before we begin… is a composition I created as the first-ever Festival Composer of Musica Divina 2026, under the festival theme Moments of Truth. The work was largely composed during a residency at the Abbey of Averbode and unfolds in different musical forms, each shaped by its performers and setting.

The composition was adapted for different ensembles and transformed into two sound installations:

• Utopia Ensemble — mezzo-soprano, countertenor, tenor, baritone and bass
• Dionysos Now! — two countertenors, tenor, baritone and bass
• Liesbeth Devos & Gwen Cresens — soprano and accordion
• BRYGGEN Bruges Strings — string orchestra
• SPECTRA Ensemble — flute and bass flute, clarinet, percussion, violin, viola and cello
• ORLANDOviols — five viols with electronics
• Flemish Radio Choir, conducted by Eric Whitacre — mixed choir
• Momentum (in Abbey of Averbode) — an immersive sound installation inviting audience participation
• OPZ Geel — a flexible sound installation developed into a participatory musical experience with a large choir of residents of the psychiatric hospital

At its core lies a flowing melody, representing life, accompanied by a musical motif built around a major and a minor third, symbolising truth in its different forms. As these elements encounter one another throughout the composition, they gradually move towards a simple affirmation of being: we are. A text by Lieze Denckens reflects on silence, truth and love, inviting listeners to pause and experience the present moment together.

Across these different incarnations, before we begin… continually evolved, creating new connections between music, space and people while retaining its underlying musical identity.