Past Concerts

2020-2024

Friday, July 19, 2024 7:30 pm: Beethoven's Ninth Symphony: Community Sing. Featuring a commuity chorus under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey Benson and included a short lecture on the Ninth Symphony by Dr. Erica Buurman. Soloists: Lauren Haber, soprano; Jacque Scharlach, alto; Christopher Bengochea, tenor; Truesten Tautolo, bass; Tamami Honma and Daniel Glover, pianos
John Gerling, timpani/percussion.

Thursday, May 2, 2024 12:00pm: Beethoven Center Noontime Concerts. Ernest Ting-Ta Yen and Bill Palmer (violins), Noriko Iwamoto (viola), Jennifer Kloetzel and John Rosenman (violoncellos). Beethoven, Quintet for 2 violins, viola, and 2 violoncellos, after Beethoven’s Sonata for Piano and Violin, op. 47 (“Kreutzer”).

Thursday, April 4, 2024 12:00pm: Beethoven Center Noontime Concerts. Tamami Honma and Daniel Glover (pianos), and John Gerling (timpani). Beethoven Symphony No. 9, arr. Franz Liszt.

Thursday, March 7, 2024 12:00pm: Beethoven Center Noontime Concerts. Alex Eisenberg and Debbie Davis (violin and piano). Beethoven Sonata op. 24 (“Spring””) Brahms, selections from Waltzes op. 39 Richard Strauss, Rosenkavalier Waltz (arr. Váša Příhoda).

Thursday, February 1, 2024 12:00pm: Beethoven Center Noontime Concerts. Beethoven’s Voice, Liszt’s Hands Theodora Serbanescu-Martin, piano.Liszt/Beethoven, Beethoven Lieder von Goethe, S. 468 (1849), nos. 1 and 5; Beethoven, Sonata no. 28 in A Major, Op. 101 (1816); Liszt/Beethoven, from Beethoven Lieder von Goethe, S. 468, no. 4; Liszt, Réminiscences de Norma (after Bellini), S. 394 (1841).

Saturday, December 26 Beethoven Birthday Party and open house at the Beethoven Center. Program, Franz Schubert, Octet in F Major, D. 803. Performers:Bill Palmer and Daniel Cher, violins; Erica Buurman, viola; Irene Herrmann, cello; Bruce Moyer, double bass; Nicole Galisatus, clarinet; David Sogg, bassoon; Brian Holmes, horn

Thursday, December 7, 2023 12:00pm: Beethoven Center Noontime Concerts. Johann Sebastian Bach, selections from The Art of the Fugue. (BWV 1080) Malcolm Arnold, Quintet for Brass No. 1, Op. 73. Performed by Altos Brass: Rick Leder and David Adams, trumpets; Brian Holmes, horn; John Monroe, trombone; Brent Herhold, tuba.

Thursday, November 2, 2023 12:00pm: Beethoven Center Noontime Concerts Ludwig van Beethoven, Six Songs, op. 75, Selections from 25 Scottish Songs, op. 108 (violin and cello parts performed by Benjamin Bregman and Peter Gelfand). Jacque Wilson Scharlach (lyric mezzo soprano), Simona Snitkovskaya (piano).

Thursday, October 5, 2023 12:00pm: Beethoven Center Noontime Concerts Ludwig van Beethoven, WoO 59 “Für Elise”, String Quartet in F Major (Beethoven’s 1801 arrangement of the Piano Sonata op. 14 no. 1), movement 1 (performed by Catalina Barraza and Erica Buurman, violins; Bill Palmer, viola; and Anna Bartley, cello), Beethoven, Piano Sonata in E Major, op. 14 no. 1, Beethoven, Piano Sonata in E Major, op. 109. Frank Levy (piano).

