Cuivres en Ardennes

A festival dedicated to brass in Sedan

The Cuivres en Ardennes festival was born in 2021 from the desire of six young passionate musicians — Matthieu Honoré, Nicolas Josa, Nicolas Vazquez, Adrien Crabeil, Mylène Menteaux, and Cyril Potron — united within an association created in 2011. After years of traveling music workshops under the name "Musik Argonne", successively held in Saint-Walfroy, Mouzon, Haybes, and Stenay, the association settled in Sedan in 2021 to launch a real festival. Since then, Cuivres en Ardennes has established itself as a must-attend summer musical event in the Ardennes region.

An eclectic program between classical, jazz, and funk

For about ten days, between late July and early August, the festival offers an eclectic program mixing classical music, jazz, funk-rock, street brass bands, and percussion. The concerts showcase brass instruments — trumpets, horns, trombones, tubas — in various formations: chamber ensembles, orchestras, brass bands, and fanfares. Each edition hosts renowned professional musicians as well as young talents from French and European conservatories.

Iconic venues in Sedan

Concerts are held in the iconic venues of the city of Sedan. The Pôle Culturel Calonne (MJC Calonne) hosts indoor concerts and recitals by young talents. The churches of Sedan offer their remarkable acoustics for classical and baroque pieces. The streets of the city center resonate with brass bands and musical parades. The highlight of the festival is the "Nuit Cuivrée", a grand open-air concert in the Botanical Garden of Sedan, followed by a festive evening with local food and drinks.

A festival-school open to all

Beyond the concerts, Cuivres en Ardennes is also a festival-school. It offers music workshops open to amateurs of all ages and professional students, led by experienced musicians. These workshops, held in parallel with the concerts, are an opportunity for participants to improve their instrumental practice while experiencing the immersive atmosphere of a festival. The end-of-workshop performances are an integral part of the program, offering participants the chance to perform in public.