Concerto Copenhagen marks Danish EU presidency with gala at Bozar

Having taken over the EU Presidency in July, Denmark has turned to culture to showcase its identity, with Concerto Copenhagen headlining a gala at Bozar in Brussels this autumn

Denmark has used its turn at the helm of the European Union to put culture centre stage, with Concerto Copenhagen, the country’s leading baroque orchestra, headlining a gala concert in Brussels earlier this month.

The event, which formed part of the official reception hosted by the Danish Embassy, drew diplomats, EU officials and invited guests to the Belgian capital’s main concert hall, Bozar. With Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C major as its centrepiece, performed by Danish soloist Andreas Brantelid to “hearty applause”, the evening doubled as a showcase of Denmark’s musical heritage and a statemdanishent of its soft power.

Under Artistic Director Lars Ulrik Mortensen, Concerto Copenhagen has become a frequent fixture at diplomatic occasions, from royal weddings to state receptions. The ensemble provided much of the music at Crown Prince Frederik’s 2004 marriage to Queen Mary in Copenhagen and has since been called upon when Denmark wants to present its cultural credentials abroad.

The orchestra’s standing is underlined by a string of honours, from Mortensen’s Léonie Sonning Music Prize in 2007 to Danish National Radio’s Artist of the Year award in 2022. Its recordings continue to draw international attention, most recently with a Diapason d’Or for Armonico Tributo in 2024.

Behind the scenes in Brussels, organisers told The European that preparation for the gala was “meticulous”. “The players had already rehearsed the repertoire in Copenhagen and, after flying in on the day, went straight from their hotel to Bozar for a final run-through,” a spokesman said. “The session ensured the music was fully present in every musician’s mind, confirmed the sequence of the programme, adjusted to the hall’s acoustics and allowed broadcast engineers to fine-tune microphones for a live Belgian radio transmission.”

After the performance, Denmark’s Ambassador to Belgium and the Danish EU Ambassador greeted Mortensen backstage, hailing the ensemble’s role in projecting Danish culture on a European stage.

Concerto Copenhagen’s schedule now turns back home. Later this month, the group teams up with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and conductor Tõnu Kaljuste for Message in Silence, a sold-out programme devoted to Arvo Pärt (26 September, Copenhagen; 27 September, Aarhus). And in November it returns with London Underground, exploring the music of baroque composers in London around 1700 (Helsingborg 6 November; Aarhus 7 November; Copenhagen 8 November).

Denmark assumed the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union in July 2025, taking responsibility for steering the bloc’s agenda through the end of the year. Alongside legislative duties, the Presidency traditionally highlights national culture, with Brussels events such as Concerto Copenhagen’s gala serving to showcase the host country’s identity to a European audience.

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_{Main Image: © Sarah Yousef}