During the anniversary edition of the Night of the Maestro on 13 November 2025 in the Blauwe Zaal of DE SINGEL, Royal Conservatoire Antwerp and Bolster vzw will honour actress, director and teaching artist par excellence Reinhilde Decleir. She will be posthumously named the 25th Maestro Honoris Causa.
Teaching artistry as a legacy
The theme of this festive edition is teaching artistry: the art of stimulating creativity and artistic talent in others. Reinhilde Decleir embodied this mastery like no other. She trained generations of drama students at Studio Herman Teirlinck and gave vulnerable groups a voice through the social-artistic workshop Tutti Fratelli. Her pedagogical strength was always accompanied by great artistic integrity, with which she left a lasting mark on the Flemish theatre and television landscape for decades.
A title with meaning
The honorary title Maestro Honoris Causa is awarded annually to an artist or organisation that has made an exceptional contribution to music or the performing arts. Decleir follows in the footsteps of artists such as Toots Thielemans, Wim Henderickx, Alain Platel and Phara de Aguirre. With this recognition, the Conservatoire confirms its unique ability to awaken art in people and its role as a source of inspiration in society.
Nacht van de Maestro
The gala evening will be presented by Bob Selderslaghs and will feature a programme with organisations and people who were close to Decleir's heart, including Tutti Fratelli and Jan Eelen.
Stemrecht
Prior to the evening programme, the symposium Stemrecht (Right to Vote) will take place in collaboration with Zuidgeluid, an afternoon session focusing on the voice and its use. Researchers, artists and practitioners will explore how the voice can connect, strengthen and renew. Participation is free of charge and is aimed in particular at (future) teachers and teaching artists.
Practical information
Nacht van de Maestro: 13 November 2025, 8 p.m. – Blauwe Zaal, DE SINGEL
Stemrecht: afternoon symposium, register now.
-> PRESS RELEASE (in Dutch)
All laureates
1999 Toots Thielemans
2000 Jos Van Immerseel
2001 Sigiswald Kuijken
2002 Philip Catherine
2003 Philippe Herreweghe
2004 José Van Dam
2005 Wannes Van de Velde
2006 René Jacobs
2007 Walter Boeykens
2008 Internationale Kunstcampus DE SINGEL
2009 Frédéric Devreese
2010 Dora van der Groen
2011 Edo de Waart
2012 Bert Joris
2013 Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
2014 Gerard Mortier (postuum)
2015 Luk Perceval
2016 Jan Raes
2017 Frank Braley
2018 Raymond van het Groenewoud
2019 Marie Daulne
2022 Alain Platel
2023 Wim Henderickx (postuum)
2024 Phara de Aguirre
Photo: Philip Meutermans