Anton Kuerti

No less a persona than Richard Goode gave us this secret tip. Pianist Anton Kuerti was born in Austria, studied in the US under Rudolf Serkin, among others, but lived most of his life in Canada. On the the other side of the big pond he has long been a legend. Together with Glenn Gould he has been considered as one of Canada's greatest pianists. It is only fairly recently that he has made a breakthrough in Europa. In 2008 he replaced the indisposed Murray Perahia in a prestigious series of 'Masterpieces' in the Amsterdamse Concertgebouw. The public went wild, critics unanimously praised his playing of Beethoven and his poetic refinement. Kuerti has devoted his entire life to Beethoven, and one can hear that he has penetrated deep into his being. Kuerti is now over seventy, so it's high time he stopped off in Belgium! Being an 'all-Beethoven' programme, it naturally includes the 'Diabelli Variations', one of Kuerti's favourite pieces, and one he will also briefly explain. The day after this concert, Kuerti will teach us and also play the piano in an in-depth lecture recital about the famous 'Appassionata'. And at the end of this 'Kuerti week', some selected students can absorb his knowledge during public masterclasses. This too you will be able to enjoy!