Thursday, September 7, 2023 12:00pm: Beethoven Center Noontime Concerts Ludwig van Beethoven, Violin Sonata op. 24 (“Spring”), arranged for string quartet by Philipp Wilhelm Heinzius. Bill Palmer and Erica Buurman (violins), Noriko Iwamoto (viola), John Rosenman (cello)

Thursday, May 4, 2023 12:00pm: Beethoven Center Noontime Concerts Ludwig van Beethoven String Quartet, op. 18, no. 5 in A Major. Daniel Cher and Erica Buurman (violins), Bill Palmer (viola), Irene Herrmann (cello)

Thursday, April 6, 2023 12:00pm: Beethoven Center Noontime Concerts Ludwig van Beethoven, String Quartet in C Minor, op. 18 no. 4. Bill Palmer and Erica Buurman (violins), Noriko Iwamoto (viola), John Rosenman (cello)

Thursday, March 16, 2023 12:00pm: Beethoven Center Noontime Concerts Ludwig van Beethoven, String Trio in D Major, op. 9 no. 2. Bill Palmer (violin), Erica Buurman (viola), Glenn Fisher (cello)

Thursday, February 16, 2023 7:30pm: Takács String Quartet in Concert performing Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, String Quartet in E-flat Major
Benjamin Britten, String Quartet No. 1 Ludwig van Beethoven, String Quartet No. 15 in A Minor, Op. 132

Sunday, April 3, 2022, 3:00pm: Ronald Brautigam concert, piano.

2015-2019

Wednesday, November 28, 2018, 7:00pm: Beethoven Student Series concert.

October 6, 2018, 2:30pm: Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony Benefit Concert, SJSU Symphony Orchestra, a performance celebrating the special acquisition of the first edition score of the 7th Symphony inscribed by the composer. “’For my highly esteemed friend’: a newly discovered Beethoven dedication,” pre-concert lecture by Dr. Erica Buurman. FREE. Hammer Theater.

April 22, 2018, 2:00pm: Beethoven Student Series concert.

April 7, 2018. Jon Nakamatsu, piano.

January 19, 2018. Klein Laureate Concert featuring Oliver Herbert (cello) and Will Langlie-Miletich (bass).

November 5, 2017. Beethoven Student Series concert.

May 6, 2017. Celia Mendez Young Pianist’s Beethoven Competition, Concert with Ronald Brautigam, fortepianist. Community School of Music and Arts, Mountain View.

April 8, 2017. Janine Johnson, fortepiano, selections of Beethoven’s works performed on the Beethoven Center’s historical keyboards. FREE. King Library, Schiro Room 550. Sponsored by the King Library.

May 4, 2016, First Wednesdays series. “Beethoven in Love,” a recital of Beethoven’s vocal music by Professors Joseph Frank and Layna Chianakis.

April 17, 2016. Celia Mendez Young Pianist’s Beethoven Concert with Jonathan Biss, pianist. Le Petit Trianon Theatre.

February 27, 2016. Gwendolyn Mok, fortepiano/piano, performs works of Beethoven, Czerny, Liszt, and Mendelssohn to launch her new CD recording on the historical keyboards at the Beethoven Center and School of Music at SJSU.

December 19, 2015.Beethoven Birthday Party and open house at the Beethoven Center. Recital by Amelia Archer, flute, David Sogg, bassoon, and Richard Sogg, piano.

November 4, 2015.  First Wednesdays series. Cellist Susan Lamb Cook, UC-Davis, and pianist Miles Graber perform Beethoven sonatas and variations.

March 15, 2015. Mari Kodama, pianist. All-Beethoven concert.

February 21-22, 2015. Beethoven String Quartet Cycle Year 3 with the Auryn Quartet. Co-sponsored by the San Jose Chamber Music Society, the Beethoven Center, and the American Beethoven Society.

2010-2014

December 13, 2014.  Beethoven Birthday Party and open house at the Beethoven Center. Program of vocal music, including An die ferne Geliebte and other songs of Beethoven, Schubert & Haydn, with Richard Mix, bass, and Allan Crossman, piano.

May 7, 2014. First Wednesdays series. "Singing Beethoven," a program of Beethoven's vocal music with soprano Alison Collins and bass-baritone Roger McCracken.

