital Region and the National Lottery. Our collaboration with VRT and Klara, meanwhile, is the secret to our success as a broadcasting festival. Above all, we thank our enthusiastic audience who follow us both in the concert hall and at home on the radio and VRT MAX. 

For Abel Selaocoe, ‘home’ is much more than a building or a place. 'It can be a spiritual space. It can be people. (...) It can be something you find along your travels.’ For seven years, Klarafestival has been ‘home’ for festival director Joost Fonteyne. His sense of adventure and social connection is more evident than ever in this festival programme. In April 2026, he will continue his journey and pass the torch to Jan Van den Borre. Many thanks, Joost, for the wonderful years!

The Klarafestival Team

Joost Fonteyne, intendant
Jan Raes, chairman
Chantal Pattyn, network manager

Charged strings

In conversation with Margaret Hermant

Composer and harpist Margaret Hermant is a co-founder of ensembles including Echo Collective, but she also creates mesmerising solo sets for harp and electronics. At Klarafestival 2026, she will present her first solo album Freedom in avant-première. A few weeks before the official release, we meet her at Bozar for a discussion about the importance of freedom in her musical practice. There is no better place than the vibrant heart of her hometown, Brussels, to ask her the festival’s central question: Where is Home?

Brussels is your home base. What is your relationship with this vibrant city?
I’ve lived here for twenty years and I still find it a fantastic city. As an artist, it’s particularly enriching to live among all those diverse cultures. Brussels is a vibrant artistic hub, a mix of different styles and genres – from dance, circus, film and music to visual arts – everything comes together here. At the same time, cities like Paris, London, Amsterdam and Berlin are within easy reach; that makes this city even more appealing.

What makes you feel at home here?
I grew up in a village in the countryside, where outdoor life played an important role. Our home in Brussels has a small garden, which allows me to relive that feeling to some extent: we tend the garden, care for the chickens, and spend a lot of time there in the summer. I greatly value these small daily rituals and seemingly simple things. They contribute to my sense of well-being.

What sounds do you associate with Brussels?
At home, I rarely listen to music; there’s mainly peace and quiet. Although Brussels is a large city, it can be surprisingly silent. I live on a peaceful street and really appreciate its calm atmosphere. There’s also a homely atmosphere in the city because of the many houses so close together.

As a musician, you’re often on the road. What do you do to carry that feeling of home with you?
For me, 'home' is more a feeling of safety, well-being and connection. I can feel at home anywhere, as long as I’m in good company. So far, I’ve been fortunate to work with people who are dear to me and feel like family. That is why I also feel so at home on stage. It is a magical place: everything happens live, in the moment and in direct contact with the audience. Sharing that moment together enhances the experience and gives me energy.

 

Did you inherit your love for music from home?
At home, the radio was on all day, from early morning until late at night. My parents would play records, either classical music or spoken word recordings. As a child, I would listen endlessly to the music from the cartoon Fantasia, alongside my brothers and sisters. Often, it wasn’t just listening; we’d dance around the whole room. My younger sister and I also frequently sang songs from The Sound of Music and acted out various scenes.

Did you start playing music at a young age as well?
I began playing the violin when I was four, following the Suzuki method. I’m still grateful that I encountered music in this way. It’s a very natural approach to music, entirely based on ear training. We were taught by an inspiring teacher who ignited a lasting passion for music in me and many other students.

Were there other people who inspired you during those formative years?
Throughout my musical journey, I’ve had the privilege of meeting remarkable individuals, each of whom has had a lasting impact on my artistic development in their own way. At the conservatoire, I was afforded the freedom and trust to discover my own musical voice. This is essential for a musician: it forms the foundation for autonomous growth. Alongside that, meeting Adam Wiltzie, Dustin O’Halloran, and Neil Leiter, fellow musicians at Echo Collective, was artistically enriching. They opened the door for me to a new musical landscape and field of experimentation. I also had the opportunity to tour with Jóhann Jóhannsson; a pivotal moment in my career.

 

Besides being a violinist, you are also a composer and harpist. Is there an instrument with which you feel most at home?

For me, an instrument is a means of sharing a particular emotion and energy through music. Each instrument has its own character, which contributes to the expression of what I feel and wish to articulate. I particularly love the melodic aspect of the violin. Currently, I feel most connected to the harp, as there’s still a whole world of sound for me to explore. Experimenting with it and searching for my own voice is incredibly liberating. 

Is it that freedom you want to share in your new album Freedom, which you will present at Klarafestival?

Freedom did indeed arise from that personal need. I wanted to let the harp shine in all its versatility and delve deeper into the combination with electronics. I gave myself the freedom to explore that palette of sounds and colours down to the smallest detail. For the album, I collaborated with an orchestra, but during the concert, sound engineer Fabien Leseure will accompany me. He will add an extra dimension to the harp sounds live, without intending to replace the orchestra. For me, that combination with electronics offers immense freedom, and I want to share that feeling with the audience. 

Interview by Fauve Charlier and Aurélie Walschaert

Margaret Hermant is a violinist, harpist and composer based in Brussels. She is a founding member of the Echo Collective, an internationally renowned ensemble at the crossroads of contemporary classical and experimental music. She has also collaborated with a wide range of artists, including Jóhann Jóhannsson, Adam Wiltzie, Dustin O'Halloran, Stars of the Lid, Joep Beving and Christina Vantzou. Her work as a composer includes music for films, theatre, dance and art installations, always based on an emotional exploration of timbre and space. In her compositions, she blends acoustic harp and violin sounds with electronics, for which she regularly collaborates with Fabien Leseure.