principal guest conductor Ilan Volkov
Principal guest conductor of the Brussels Philharmonic, Ilan Volkov develops and expands the path of new music with the orchestra, with a clear focus on performance as well as research.
LAB-SERIES
A SONIC EXPLORATION FOR THE CURIOUS EAR
concerts
- 17.10.2026 LAB I: Musical Prompts
- 14.11.2026 LAB II: Mystery of Time
- 19.03.2027 LAB III: Sonic Decay
A Glitch in the Hourglass
With the LAB-SERIES, Brussels Philharmonic brings together musical experiment, interaction, and total immersion. Expect eclectic concert nights with striking programmes, pre- and post-concert talks, interactive installations, and listening sessions.
This season, the LAB-SERIES lets go of time as we know it. Time is shaped, stretched, or brought to a standstill. Physical interventions shift your sense of time, while composers sharpen its urgency. In that collision, a world of experiment opens up. Dive in, be surprised, and see where your curiosity takes you. Take the leap, open your ears, and discover where your curiosity might lead you.
Curious about what’s when? Scroll down for the full schedule and all practical info.
Tickets €25 > €5 – Abo: LAB 3 concerts for €60
buy your tickets nowtimetables
LAB #1
MUSICAL PROMPTS
sat 17.10.2026 FLAGEY
14:00 | CITY WALK | concert + guided tour: TBA | ||
19:00 | SOUNDLAB: INTERACTIVE MUSIC INSTALLATION | free | ||
19:00 | SCORE SAFARI: LIVE MUSIC SET | free | ||
19:30-19:50 | INTRODUCTION | free | ||
20:15-21:15 | ||||
21:45-22:30 | BRUPHIL CAFÉ: AFTERTALK | free |
Musical Prompts · 17.10.2026 · Brussels Philharmonic LAB @ Flagey
Prompts instead of notes? That’s what happens when you dare to let go of control: a graphic spark that disrupts, liberates, or completely reinvents the classical orchestral sound. Forget the ticking of your watch — here, music doesn’t rush forward; it bites into the now. Ilan Volkov and four visionary composers ask us to listen differently: what remains when the noise falls away?
Discover moreLAB #2
MYSTERY OF TIME
sat 14.11.2026 FLAGEY
14:00 | CITY WALK | concert + guided tour: TBA | ||
19:00 | SOUNDLAB: INTERACTIVE MUSIC INSTALLATION | free | ||
19:00 | SCORE SAFARI: LIVE MUSIC SET | free | ||
19:30-19:50 | INTRODUCTION | free | ||
20:15-21:30 | CONCERT | |||
21:45-22:30 | BRUPHIL CAFÉ: AFTERTALK | free |
Mystery of Time · 24.11.2026 · Brussels Philharmonic LAB @ Flagey
Conductor Oscar Jockel explores the potential of an orchestra scattered throughout the hall: distance shifts into proximity, sound turns fluid, and movement reshapes the listening experience. Musicians, instruments, audience—everyone breathes and sounds differently. An experience that grounds you in the here and now.
Discover moreLAB #3
SONIC DECAY
sat 19.03.2027 FLAGEY
14:00 | CITY WALK | concert + guided tour: TBA | ||
19:00 | SOUNDLAB: INTERACTIVE MUSIC INSTALLATION | free | ||
19:00 | SCORE SAFARI: LIVE MUSIC SET | free | ||
19:30-19:50 | INTRODUCTION | free | ||
20:15-21:15 | CONCERT | |||
21:45-22:30 | BRUPHIL CAFÉ: AFTERTALK | free |
Sonic Decay · 19.03.2027 · Brussels Philharmonic LAB @ Flagey
Commissioned by the Brussels Philharmonic, William Dougherty is composing a new work for orchestra and electric guitar, physically and aurally dissolving, blurring, and reshaping the boundaries between acoustic sounds and electronic noise.
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LAB: Experimental Cinema
While the LAB concerts push musical boundaries, these films by Lynch, Tarkovsky and Von Trier do the same in cinema.
LAB-SERIES (season 25-26)
LAB-SERIES 25-26
With the LAB-SERIES, the Brussels Philharmonic brings together musical experimentation, interaction, and total experience. Expect bold and eclectic concert nights with unique programmes, pre- and post-concert talks, interactive installations, and immersive listening sessions.
