Historical Piano Summer Academy 2027

Historical Piano Summer Academy 2027

Beethoven Bound

Exploring the Material Entanglements of Performance

This year, our biennial academy coincides with a milestone anniversary. To celebrate years of Beethoven research at Orpheus Instituut, we open up our artistic research lab to participants interested in exploring Beethoven’s pianos, from all periods of his life.

Special focus will be on Beethoven’s Grosse Sonate für das Hammer-Klavier, opus 106 (1818), written at a crucial crossroad in Beethoven’s material-creative life, from writing for Viennese pianos to working exclusively with his English Broadwood.

OI’s instrument collection boasts many Beethoven-relevant replicas: from Viennese classics, such as Stein, Walter, and Streicher, to Beethoven’s two foreign pianos, his Erard and Broadwood. Additionally and quite excitingly, new to our instrumental roster in 2027 will be a replica of Beethoven’s quadruple-strung Graf from Beethoven-Haus Bonn.

There is likely not another place where you can experience so many replicas connected to Beethoven in a single day, let alone spend an intensive fortnight working alongside them.

Participants will be expected to have prepared one entire sonata along with a selection of shorter works (Bagatelles, Klavierstücke, waltzes, etc.). Emphasis will not just be on the performance of these works, but also on the development of a research angle or project associated with these works.

In addition, during the academy, they will team up with a fellow participant and arrange one or two movements from a Beethoven string quartet for two pianos to be performed during one of the public recitals.

Coachings, seminars, and presentations will be conducted by Tom Beghin, distinguished guest Matthew Brown, Camilla Köhnken, Diane Kolin, Luca Montebugnoli, and Blake Proehl. Participants will have opportunities to perform in public masterclasses and recitals, as well as take part in a field trip to Pianos Maene.

Anyone who wishes can audit any number of the Academy’s days. We especially welcome students or researchers in the fields of music theory and musicology to join the seminars as active discussants and suggest 7–10 July as a four-day package around the theme of Beethoven’s “Hammerklavier” Sonata, including seminars by our distinguished guest Prof. Brown.

Come and get a taste of artistic research from the DeClassifying the Classics Cluster of Orpheus Instituut.

Dates

6–15 July 2027

Schedule 

Coming soon

Instruments

Johann Andreas Stein (1786 / Maene 2016)
Anton Walter (ca 1800 / Maene 2018)
Erard Frères (1803 / Maene 2016)
Nannette Streicher (1816 / Maene 2021)
John Broadwood & Sons (with Gehörmaschine) (1817 / Maene 2013)
Conrad Graf (1826 / Maene 2027)

Faculty

Tom Beghin (Orpheus Instituut and KU Leuven)
Mathew Brown (Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY)
Camilla Köhnken (Joseph Haydn Privathochschule, Eisenstadt)
Diane Kolin (ArtsAbly, Toronto)
Luca Montebugnoli (Orpheus Instituut and CRR de Paris)
Blake Proehl (Orpheus Instituut and KU Leuven)

Application guidelines

Application opening December 1, 2026.

Please upload by April 30, 2027, the following:

1. A link to one or two video clips featuring a performance on a historical instrument of late-18th- or early-19th-century repertoire;
2. Your choice of Beethoven repertoire (one sonata and a selection of Klavierstücke);
3. A research idea, concept, or question associated with at least one selection of chosen repertoire (ca. 300 words);
4. A letter of motivation (max. one page, PDF), explaining why you wish to participate and how you can uniquely contribute (in PDF format);
5. Your CV (in PDF format).

With the aim of building a group rapport, we require applicants to be able to attend the summer academy for its entire duration.

Applicants will be informed by May 15, 2027. Successful applicants will be invited to an initial online meeting to discuss expectations and to give us a chance to adapt our summer academy to fit individual goals.

Any application questions may be addressed to dcc.researchcluster@orpheusinstituut.be
 

Practical

Participation cost: €600 as a registration fee, to be paid upon acceptance. This includes the costs of participation in coachings and events (masterclasses, presentations, workshops, and performances) as well as weekday lunches and two dinners.

Accommodation: Arrangements are to be independently made, but upon request, we may be able to connect you with a local host who can provide lodging for the duration of the course.

Venue: All activities will take place at Orpheus Instituut's main building, Korte Meer 12, and the Koetshuis Library, Korte Meer 20a, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.

Auditor and active discussant cost: We offer the option of joining coachings, seminars, and recitals as an active discussant. The daily rate for such participation is €40, including weekday lunch and an optional add-on for dinner.

Any practical questions may be addressed to communication@orpheusinstituut.be

Orpheus Instituut embraces diversity and strives to be an inclusive environment for everyone.