The Universal Marimba Competition Belgium is once more upon us in 2024, The 10th jubilee edition, celebrating the Competition's 25th anniversary, will hold the disciplines Marimba Solo, Duo & Chamber Music. In addition, the 9th edition of the Universal Marimba Composition Competition and the 5th edition of the Universal Marimba Youth Competition will take place as well, aiming to inspire composers, to support and to discover young talent and to promote the marimba art at levels. 

This biennial event, located in Belgium, the heart of Europe, gathers marimbists and percussionists from around the glob and fosters cross cultural understanding and artistic excellence. It has been dedicated with success to promote the popularization and development of the marimba art, sparing no efforts in supporting leading artists and the winning laureates. A Win at the Universal Competition represents a true launchpad for a professional career. The marimba’s reputation as a concert instrument continues to flourish. Audiences hearing it for the first time are often captivated by its warmth and wealth of tonal colors. While rooted in folk traditions and celebrated in jazz, Latin, and popular music, the marimba has, since the 1960s, established itself as a full-fledged contemporary classical instrument. Through the dedication of visionary performers and composers, it now shines on the world’s major stages and continues to inspire new musical creations.

In 1996, I founded Marimba Projects vzw to further develop the marimba arts, commissioning new works, producing concert tours and recordings, and organizing pedagogical initiatives. These efforts quickly gained momentum, attracting international guest soloists and fostering a growing community of ambitious students and passionate percussionists eager to specialize further in marimba art. This requires quality pieces, competitions, concerts and most of all marimbists capable of communicating musical sensations to their listeners. In 2000, this vision expanded with the founding of the Universal Marimba Competition and Festival, as well as the Marimba Master Department at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp - a European creation that places Belgium on the world map as the “Mecca of the Marimba.” The Universal  Marimba Competition will stresses the importance by moving people through the musical expression of the marimba, by sending excellent marimbists worldwide and by waking over further International qualitative development. Holding such a spectacular world-class marimba-themed music competition and festival will definitely deliver a platform for numerous music lovers to enjoy marimba art as the new music of the world and to interact with musicians at all levels, letting them all release their artistic and musical passion, and burst into artistic fireworks in the collision of inspiration and enthusiasm to present a real feast of music.

The Universal Marimba Competition has been dedicated with success to promote the popularization and development of the marimba culture and art, sparing no efforts in supporting leading artists and artworks around the world. The competition received since 2011 the High Patronage of Her Majesty Queen Paola, a Royal honor for the first time presented to an International marimba competition. The competition staged from 2001 two yearly for the disciplines marimba solo, duo, chamber music and composition and welcomed more than 930 candidates, an unexpected success and recognition, establishing this Competition as one of the most prestigious events in the global percussion community. It is each edition our great pleasure to welcome and to gather candidates from over the world who feels inspired to take part. We are convinced this event will keep contributing in further development and that amongst the talented candidates true musicians will emerge as a marimbist. The competition was able to establish for several laureates an endorsing artist contract with major companies and to found their musical career with resulting concert activities and contracting label recordings. It is with proud to witness our laureates their artistic growth, international recognition and presence as most high classed performers of the new generation. 

The Universal Marimba Competition is set as a music celebration continuously inviting top acts and brilliant artistry. Music is a language that transcends borders, touches people's souls, inspires and elevates artistic taste. Music penetrates in every aspect of life and marimba music in particular expresses emotions and feelings in a most direct manner. Therefore, each edition presents marimba music as its main theme, inviting as jury and performing festival artists a topflight of world leading marimbists & percussionists, pedagogues and passed laureates of different schools and styles who boast great artistic attainments and possess international professional standards, all representing innovation and skills, further illustrating outstanding vigour and dynamism. This ground-breaking event will highlight the beauty of marimba and surely being a significant inspiring meeting place for all lovers of marimba music. It's without a doubt that this Competition keeps marking internationally a brand new milestone of the marimba art. It is with great honor to be part of establishing such a high-classed happening for the marimba, providing a stage for top performers and candidates from around the world and presenting all visitors with a wonderful music experience. On my behalf, I also would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Her Majesty Queen Paola, the Flemish government, city Sint-Truiden, Cultural Center de Bogaard, the Academic Hall, our distinguished jury members, our sponosrs and all volunteers. This organization would not be possible without all your continue support.

Dr. Ludwig Albert
Founder & Artistic Director