INECC Luxembourg Becomes Sanghaus, Unveils New Premises & Identity

On Sunday 18 October 2026, the European Institute of Choral Singing (INECC Luxembourg) officially inaugurated its new premises in Luxembourg-Bonnevoie and unveiled its new identity under the name Sanghaus.

The inauguration ceremony took place in premises made available by the City of Luxembourg (VdL), in the presence of Lydie Polfer, Mayor of Luxembourg City; Corinne Cahen, Alderwoman of the City of Luxembourg; and Françoise Hetto-Gaasch, President of the INECC Board of Directors. Minister of Culture Eric Thill was unable to attend.

The ceremony opened with a performance of the well-known song “Uptown Funk” by the National Youth Choir Luxembourg.

In her welcome address, Françoise Hetto-Gaasch thanked the VdL for providing the building, which had undergone renovation to accommodate the organisation. She also reflected on the challenges facing Luxembourg's choral sector, referring to the discussions held during the Sectoral Conference on Choral Singing on 11 October 2025. These highlighted issues including a shortage of choir conductors, limited resources and opportunities for further training.

Françoise Hetto-Gaasch outlined several priorities for the organisation, including increasing the visibility of choral singing, attracting new singers, encouraging young people to participate and providing greater support to choirs through training, workshops and administrative assistance. She also highlighted the role of the National Youth Choir Luxembourg in promoting choral singing among younger generations.

Lydie Polfer, Mayor of Luxembourg City, welcomed the inauguration as a positive moment for the city's cultural life. She reflected on the development of the organisation over the years and its continued vitality.

An address prepared on behalf of Minister of Culture Eric Thill was also delivered during the ceremony. It highlighted the role of choral singing in bringing people together and encouraging cultural participation, as well as INECC Luxembourg's contribution to innovative projects involving both amateur and professional singers. The address also welcomed the organisation's new premises and identity as a continuation of its work and a step towards the future.

Arend Herold, Director of INECC Luxembourg, then presented the organisation's new visual identity and name, Sanghaus. He described the inauguration of the renovated premises and the rebranding as two important milestones in the institution's development. The new identity features warm colours, typography inspired by the 1920s and graphic elements based on musical notation.

The new name, Sanghaus, combines the Luxembourgish words for singing and house, reflecting the institution's ambition to provide a welcoming place for people interested in singing. Its new slogan is "Wou Stëmmen Zesummekommen" ("Where voices come together").

Speaking separately to Chronicle.lu, Arend Herold explained that the decision to change the name followed a process lasting more than two years, as the organisation sought a more recognisable identity that would immediately reflect its activities. He explained: "And finally they came up with this name, which I like very much because it's got the two key parts, singing and the house as a place where everybody can go if he wants to sing, if he or she wants to sing."

Regarding the new premises, Arend Herold said the renovation had taken approximately one year, although negotiations with the City of Luxembourg and other partners had lasted considerably longer. He particularly welcomed the building's accessibility: "It is a lot more accessible than what we had before. So I think people are more inclined to come in and it's more inviting than the other buildings where we had before."

Arend Herold also highlighted the importance of the new location in Bonnevoie and the organisation's efforts to cooperate with local choirs and other neighbourhood associations.

Following the presentation, participants gathered for a group photograph beside the organisation's newly unveiled name.

From 12:00, the premises opened to the general public for an afternoon of free concerts and singing workshops. The programme included performances by the National Youth Choir Luxembourg, Bouneweger Nuechtgaillercher, Home Sweet Home, Luxembourg Jazz Voices and Melodic Vibrations, alongside two Circle Songs workshops. Food and drinks were also available, including a barbecue.