The short answer
For a professional musical set-up for a full corporate event — reception, gala dinner and after-party — expect €3,000–€6,000 excl. 6% VAT. A single moment can start from as little as €900; a full evening with three ensembles starts from €3,680.
Music for a corporate event: a different starting point
At a wedding, music is personal expression. At a corporate event, music is a communication tool: it creates the right mood for networking, reinforces the brand experience, and determines the energy of the evening. That calls for a different approach — and a different budget logic.
For an average corporate event — reception, gala dinner and after-party — expect €3,000 to €6,000 excl. VAT for a professional musical set-up for the whole evening.
Prices per ensemble and per moment
Reception and networking
Subtle background music that doesn't disrupt conversation but carries the mood.
- Ensemble DRE (4 musicians, fully acoustic): from €1,920 excl. VAT
- Along Comes Mary duo (jazz, swing): from €900 excl. VAT
- Belpop Acoustic (acoustic duo): from €950 excl. VAT
Gala dinner
Background music during the meal — present but not dominant. Volume is crucial.
- Swamba (bossa nova trio, PA included): from €1,260 excl. VAT
- Along Comes Mary trio: from €1,380 excl. VAT
After-party
After dinner, the mood wants to open up. Cover band or DJ brings the energy.
- DJ Stecks (low season): €500–€750 excl. VAT
- DJ Stecks (high season): €1,000–€1,500 excl. VAT
- Belpopband: from €2,500 excl. VAT
| Scenario | Ensembles | Budget (excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Reception only | Along Comes Mary duo | From €900 |
| Gala dinner + after-party | Swamba + DJ Stecks | From €1,760 |
| Full evening (3 phases) | Ensemble DRE + Swamba + DJ | From €3,680 |
| Premium evening | ACM + Swamba + Belpopband | From €5,140 |
What determines the final price?
- Playing time: every ensemble works with a standard set of ±90 minutes. Extra hours are billed separately.
- Location: travel costs are included in the base amount, with a surcharge for distant venues.
- Day and season: DJ Stecks applies seasonal rates; other ensembles are less date-dependent.
- PA: some ensembles include PA, others don't — always ask this explicitly.
"Companies often ask me: what's the cheapest option that still sounds professional? My answer: one good ensemble for one good moment is always better than two mediocre ensembles for two moments. Quality at one moment has more impact than quantity across the whole evening." Reinout Pauwels — music consultant at De Muziekvitrine
B2B vs. private: an important difference
Companies can in principle book music costs for business events as business expenses. We issue invoices in the company's name stating the VAT number. The VAT rate for music performances is 6% — a reduced cultural rate that also applies to corporate events. The official basis for that reduced rate is at Cultuurloket.
Don't forget the music rights
As organiser of a corporate event, you're responsible for declaring music use. Since 2020 you arrange this in Belgium via a single platform: Unisono, which combines copyright (Sabam) and the Fair Remuneration (PlayRight/SIMIM) into one licence and one invoice. Good to know: the Fair Remuneration only applies to recorded music — a purely live performance falls outside this, though copyright remains due when the band plays protected repertoire. Many event venues also have an annual licence that already covers music use in their space; check this with your venue before declaring it yourself. Full details are in our guide on Sabam, Unisono and the Fair Remuneration.
See the full corporate gala scenario on the pricing page →