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Founded in Brussels in 1989, Alain Van Kerckhoven Éditeur has established itself as a key player in the publication, dissemination, and promotion of contemporary classical music. From the outset, the publishing house has been devoted to highlighting a bold and innovative aesthetic movement known as New Consonant Music. Conceived in 1989 by composers Piotr Lachert, Boudewijn Buckinx, Dominique Lawalrée, and the publisher Alain Van Kerckhoven himself, this concept represents a musical philosophy that seeks to reengage with consonance and direct communication, as a counterpoint to the excesses of modernist avant-gardes.
From its early years, the label New Consonant Music has served as the central pillar of the publishing house. The pursuit of a renewed musical expressivity, initiated at the end of the 1980s, has shaped the publisher’s vision and laid the groundwork for a movement of international scope. Over the decades, this aesthetic has become a hallmark of contemporary creation, attracting numerous composers from across the globe. Alain Van Kerckhoven Éditeur quickly positioned itself as its principal ambassador, thanks to coherent editorial work and the support of dedicated artists, thus building a distinctive and consistent catalogue.
New Consonant Music does not describe a fixed style, but rather an artistic ideal: the conviction that music must remain, above all, a living language—meaningful and emotionally resonant—accessible without theoretical apparatus. It embraces a postmodern outlook, merging innovation with accessibility, where the demand for modernity never overrides sonic beauty or the connection with the listener. Accordingly, the publisher favors works that, while incorporating contemporary techniques—modal or atonal writing, intricate rhythmic structures—maintain expressive clarity and resist excessive intellectualization.
Remaining true to these guiding principles, the publishing house has always placed artistic integrity at the core of its editorial mission. Rejecting compromises dictated solely by commercial considerations, it carefully curates the works it publishes, ensuring both quality and coherence within its catalogue. This human-scale model allows the house to offer attentive, individualized support to each composer and to provide every work with the best possible environment for audience reception. Headquartered in Brussels—a cultural crossroads of Europe—the publisher adopted an international outlook from the beginning.
Today, the catalogue of Alain Van Kerckhoven Éditeur, structured around the New Consonant Music label, features more than 75 composers from over fifteen countries in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. It spans several generations, including both 20th-century figures such as Jean Absil and emerging voices of the 21st century. Notable names published by the house include Daniel Absil, Frédéric Devreese, Michel Lysight, Gilberto Mendes, Georgs Pelēcis, and Alexander Shchetinsky. Most of the works reflect the aesthetic principles of New Consonant Music—from solo instrument pieces and chamber music, a particular strength of the catalogue, to orchestral works and pedagogical material. This well-curated diversity is also reflected in several thematic collections. The East Collection, created just days after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, features composers from Eastern Europe who strove for stylistic freedom under repressive regimes. The ANTED (Antonio Eduardo Collection), launched in Brazil in 1998 in collaboration with pianist Antonio Eduardo, showcases Brazilian piano repertoire often premiered by the artist himself. These initiatives demonstrate the publisher’s openness to varied aesthetic and geographic horizons.
From its early days, acclaimed performers have championed the new repertoire on international stages. We are privileged to work alongside distinguished artists such as Mikhaïl Bezverkhny, Frank Braley, Simon Diricq, Alexandre Debrus, Jean-Marc Fessard, Mireille Gleizes, Marc Grauwels, Marie Hallynck, Aleksander Khramouchin, Michael Kugel, Alekseï Lioubimov, the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, Francis Orval, Scott Pool, Eliane Reyes, Antonio Eduardo Santos, Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden, Ronald Van Spaendonck, and Rhonny Ventat, among many others. Their commitment has played a vital role in bringing our catalogue to life and expanding its reach.
In addition, Alain Van Kerckhoven Éditeur has cultivated meaningful partnerships with major institutions, further solidifying its international presence. Notable collaborations include the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition of Belgium, the Musica Nuova Festival, the International Adolphe Sax Competition, the Juilliard School in New York, and the record label Naxos. These alliances have contributed significantly to the global visibility and legitimacy of our editorial work.
Alain Van Kerckhoven Éditeur has always been defined by a pioneering spirit. It was among the first classical music publishers to embrace digital tools: as early as 1996, it launched a website offering audio excerpts from its catalogue—an innovation at the time—and quickly adopted computer engraving and print-on-demand technologies. More than three decades after its founding, the publishing house continues to evolve while remaining faithful to its founding mission. Driven by an unwavering passion for musical creation, it is committed to publishing exceptional works and fostering encounters between music and audiences, thus keeping alive the ideal of a vibrant, accessible contemporary music.
