Marche-en-Famenne

Workshop of Music Fund

Thanks to the support of the city of March-en-Famenne, Music Fund has since 2013 a branch in the heart of the Ardennes. The city council has made a beautiful space available to us, which currently houses two professional workshops, one for the repair of wind instruments and one for the repair of guitars (and other plucked instruments). Music Fund welcomes trainees from Belgian violin-making schools (IFAPME centre in Limal, International Lutheran School of Antwerp (ILSA), International School of Violin-making Gauthier Louppe…) but also from the various partner projects. On a regular basis, foreign repairers are hosted in families from the Marche region, thus strengthening the intercultural exchange within the municipality. It is at these workshops that Music Fund repairs the wind instruments and guitars that are sent all over the world. All logistics related to the instruments (including shipping and transport) is also coordinated from Marche.

“En Avant Marche” concert series

Since 2019, Music Fund organises every first Wednesday of the month, a concert-conference on musical instruments at its workshop in the city of Marche-en-Famenne. These events give the public the opportunity to learn more about the repertoire, history and manufacturing of the instruments thus highlighted and this together with musicians and instrument makers who are often familiar with the organisation’s project.

Bassist Michel Hatzigeorgiou (Aka Moon), pianist Fabian Fiorini, oud player Karim Baggili and violinist Sigiswald Kuijken have already had the opportunity to perform in Marche-en-Famenne.

Music Fund Repair Challenge

In August 2021, Music Fund plans to launch the first edition of the Music Fund Repair Challenge (MFRC) at its workshops in Marche-en-Famenne. Ten students from European luthier schools will be invited to repair a maximum number of instruments (quartet and wind instruments) for the organisations’ partner projects in just five days and under the supervision of two experts.

In this way, Music Fund not only aims to contribute to the training of these young apprentice lutenists, but also to consolidate its network of Belgian repairers who are a precious link in the chain connecting the instrument donated to the organisation with the musicians and technicians of the supported projects. It is Music Fund’s ambition to make the MFRC an annual and unmissable event for European luthierschools and for the city of Marche-en-Famenne. A real-time communication campaign aimed at the general public will be launched to highlight the know-how of these men and women who have made the manufacturing and repairing of musical instruments their profession.