Author: Mette Ahlefeldt

Thursday 29 January 2026: Exclusive ‘on-stage’ Philharmonie tour & reception, followed by (optional) a reduced-price Haydn concert

Oxford has secured a private guided tour of the Philharmonie with Aliki Zachariadis, Head of Marketing & Digital Division. Aliki will take us around the Philharmonie, beginning on the stage of the Grand Auditorium to give us a feel for what it is like sitting in the orchestra.

We will round off the tour with drinks and amuses bouches in a specially reserved area of the foyer.

Those who would then like to attend the concert hosted that night would be there just in time to do so as Haydn’s The Seasons plays at 19h30.

Timing:
17h45: Meet-up at the Philharmonie Entrée des Artistes (see map below). Place de l’Europe, L-1499 Luxembourg City.
18h-19: presentation & guided tour
19h: Crémant and amuses bouches in reserved area of foyer
19.30: Concert (optional) – se below for the

Sign-up with chair@oxford.lu – see also invitation sent out to all members.
Price: €25

Discount code & booking of the Haydn concert 29th January at 19.30: Concert tickets are at own expense. To claim the 20% reduction, click Haydn concert, choose your seats and then aim for the box on the right marked ‘Carte-client/code d’action,’ entering the code 2901_OXFORD (remember the caps). The code is valid for 2 tickets per person.

Let Thursday 29th January 2026 add a sparkle to the first month of the year.

Map-Access-Entree-des-Artistes-2025Download

Thursday 8 January 2026, 17h45-19h: The EIB Art Collection

Join us for an exclusive tour of the EIB Art Collection led by Delphine Munro, Head of EIB Arts & Culture. The collection features more than 900 works – paintings, photographs, sculptures and more. The emphasis is on contemporary art, but the collection also comprises a number of Old Masters and 19th – and 20th- century artworks.
The tour finishes no later than 19h, and afterwards there is an optional a dinner with our EIB hosts at Restaurant Culturando.

Below is the invitation. Do not hesitate to sign up for this great event!

2026.01.08-EIB-Art-Tour-InvitationDownload

17 December 2025: Postlude concert and reception, The Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge at the Philharmonie, Luxembourg

We are delighted to announce that Cambridge is inviting us to A Cambridge Christmas, performed by the Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge, with organist Thomas Trotter, at the Philharmonie Luxembourg on Wednesday, 17 December 2025.

The Postlude follows the main concert, as Cambridge Society will host a post-concert reception in the Grand Foyer, joined by H.E. the British Ambassador, Joanne Olivier, Philharmonie representatives, and members of the Choir — including a short performance by the Gents of St John’s.

The event is open to members of the Oxford Society, the LSE Alumni, and the British-Luxembourg Society, together with their guests.

NB!! Bear in mind that you will need to have booked your tickets for the Philharmonie’s performance before joining this afterlude in the foyer.

What: Musical postlude with the Gents of St John’s and reception
When: Wednesday 17 December 2025, following the concert
Dress Code: smart / festive, not formal.
Price: between €35-40 (to be confirmed)
Registration: Please email: president@cambridgesociety.lu, cc: secretary@cambridgesociety.lu, stating:
1. How many places you would like
2: Confirming that you already have bought concert tickets.
Places for the postlude reception will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Concert Tickets: Concert tickets are already on sale via the Philharmonie website, so do book soon as it is a popular event which sells out fast.

4 December 2025, Our Annual OUSL Christmas Gala Black-Tie Dinner at Cercle

Dearest Alumni – what a feast we had! A full house, great atmosphere, elegant attire, good food, good fun, crackers cracked and carols sung! We started with crémant and jazz music in Cercle’s cozy bar, then repaired to a delicious dinner next door. We had our traditional three toasts to the Grand Duke (by Hervé Hansen) to King Charles (by HE Ambassador Olivier) and to Oxford University (by Jan Könighaus). After the main course we did our best to do justice to some beautiful Christmas Carols and during dessert our general Christmas knowledge was (sorely) tested in a quiz which was won by Table Blackfriar. A warm thank-you to HE Ambassador Olivier and to all – Oxonians and friends – for making this a truly festive evening.

Table Blackfriar
Table Brasenose
Table Hertfort
Table Linacre
Table St. Cross
The Christmas Quizz

Thursday 6 November 2025: Dinner-Talk with H.E. Ambassador Benno Laggner at the Golf Club Grand Ducal

We had a fully packed house at the Golf Club Grand Ducal. The Swiss Ambassador to Luxembourg, H.E. Benno Laggner, gave a captivating – and very thought-provoking – speech on the topic of: ‘Current security challenges for Europe and Switzerland’s role.’ The talk was followed by Q & A and Ambassador Laggner spoke with clarity and insight while also offering a serious forewarning that Europe is in unchartered territory.

The seriousness of the subject was alleviated by the delicious food and excellent service and a great time was had by all.

Thursday 30 Oct 2025: Monthly Oxbridge Drinks

We meet again at Atmos Bar with alumni from ‘the other place’ for a chat, informal drinks, and, if a bit peckish, also a meal.

Although it’s informal it would be great if you would send Cambridge, secretary@cambridgesociety.lu, a short mail kindly cc’ing chair@oxford.lu to let us know you are coming, so that sufficient seats can be reserved.

But should you just happen to suddenly have spare time, do come without warning.

Venue – Atmos Bar, 1. floor, 32, Rue de la Poste, 235 Ville-Haute, Luxembourg

Time: 19h onwards.

30-31 October 2025: Student Fair in Esch

The flags and banners arrived just in time to decorate our OUSL stand at the Annual Student Fair in Belval. Volunteers from our committee and other OUSL alumni ensured there were always several people at our stand and they did a great job answering questions from potential students.

Our warm thanks to Dan Schmit who organised it and to all who participated in this important work in our continued efforts to support Oxford University and strengthen our links with education in Luxembourg.

Gala Autumn Wings Ball: 25 October 2025


OUSL was invited to join the Gala Autumn Wings Ball on 25 October at the Novotel Kirchberg, 18.30.

The charity event supported local and RAF causes and gathers UK veterans, expatriates, diplomats, and service personnel from across Europe. The event also coincided with a Remembrance Service on the Saturday morning at the WW2 graves in Hollerich of RAF and RCAF airman who died defending Luxembourg.The tables at the Gala Dinner & Ball place 10 persons, however individuals attending will be welcome.