Koi Collective

About

Koi Collective kicked off its activities with a series of concerts in Brussels, Hasselt, and Grimbergen, among other locations, as well as a debut residency in December 2020 at the Concertgebouw Brugge. This residency followed a radio debut and a recording session at Klara in Studio Toots, which were part of Emmy’s selection at the Twintigers. During this period, Koi Collective performed selections from composers such as Fafchamps, Henderickx, and Nymann.

In the summer of 2022, the ensemble was invited to perform at the Bijloke Summer Bar and, in October of the same year, they participated in a double concert alongside Goggles during the Transit festival. As of February 2023, Koi Collective proudly holds the title of laureate of Supernova, a chamber music competition organized by Klara and Musique3. They made their Supernova debut in March 2023 at Bozar. In December 2023, Koi Collective was prized as laureate of Générations classique, an initiative organized by Les Festivals de Wallonie.

For their first major project, Koi Collective commissioned six promising young Belgian composers to create new compositions. This initiative aimed to achieve three primary objectives: to provide these composers with an opportunity for development, to expand the Belgian repertoire for saxophone and piano, and to explore the contemporary style of the collective. The composers invited to contribute were P. Lamouris, A. Jesupret, S. Triquet, E. Daems, T. Mulleman, and W. De Jonghe, with all compositions performed in November 2021 at Beeldenstorm vzw in Anderlecht.

Following the success of this project, Koi Collective was invited to present these new works at Miry Gent in April 2022 as part of the “made in Miry” series. In 2022, the collective reached out to six additional Belgian composers for a second edition of the project. The composers involved in this iteration included F. Libert, N. Senden, L. Baerts, M. De Naegel, S. Thijs, and B. Windelinckx. Alongside the newly commissioned repertoire, Koi Collective emphasizes a diverse selection of compositions by foreign composers and works in the Romantic style. Furthermore, the ensemble is dedicated to performing contemporary compositions that are highly accessible to a broad audience.

Our philosophy

Koi Collective was established in 2020 as an ensemble guided by a contemporary vision. Its primary focus is the performance of repertoire from the 20th and 21st centuries, placing significant emphasis on Belgian compositions as well as lesser-known works from both domestic and international sources. The repertoire encompasses a range from Scaramouche to minimalism and experimental music. The collective’s mission is to demonstrate the extent of remarkable music that has been composed in recent years, asserting its accessibility to a broad audience. Koi Collective is particularly passionate about collaborating with (young) composers, as the act of creation constitutes a vital element of their identity. They regard partnerships with living composers as both exceptionally significant and profoundly inspiring.

The Collective

Emmy Wils

Emmy Wils studied in Germany and Belgium. In 2019, she obtained her soloist diploma, magna cum laude, from the Brussels Conservatoire. In 2023, she obtained a second master’s diploma and ‘master spécialisé’ from the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles. Several creative projects have been realized: in 2016, she founded the ‘Sonos Ensemble,’ and in 2018, she recorded her first CD with the Polish flutist Natalia Jarzabek. She has performed at several festivals such as Moment Festival and B-Classic and has won numerous prizes at national and international music competitions, including the Stephan de Jonghe Competition, Liège Piano Competition, André Charlier Competition, Charlier Competition, Prix Chiais, et cetera. She has performed in many European countries and has given concerts in Mexico, China, and Vietnam.
The radio station Klara has also taken notice: in 2021, Emmy was selected for ‘De Twintigers,’ in which she also played a partial program with Koi Collective, as well as for ‘de Zes.’ Since 2021, she has been a member of the ensemble Legato with French flutist François Daudin-Clavaud and Italian cellist Silvia Lenzi, with concerts in France, Mexico, and Colombia. In 2023, Emmy also worked with actor Frank Vercruyssen from TG Stan in Toulouse for a spectacle about Shostakovich.

Maarten Vergauwen

Maarten Vergauwen studied in Brussels, Milan, and Cologne and graduated with the highest distinction from the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln. He is active as a saxophonist in the Belgian Saxophone Choir – BSC, the Moondog Collective, and in 2020, he founded the Koi Collective with Emmy. As a freelance saxophonist who has also specialized in contemporary music, Maarten has contributed to several recordings for the Bayrische Rundfunk, the Mozartfest in Würzburg, and Hal Leonard. He has given concerts in prestigious venues including the Elbphilharmonie, Wiener Konzerthaus, Philharmonie Köln, and Frankfurt Alte Oper, and he has worked with Ingo Metzmacher, Wilson Ng, Alexander Binder, et cetera. In orchestral setting, Maarten can be found in the Royal symphonic Band of the Belgian Guides, Opera Ballet van Vlaanderen, Casco phil, Orchester der Nationen and Junge Deutsche Philharmonie.

The Myth

According to the legend, a school of golden koi fish decided to embark on a journey to the “Dragon Gate.” To get there, they would have to swim upstream of the Yellow River, which would be an extremely difficult feat. However, the low odds did not deter the koi, and they swam up the river and against the strong currents.

They grew stronger as they battled the waves on their way. All of the fish made it to the river’s end but were distraught to find a waterfall between them and the Dragon Gate. Some members of the group gave up and swam away, but the bravest ones stayed. They tried to leap to the top but rushing waters proved a challenging obstacle. One by one, the koi began to give up and swim away. This continued for hundreds of years until only one koi fish was left. It persevered until he finally made it to the Dragon Gate. The gods rewarded the successful fish by transforming it into a beautiful golden dragon.