Created in November 1959, the vocal Ensemble "Pays Noir" has founded the most part of its repertory on the "a capella" music of the 16th and 17th centuries. The choir members were coming from the whole Wallonia. The Ensemble was an effective member of the European Young Choirs Federation from 1965.

Since then, the Ensemble has been appearing in concerts in Belgium and in many European countries, with its permanent conductor or under the leadership of many internationally renowned conductors, as Jean-François Paillard, Etienne Rappe, Jacques Van Herentals, or Michel Keustermans. It performed also major works with one or two organs, like the "Solemn Highmass" in C sharp minor by Henri Vierne, or with orchestra like the "Requiem" by Gabriel Fauré, the "Jeremiah's Lamentations" by Francesco Durante, ofwell "Dido and Aeneas" by Henry Purcell. It shared its joy in making music with numerous choral societies from foreign cities, like Valenciennes, Lille, Dunkerke, Halver or Berlin.

The Ensemble was rated among the first at the International Choirs Competition in Montreux (Switzerland), and won the one in Raeren (Belgium). It ranks into the Excellence category for the province of Hainaut, and takes part into the "Arts et Vie" tours of the Ministry for the Arts of the French Community of Belgium. It is supported by the City of Charleroi. It is presently conducted by Marie-Paule DUMONT, who holds the medal of the City of Charleroi for singing, the Price of the Belgian Government for melody and four grades of Choir Master, delivered in the official training courses of the French Choirs Association in Paris.