The Beethoven Project
The Beethoven Project is a large-scale celebration acknowledging Bing Concert Hall as the new home of the Stanford Symphony Orchestra and Stanford Philharmonia Orchestra. These ensembles, under the baton of Jindong Cai, will devote the season to the performance of all nine Beethoven symphonies, as well as all five of the composer’s piano concerti featuring Van Cliburn Gold Medal–winning pianist and Stanford alumnus Jon Nakamatsu.
In addition to this musical undertaking, a number of crosscampus and community collaborations will complement the action on stage: Jon Nakamatsu will give a master class series; Stanford Department of Music students and faculty will present educational concerts with historical commentary for the community; curriculum will focus on Beethoven, including a seminar addressing performance practice issues elucidated by the holdings of Stanford’s world-renowned Archive of Recorded Sound; a freshman seminar with a syllabus linked to the performances will be offered; and the Stanford Symphony Orchestra will embark on a European concert tour with the theme “In Beethoven’s Footsteps” in the summer of 2013.
“The opening of Bing Concert Hall will change the landscape of music-making on the Stanford campus,” said Jindong Cai, director of the Stanford Symphony Orchestra and Stanford Philharmonia Orchestra. “In keeping with the magnitude of this change, The Beethoven Project will represent a signature endeavor for the Department of Music and the perfect series of events with which to begin our residency in the hall. We are delighted in particular to have a guest artist of the eminence and accomplishment of Jon Nakamatsu join us for a number of the Project’s performances.”