KMSKA LATE - Elise Caluwaerts, The Now Collective & David Van Reybrouck

Elise Caluwaerts’ season as Artist in Residence at the KMSKA explores the tension between power and powerlessness. Within this framework, a journey unfolds that interweaves historical, philosophical, and artistic perspectives and asks how we relate to the world and to the earth today. This line of thinking also fits in with The Now Collective, an artistic platform that uses music as a space for reflection, attention, and connection, both in museum and concert contexts as well as in social settings.

A key turning point is a landscape painting by Alexander Keirincx (c. 1630), in which the landscape appears for the first time as an autonomous vehicle of meaning. David Van Reybrouck takes this work as a starting point for a reflection on the relationship between humanity and nature, science and action, war and diplomacy. From Keirincx’s forest, this line of thought leads to Jean Giono’s The Man Who Planted Trees, a story depicting a different, caring approach to the landscape.

Within this layered context, the second movement of Górecki’s Symphony of Sorrowful Songs takes on special significance. The text, written by a young woman in a prison cell during World War II, articulates a radical experience of powerlessness. At the same time, a different kind of strength lies within that voice: the strength to remain present, to speak despite the world’s silence.

In light of the ecological crisis, this tension takes on new relevance. Here, the music functions not as a historical lament, but as a contemporary mirror. In dialogue with image and word, the focus shifts from watching to acting, and a space opens up in which listening, slowing down, and paying attention become a form of engagement—and of resistance.

The Now Collective
The Now Collective is a flexible ensemble of internationally trained musicians, under the artistic direction of Elise Caluwaerts and Lev Adamov. The collective reimagines the great symphonic repertoire in intimate chamber music settings and develops concerts in concert halls, museums, and social contexts, with a focus on reflection, audience dialogue, and social engagement.


Elise Caluwaerts –  soprano, founder, and artistic director
Elise Caluwaerts is a Belgian soprano, curator, and cultural entrepreneur. In her artistic work, she connects classical music with visual art, philosophy, and social commentary. As an artist-in-residence at the KMSKA, she develops interdisciplinary programs at the intersection of music and contemporary thought. She is the founder and artistic director of The Now Collective and co-founder of the educational initiative DeMaestros. In 2025, she was selected as a Global Eisenhower Fellow, with a focus on systemic change, cultural diplomacy, and the social role of art.

Lev Adamov – violin, co-founder and musical director
Violinist Lev Adamov is concertmaster of the Belgian National Orchestra and is also active internationally as a chamber musician.
Adamov is co-founder and musical director of The Now Collective, an artistic platform that uses music as a means for dialogue and cultural connection.

Musicians of the ensemble

• William Adji – violin: William Adji performs as an orchestral and chamber musician on stages across Europe and has collaborated with various international orchestras and ensembles.
• Elaine Ng – viola: Elaine Ng is a passionate chamber musician who performs internationally in both orchestral and chamber music settings, with a strong focus on contemporary music.
• Kacper Nowak – cello: Kacper Nowak is a versatile cellist with an international profile and a broad repertoire ranging from classical to contemporary.
• Carlos Navarro Herrero –  double bass: Carlos Navarro Herrero is a versatile double bassist who combines historically informed performance practice with contemporary musical innovation.