Music in the Cathedral

The Cathedral hosts no less than three permanent concert series! In addition, special concerts can be heard regularly, in keeping with the Cathedral's mission to bring religious music within the appropriate time frame. On Holy Days the traditional Easter and Christmas concerts resound and the weekly Mass celebrations are graced by both well-known melodies and special pieces from the organist's personal repertoire.  

Every first Sunday of the month is 'Organ Sunday'. At 11.45 am, there is a free concert in the Cathedral Organ on Sunday series, in which the two great Cathedral organs, the romantic Schyven organ and the baroque-style Metzler organ, play a starring role.

Later that day, at 4 pm, the monthly Sunday Music will sound from the choir loft around the Schyven organ or from one of the chapels. In this intimate concert series, music director and organist Peter Van de Velde has planned the most surprising programmes, usually in collaboration with another instrumentalist or singer. Here you can get a taste of the atmosphere. Sunday Music is free to residents of the province of Antwerp. For other visitors, the standard entrance fees for the Cathedral apply.

During the summer months, visitors to the Cathedral can listen to afternoon concerts in the Orgel na de Noen (Organ After Noon) series. On Friday afternoons in July and August between 12.45 and 1.30 pm, organists from home and abroad take turns behind the Schyven organ or the Metzler organ. Tickets cost €12 and are available on the day at the entrance counter of the Cathedral.

Once a year - usually in the month of June - the Cathedral is home to the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. Information and ticket sales for this concert are via www.antwerpsymphonyorchestra.be.