ADAGIO FOR STRINGS, BRASS AND PERCUSSION

Even though on paper, it may seem that electronic and classical music have very little in common, the opposite is true, Silvia says. “People have been making music ever since people exist, and all different genres or styles share that feeling of unity, so there shouldn’t be any pigeonholing. Music is like a language, music is like talking, talking to different people with different backgrounds, cultures and stories. This is the reason why I became a musician in the first place.” Nevertheless, playing the Atmosphere is a bit of a new frontier. “In a classical setting, it is really unusual for people to party or dance to the music, or even to move at all.” Cécile says. “We’ll definitely enjoy seeing that, it will be a change of scenery for us. Also, the combination with the lights and the LEDs is extraordinary. There’s not a lot of those on a classical stage – what a great sight! It really is a total package.”

Approaching electronic music from a classical perspective requires a well thought-out strategy, as each genre has its own specifics, both sonically and structurally. But conductor Kevin Houben knew what he was in for: “We try to approach it like a movie arrangement, with a lot of sounds and harmonies, and a build-up towards the drop. We actually had to rebuild every track from the bottom up. We used the same iconic melodies, of course, but classical music requires a longer build-up than the original dance tracks. Whatever we do, though, once the original melody comes in with strings or through the brass, people immediately recognise it and go crazy. For some, maybe this means a return to patience in music. We construct a certain tension, establishing it step by step, adding layers of percussion, extra melodies that respond to the original tune. We’ve tried to totally reinvent those pieces of music.”

Even though actually playing an electronic dance festival is a giant leap from what these musicians are normally used to, listening or dancing to our beloved tunes is not. Cécile: “It’s not because we play classical music that we don’t party to techno (laughs). I actually listen to a lot of beats in the car, because I’m already playing classical music for the rest of the day. The image of a classical musician being boring is definitely very far off: we breathe, eat, drink coffee… it’s not like we go to sleep wearing a tuxedo.”

It’s fair to say that the Symphony of Unity musicians are jacks of all trades, but if Beethoven or Mozart were alive today, would they conduct an orchestra or rather be a DJ? According to Houben, when it comes down to those composers all bets are off: “Mozart would be one of the biggest stars around – whether with an orchestra or as a DJ. He was such a genius that he would stand out in any time in any genre. But I do think that those classic composers would have loved this Tomorrowland feeling, and having their music connect with so many people. That’s what music is all about, after all. One the one hand, you can be a musical genius exhausting your audience with a rendition of a complicated piece like Mahler’s second, but before technical virtuosity it’s about connecting and creating unity through shared emotions.”

Having reached a near legendary status in the radio landscape, Tomorrowland’s One World Radio has been king of the airwaves ever since its conception in 2019. Boasting exclusive tracks, mixes and live sets 24/7 in the mix, they’re bringing all the goods live from the festival and its associated artists as well as gems from the vaults. One World Radio, in other words, is your trusted companion, a safe haven for electronic music lovers from around the globe, and an eminent channel with a worldwide following. Providing a new standard in live dance music radio, it has become the go-to place for the People of Tomorrow with a need to keep in touch with what’s what and who’s who in today’s overall electronic music scene. Throughout the weekend hosts Justin Wilkes, Adam K and Ben Malone are hitting the airwaves with the hottest items live from their studio located next to the CAGE stage – and we managed to catch up with Justin in between tracks.