Living room concerts in Ledeberg (Ghent)

By Jeroen Janssen, from Ledeberg, Ghent, Belgium

I live in Ledeberg for almost two years now. Ledeberg used to be a grey working-class neighborhood, Long ago, when I lived with my parents out of town, I didn’t like  these gloomy streets which I had to cross with my bike every day to go to school in Ghent. But now, after having lived more than 20 years on the countryside and abroad, we found our dream house right there. And it is the best place to live. Within walking distance of the beautiful old town of Ghent, with neighbors from all quarters of the world who came to live here; from Turkey, Iraq, Ghana and Bulgaria. We even don’t need to travel to see the world.

Last night we were invited in the living rooms of some neighbors, to attend a serie of little concerts. Above, it’s the living room of Dirk: he’s the one who’s playing the gamba. There is also Osama on Qanûn, and (you barely see him) Matthias on clarinet. They are all neighbors. Every Monday I play with them, in a band with other people who live around. I like rehearsing with them, sometimes we have a performance together. But I am without a doubt better at sketching than at playing the violin.

Above: Guille Garcia of the band Lagrimas Negras. 

For we had to walk a little way between one living room and another, we had not always the best places. So I sketched the audience, which was well dressed up for this festive happening.

I forwarded to see the performance of this violinist from the opera of Ghent,  accompanied on the piano by a famous red haired Flemish actress. What they played: movie soundtracks of course!