Call for pianists: Historical Piano Summer Academy 2020 **POSTPONED**

The Orpheus Institute announces its second

Historical Piano Summer Academy

Declassifying Beethoven
5–11 July 2020

Directed by Tom Beghin and Camilla Köhnken

The Orpheus Institute has developed a collection of newly built historical keyboards as a laboratory for the study of Beethoven’s keyboard music. Viennese fortepianos by Stein (1786), Walter (1800), and Streicher (1816) are the backbone of this collection. But unique are our replicas of the two foreign “Beethoven pianos”: his Erard (1803) and Broadwood (1817). Representing Paris and London as contemporary centres of musicking, they problematize and enrich our view of Beethoven as a Viennese pianist-composer.

If you’re a pianist, interested in historical instruments and the study of Beethoven and his era, and are presently pursuing master’s or doctoral-level research, we invite you to join us.  During one week, you will have ample access to our collection of instruments, interact with various members of the research cluster Declassifying the Classics, receive feedback on your playing and artistic research, and (last but not least) present yourself in two public concerts.

We ask that you choose two pieces connected with two different instruments—one by Beethoven, the other by one of his contemporaries.

A maximum of four participants will be selected.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Extended deadline: 1 May 2020

Please send the following to summeracademy@orpheusinstituut.be by 15 April 2020:

1. A link to a video featuring your performance on modern or historical piano.
2. A letter of intent: why do you wish to participate and how do you expect to benefit?
3. A copy of your CV.
4. A preliminary choice of repertoire: see suggestions below.

Cost: € 250 as a registration fee, to be paid upon acceptance. Accommodation in private residential rooms in the center of Ghent can be available at € 150 for the week. Five free lunches will be provided, as well as two evening dinners.

A more detailed schedule will be sent upon acceptance. The schedule will include presentations and seminars by Orpheus members, as well as a visit to Chris Maene’s historical keyboard workshop in Ruiselede, Belgium. In addition, you have the opportunity of presenting your own research.

→ Download call (.pdf)

List of instruments

1. Andreas Stein, 1786 (German, FF - f³)
2. Anton Walter, ca. 1790 (Viennese, FF - g3)
3. Erard Frères, 1803 (French, FF - c4; belonging to Beethoven)
4. Nannette Streicher, 1816 (Viennese, FF - f4)
5. John Broadwood & Sons, 1817 (English, CC - c4; belonging to Beethoven)

List of works

Target length: 40 minutes for both pieces.

• Stein

Beethoven: the three “Bonn” Sonatas WoO47; “Righini” Variations, Sonatas Op. 2, Nos. 1–3

Contemporary: (for example) W.A. Mozart, Sonata K 284

• Walter

Beethoven: Sonatas Op. 27, Nos. 1 and 2, Op. 26, Op. 28, Op. 31, Nos. 1–3, Bagatelles Op. 33, Variations Op. 34 and Op. 35

Contemporary: (for example) Joseph Woelfl, Sonatas Op. 6, Nos. 1–3

• Erard

Beethoven: Sonatas Op. 53, Op. 54, Op. 57

Contemporary: (for example) Daniel Steibelt, Fantaisie avec neuf variations sur un air des Mystères d'Isis; Ferdinand Hérold, Sonata Op. 1; Louis Adam (any piece before 1810), Jan Ladislav Dussek (from his Paris period, 1806–12)

• Streicher

Beethoven: Sonatas Op. 78, Op. 81a, Op. 90, Op. 101, Op. 106 (movements 1–3)

Contemporary: (for example) Schubert Sonata D 864

• Broadwood

Beethoven: Sonata Op. 106 (fourth movement), Op. 109, Op. 110, Op. 111, Bagatelles Op. 119 (Nos. 6­–11) and Op. 126

Contemporary: (for example) Frederick Kalkbrenner, Fantasy Op. 36; Muzio Clementi, Variations Op. 48, Capriccios Op. 47, Nos. 1–2, Sonatas Op. 50, Nos. 1–3.

Orpheus Institute celebrates 250 years of Beethoven and 5 years Declassifying the Classics research group with a series of events from 16.12.2019 to 16.12.2020.

→ More info: orpheusinstituut.be/declassifying-beethoven