Performing in Lockdown: Intangible Musical Heritage in Belgium During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

In March 2020, Belgium went into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As in most other countries around the world, public musical life stopped. Music societies, bands, and orchestras could not rehearse anymore. Gigs and festivals were canceled or postponed. Music schools temporarily had to close their doors. While this has been financially devastating for professional musicians and a blow to the social lives of Belgium’s numerous music societies, it has also been a period of creativity and new possibilities. In May, CEMPER, Centre for Music and Performing Arts Heritage in Flanders (Belgium) launched a survey to investigate these new possibilities and to assess the impact of the lockdown on musical practices during the first wave of the pandemic (March-June 2020). This paper presents the results of the survey and the additional follow-up interviews. It focuses in particular on the responses from performers of two heritage communities with whom CEMPER has worked closely over the past years: carillonneurs and hafabra musicians. Hafabra ensembles rely on group rehearsals and, as wind ensembles, were among the last societies to be allowed to resume their activities after the first lockdown. Carillon players, by contrast, mostly play alone, performing socially distant music high up in their bell tower. A comparison will reveal the different impact the lockdown has had on their respective musical communities.