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University hosts renowned pianist Ronald Brautigam

Ronald Brautigam

Ronald Brautigam Marco Borrgreve

20 April 2009

The internationally acclaimed concert pianist Ronald Brautigam, who is Benjamin Meaker Professor in the Department of Music and Distinguished Visiting Fellow of the Institute for Advanced Studies during 2009, will give a lunchtime recital of music by Haydn in the Victoria Rooms on Wednesday 29 April.

Ronald Brautigam is the Institute for Advanced Studies’ first-ever Distinguished Visiting Fellow and the first practising artist to be awarded the Benjamin Meaker Visiting Professorship.

He is making several trips to Bristol throughout the year, around his busy international performing and recording schedule, to deliver workshops and seminars in the Department of Music. In particular, he is working on aspects of 18th-century performance practice with John Irving, Professor of Music History and Performance Practice. Next week’s lunchtime recital will be preceded on Tuesday 28 April by a seminar on performing and recording Haydn (in conversation with John Irving). Ronald Brautigam will return to Bristol again in the autumn for another lunchtime concert in the Victoria Rooms (Wednesday 4 November), featuring the Piano Duet Sonatas of Mozart (with John Irving).

Ronald Brautigam is one of Holland’s leading musicians and is known for his virtuosity and musicality. He studied in Amsterdam, London and the USA, and in 1984 he was awarded the Nederlandse Muziekprijs, the highest Dutch musical award. He has recorded the complete keyboard works of Haydn and Mozart on copies of historically appropriate instruments, and a 17-CD recording of all the Beethoven Piano Sonatas is nearing completion. He has performed in all the major concert venues worldwide and with the most distinguished conductors and orchestras. His recordings have been critically acclaimed and have won two Edison Prizes, three Diapasons d’Or and in 2004, a Cannes Classical Prize for the best solo piano recording.

Professor Irving said: ‘We are delighted to host Ronald Brautigam in the Department of Music. The fact that he is the first practising artist to be awarded a Benjamin Meaker Professorship is recognition of the importance of practice as research and resonates with the department’s developing research profile in this area. Our students have already engaged in seminars on performance practice and in live practical coaching sessions with Ronald, all of which have been truly inspirational. The Meaker award also means that staff, students and members of the public will have a rare opportunity to attend a live performance in Bristol University by one of today’s most exciting pianists.’

Ronald Brautigam’s lunchtime concert takes place from 1.15 pm to 2 pm on Wednesday 29 April in the Victoria Rooms (Recital Room – limited seating). He will perform Haydn’s magnificent late ‘London’ Sonatas and Two marches for Sir Henry Harpur. Admission is free. Latecomers cannot be admitted. 

The Music Research Seminar on 28 April (Ronald Brautigam in conversation with John Irving on the recording of Haydn’s piano sonatas) takes place from 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm in the Victoria Rooms. Admission free.

For more information, please email ruth.hill@bristol.ac.uk.

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