Festival The Art of Song Maastricht

From 23 to 28 February 2027, Maastricht will once again be devoted to the art of song during The Art of Song Maastricht. The festival brings together leading international musicians and emerging young talent in the historic heart of the city. Under the theme Pilgrimage of Song, song is approached as a journey through languages, cultures and generations: from poet to composer, from score to performer and ultimately to you, the listener. Themes such as travelling, longing, the search for love and melancholic memories return again and again. Join us on this musical pilgrimage through special historic venues around the Vrijthof.

During the public masterclass, young singers and pianists work intensively with Roderick Williams and Iain Burnside, two leading musicians with decades of experience in art song and an international concert career spanning the globe. Their performances are widely admired for their depth of expression and communicative power, as well as for their imaginative approach to presentation and repertoire.

Drawing on this expertise, they show how a good performance can develop into a compelling and personal interpretation.

The sessions focus not only on voice and piano individually, but above all on the interaction between text, language, phrasing, colour, timing and ensemble. How can a duo use music to reveal the meaning of a poem? How can singer and pianist strengthen one another and arrive at a shared interpretation? And how can performers remain faithful to score and style while still allowing their own personality to shine through?

The masterclass offers the audience a unique opportunity to witness the artistic process at close quarters. Discover the subtleties of the genre and experience the passionate dynamic between master and student, united by a shared love of art song.

The public sessions take place in the Sint Janskerk. In parallel, participants attend private Storytelling workshops with opera director Sybrand van der Werf.