Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – 40 drummers from Ghent, Lyon, and Porto performed RLLR.XXL near Ghent’s city hall. Led by Julius Sartorius, they used special objects to create ever-changing sounds. Part of Hogeschool Gent’s international week.
Ghent’s historic center was filled with the sound of drums this afternoon, March 29, 2025. 40 drummers from different music schools in Europe came together to play a special performance called “RLLR.XXL.”
The drummers, who were students from Ghent, Lyon, and Porto, played together for 45 minutes. They played a repeating pattern that changed a little bit all the time. The drummers played together, and it sounded like one big instrument. The performance was held in a public space near the city hall and used the sounds of the city to create a special musical experience.
How did 40 drummers create a unique sound at Ghent City Hall?
The drummers practiced a lot before the performance. Each group from Ghent, Lyon, and Porto practiced on their own before coming together in Ghent. Officials mentioned that students from the Advanced Master in Contemporary Music program in Ghent helped make the performance even better.
They made special objects to change the sound of the drums. The show was one of a special week at Hogeschool Ghent, where they have guests from other nations who come to study and exchange thoughts. They explained that the performance was intended to demonstrate how music could be a means of bringing people together and exchanging various cultures.
The drummers in this performance don’t just hit the drums. They use special objects like wood, metal, and stone to change the sound of the drums. They put these objects on the drums and move them around, making the sound different every time. This makes the music sound like it’s always changing. The performers mentioned that the idea for this performance came from a drummer named Julius Sartorius. He wanted to make music that never sounded the same.
“This means that the sound mass is constantly changing, and you never have the feeling that you are listening to a repetition,”
Blanckaert explains.
