B-Classic - 13.06.2026 HET GROOT INTERNATIONAAL STAATSORKEST VAN GENK Ft. Bert Peyffers, Fred Gata, SUNA en MC Stijn Meuris

Genk resounds at C-mine. More than thirty musicians bring Het Groot Internationaal Staatsorkest van Genk to life under the direction of conductor Herwig Pans, an ensemble whose instrumentation is as diverse as the city itself. The sounds of sousaphone and euphonium resonate alongside hurdy-gurdy, friction drum, bouzouki and darbuka. The orchestra unites musicians with roots in Turkish, Greek, Italian, Flemish and other traditions, forming a living melting pot of sound. Not static heritage, but a vibrant, cosmopolitan voice that carries both the history and the future of Genk.

The idea for this special evening emerged from the Dies Natalis, the annual birthday celebration of UHasselt. With this celebration, the university honours its connection with the city of Genk, where UHasselt is active in research within EnergyVille and where collaborations are developing with, among others, LABIOMISTA and TALim, the Talenten Academie Limburg.

During this concert, the orchestra is joined by distinctive voices deeply intertwined with the city. Bert Peyffers, percussionist and rhythmic force with Ão, takes on the artistic direction on behalf of B-Classic and serves as the connecting force behind a dynamic group of professional musicians. During the Dies Natalis of UHasselt, performer, singer, composer, lyricist and actor Gregory Frateur joins the orchestra. For the public performance, Fred Gata steps in, a rapper, soul singer and producer moving between hip hop and soul with a voice that is at once gentle and charged, music that does not stand still but pulses. The Genk based trio SUNA translates nostalgic influences into contemporary soundscapes for modern dance floors, where live drums and analog synthesizers build bridges between past and future.

With MC Stijn Meuris as guide, this becomes more than a concert. It becomes a story of roots and routes. Of migration and mining history. Of dance orchestras, brass bands, jazz groups and new generations of makers. Together, they embody the musical DNA of Genk. A city as a score. An orchestra as a melting pot.

This production was made possible with the support of UHasselt in the context of Dies Natalis 2026, the City of Genk and the Flemish Government.

Production: B-Classic
Co-production: UHasselt, het Groot Internationaal Staatsorkest van Genk, C-mine

Artistic Direction: Herwig Pans, Bert Peyffers
Percussion: Bert Peyffers
Vocals: Gregory Frateur, Fred Gata
Electronics: SUNA
MC: Stijn Meuris

This project is made possible through the financial support of UHasselt, the City of Genk and the Flemish Government.