Celebrate Beethoven's 250th Birthday with The Handel and Haydn Society

Just announced: The Handel and Haydn Society will celebrate the 250th birthday of Beethoven on Saturday, February 15, 2020 with an intimate Beethoven Birthday Concert at First Church Cambridge at 7:30 p.m. This event will feature famed fortepiano virtuoso Kristian Bezuidenhout performing with principal musicians of the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra, bringing to life some of Beethoven's finest small-ensemble compositions.

In addition to Bezuidenhout, the performance will feature Aisslinn Nosky on violin, Guy Fishman on cello, Debra Nagy on oboe, Eric Hoeprich on clarinet, Andrew Schwartz on bassoon and Todd Williams on horn. They will be performing Beethoven's Quintet for Piano and Winds in E-flat Major, Op. 16; Rondo No.1 in C Major for Solo Piano, Op. 51, No. 1;

Rondo No. 2 in G Major for Solo Piano, Op.51, No. 2; and Piano Trio in C Minor, Op. 1, No. 3; all on the period instruments for which they were written.

"This is a unique opportunity to enjoy some of Beethoven's prized small ensemble gems, in an intimate, acoustically superb setting in Cambridge. Bezuidenhout is acknowledged as a keyboard master of this repertoire, and he is joined by many of H+H's finest musicians," said Handel and Haydn Society President and CEO David Snead. "It's a perfect celebration of Beethoven's birthday as well as the perfect gift for Valentine's Day."

Kristian Bezuidenhout is one of today's most notable and exciting keyboard artists. 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, Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Leipzig Gewandhausorchester, among others. In Boston, he has been a regular guest performer at the Boston Early Music Festival, performing in June 2019 for the eighth time.

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.

The Handel and Haydn Society'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

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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