Projects

A project by B-Classic, Bert Peyffers, Café Anoniem, and De Serre, in collaboration with homeless people in Hasselt. With the support of the city of Hasselt.

Connecting people through music is the underlying premise of the Hasselt Street Orchestra. B-Classic, the city of Hasselt, and Café Anoniem join forces, both literally and figuratively. Music lovers and professional musicians jam under the motto ‘homeless but not talentless’.
De Serre, Hasselt
Every week, the Street Orchestra meets in De Serre in Hasselt. ‘It’s not easy for homeless people to just walk in somewhere,’ says community worker Jolien Coemans. ‘De Serre has a very homely atmosphere, just like Café Anoniem. That also makes it the perfect rehearsal location for the Street Orchestra.’

Unique percussion instruments
Percussionist Bert ‘Skunk’ Peyffer – known from Belgium’s Got Talent and the Genk-based band Wamaki's – heads up the jam sessions.
Bert uses unusual and accessible percussion instruments, like the cajón, a Peruvian hand drum. This hollow, box-shaped instrument with snares or strings is played with the hands or tapped with the fingers. The sounds can create beautiful melodies. ‘We use music to help homeless people build confidence and a network,’ explains Jolien. ‘The cajón connects because you can sit on it, play it, and talk to people at the same time.’