[Boston, MA – January 3, 2020] In his directorial debut with the Handel and Haydn Society, keyboardist Kristian Bezuidenhout will lead one of America’s oldest performing arts institutions in Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto on Friday, February 14, 2020, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, February 16, 2020, at 3 p.m. at the New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall.
Beethoven’s elegant Third Piano Concerto headlines an exciting program which also includes Sinfonia for Strings in C Major, Wq. 182/3 by C.P.E. Bach, as well as Mozart’s masterpieces Rondo in A Major, K. 386 and Symphony No. 36, Linz.
One of today’s most notable keyboard artists, Kristian Bezuidenhout is equally at home on the fortepiano, harpsichord, and modern piano. Born in South Africa in 1979, Bezuidenhout first gained international recognition at the age of 21 after winning the prestigious first prize, and audience prize in the Bruges Fortepiano Competition. He is a regular guest with the world’s leading ensembles including the Freiburger Barockorchester, Les Arts Florissants, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Orchestre des Champs Elysées, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and many others. Bezuidenhout has also guest-directed the English Concert, Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Collegium Vocale, and Juilliard 415, among others.
“We are thrilled to have Kristin Bezuidenhout make his debut as a director with the Handel and Haydn Society,” said Handel and Haydn Society President and CEO David Snead. “As one of the world’s foremost talents on the fortepiano, he brings an unmatched energy to these classic pieces, as he both performs and directs from the keyboard. This will truly be a special performance and one not to be missed.”
Tickets for individual performances may be purchased by calling 617.266.3605, visiting handelandhaydn.org or in person at 9 Harcourt Street in Boston (M-F 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.). Student and group discounts are also available.
Handel and Haydn’s remaining 2019–20 Season Performances include:
Mozart + Haydn Jan 24 + 26, 2020 Symphony Hall
Beethoven + Mozart Feb 14 + 16, 2020 NEC’s Jordan Hall
Haydn + Beethoven Feb 28 + March 1, 2020 NEC’s Jordan Hall
Bach St. Matthew Passion April 3 + 5, 2020 Symphony Hall
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons May 1 + 3, 2020 Symphony Hall
About the Handel and Haydn Society
Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society is dedicated to performing Baroque and Classical music with a freshness, a vitality, and a creativity that inspires all ages. H+H has been captivating audiences for 205 consecutive seasons (the most of any performing arts organization in the United States). Today, H+H’s Orchestra and Chorus delight more than 50,000 listeners annually with a nine-week subscription series at Boston Symphony Hall and other leading venues. Through the Karen S. and George D. Levy Education Program, H+H supports seven youth choirs of singers in grades 2-12 and provides thousands of complimentary tickets to students and communities throughout Boston, ensuring the joy of music is accessible to all. H+H’s numerous free community concerts include an annual commemoration of the original 1863 Emancipation Proclamation concert on December 31. The artistic director of the Handel and Haydn Society is Harry Christophers. Under Christophers’s leadership, H+H has released 13 CDs on the Coro label and has toured nationally and internationally. In all these ways, H+H fulfills its mission to inspire the intellect, touch the heart, elevate the soul, and connect us with our shared humanity through transformative experiences with Baroque and Classical music.
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