To learn more about A.S.B.L. "Rencontres Musicales Internationales en Wallonie" …
(ASBL means non-profit-making association)

The three founders.

The RMIW were created in 1997 by a music-loving lady living from Wavre, Madam  Laure MERCIER, who aimed to promote young musical talents.
To guarantee the success of her project, Laure surrounded herself by an artistic advisor, renowned pianist, the soloist Christian Beldi and by an entrepreneur, Mister Christian de Cannière.

Madame Mercier herself had been host family for candidates to the Queen Elisabeth Contest. . That experience explains the characteristic of the Master Classes in Wavre:  accommodating pupils inside host families, all volunteers, from Wavre and neighborhood

Laure left us in 2012, but her contagious enthusiasm for music has motivated the volunteer members of the current administration council to carry on her dream..

 

The educative and cultural activities of the RMIW.

Teaching activities.

The main activity of this non-profit-making association is organizing Master Classes for young, high-leveled musicians hoping to improve their skills in contact with world-famous masters.

The reputation of our teachers is a top stimulant for the students enrolled in our annual Master Classes.

Every year, the Rencontres Musicales welcome between 40 and 80 students from all over the world. For the 20 last years, the following countries were represented: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chili, China, South Korea, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Great-Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, G D of Luxemburg, Norway, Holland, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Rumania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, USA, Vietnam.

Cultural activities

Outside this recurrent annual activity, The Rencontres Musicales arrange different concerts and other musical events in relation with the latest news. For example, we setup on regular base, a major concert with the participation of one of the 12 finalists of the « Concours Reine Elisabeth ».

Since 2014, our association became a partner of the prestigious " Musical Festival of Wallonia – Walloon Brabant" and we organise together a high level concert in the region of Wavre.

On the other hand, depending on the news, we lend our support to the setting up of musical events, when we do not organize them ourselves

Support activities

Our non-profit-making association organises some cultural events in order, among other reasons, to collect funds allowing us to organise our Master Classes.
To support our young musicians, we also look for sponsors.

In Remembering to its President Founder, the RMIW awards each year a " Laure Mercier Price" of a value of 200 € to the senior class students of the "Académie de Musique, Danse et Arts de la Parole"* of the city of WAVRE, achieving the Highest Merit.

(*Academy of Music, Dance and Art of Speech)