Boléro, composed by Maurice Ravel in 1928, has always captured the world’s attention. Repetitive, mesmeric, colourful and thrilling, it has also proved a seminal work, influencing composers over the past century. Now it lends its name to a film inspired by the life of Ravel: directed by Anne Fontaine and starring Raphaël Personnaz.

The original idea for this fifth clarinet competition was that it would be part of the “Van Eyck project 2020 – 2021”. Everyone knows why this has been delayed by a year. For this competition, three composers were asked to write a new work inspired by the characteristic painting by Jan Van Eyck, “Adoration of the Mystic Lamb”. The composers Alain Crepin (Lam Gods Impressions), Johan Duijck (L’Homme désarmé) and Dirk Brossé (The Secret of the Mystic Lamb) have succeeded in this in a very special way. The International Clarinet Competition Ghent has now been organized for the fifth time. It has now grown into a special and highly appreciated competition that, due to its great and quickly built up success, has attracted registrations from more than 200 candidates from 5 continents. Of these, 65 clarinetists were selected to participate. On this album you can listen to the three finalists and enjoy their exceptional playing. Accompanied by the Flanders Symphony Orchestra, the Zemlinsky Quartet, Johan Duijck (piano) and soprano Franches Dhont, they will take you into the atmosphere of the competition!

The world premiere recording of compositions by Dirk Brosse, recorded with the Brussels Philharmonic. A Pulse of Joy is the second album (the first one "A Symphonic Journey from Philly to Utopia", was released last year) contains world premiere recordings of some of the works Dirk Brosse has written over the past 10 years. Dirk Brosse, an internationally acclaimed conductor and composer, is currently Music Director of The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. He is also professor of composition and conducting at the Royal Conservatory of Music at his hometown Ghent, Belgium.