April 5-6, 2014. Beethoven String Quartet Cycle Year 2 with the Auryn Quartet. Co-sponsored by the San Jose Chamber Music Society, the Beethoven Center, and the American Beethoven Society.

March 6, 2014. All-Beethoven concert by pianist Angela Hewitt, including the Sonatas op. 2, no. 2 in A Major; op. 10, no. 1 in C Minor; op. 78 in F-sharp Major; and op. 110 in A-flat Major.

January 18, 19, and 23, 2014. The Complete Violin and Fortepiano Sonatas on Original Instruments. Elizabeth Wallfisch, violin; David Breitman, fortepiano.

November 6, 2013. First Wednesdays series. Concert by the Milou Trio (Diane Nicholeris, David Goldblatt, Gwendolyn Mok), Kevin Rivard, horn, and Krassen Karagiozov, baritone.  All-Beethoven concert featuring the "Ghost" Trio, the Horn Sonata, and Scottish and Irish folksongs.

April 5, 2013. Stephan Moeller, piano. All-Beethoven recital including the Hammerklavier Sonata, once described as the “Mount Everest of all Sonatas”; the Sonata in E-flat Major, Opus 7; and the Sonata in E Minor/Major, Opus 90.

February 22 & 23. Beethoven String Quartet Cycle presented by the Escher String Quartet. Co-sponsored by the San Jose Chamber Music Society, the Beethoven Center and the American Beethoven Society. Pre-concert talks by Bill Meredith.

April 20, 2012. Ronald Brautigam, fortepiano.  All Beethoven program: "Pathétique" Sonata, op. 13; "Eroica" Variations, op. 35; "Moonlight" Sonata, op. 27, no. 2; "Appassionata" Sonata, op. 57.

March 14, 2012. 7:00 p.m. First Wednesdays Lecture Series. Chamber music with Eric Hoeprich and David Goldblatt. Beethoven's Trio for Clarinet, Violoncello, and Fortepiano, op. 11; Conradin Kreutzer's Trio for Clarinet, Violoncello, and Fortepiano in E-flat Major.

October 5, 2011. Musical Offerings for a Monument: Masterpieces by Beethoven, Liszt, and Schumann. Frank Levy, piano. First Wednesdays Lecture Series.

April 30, 2011. Kirill Gerstein, piano. Beethoven and Liszt Recital, Benefit Concert for the Beethoven Center. Concert Hall, San José State University

December 11, 2010. Beethoven Birthday Bash and open house. Concert by Stephanie Pieck co-sponsored by the Steinway Society the Bay Area.

April 17, 2010. Christopher O'Riley, piano. Concert Hall, San José State University.

March 14, 2010. Tilden Piano Trio. Piano Trio in E-flat Major, op. 70, no. 2. Le Petit Trianon, San Jose, 7:00 p.m. Pre-concert lecture by Bill Meredith at 6:15 p.m. Sponsored by the San Jose Chamber Music Society.

February 13, 2010. Takács String Quartet. "Razumovsky" Quartet, op. 59, no. 2. Le Petit Trianon, San Jose, 7:00 p.m. Pre-concert lecture by Bill Meredith at 6:15 p.m. Sponsored by the San Jose Chamber Music Society.

2005-2009

March 6, 2009, 8:00 p.m., Le Petit Trianon. Leipzig String Quartet, presented by the San Jose Chamber Music Society, performs Beethoven's String Quartet in A Minor, Opus 132, and works by Mendelssohn and Isaac. Pre-concert lecture by Bill Meredith at 7:15 p.m.

February 27, 2009, 8:00 p.m. Angela Hewitt, pianist.

September 28, 2008, 7:00 p.m., Le Petit Trianon. Escher String Quartet, presented by the San Jose Chamber Music Society, performs Beethoven's String Quartet in C Major, Opus 59, no. 3, and works by Mozart, Zemlinsky, and Shostakovich. Pre-concert lecture by Bill Meredith at 6:15 p.m. For tickets contact the SJCMS.

April 13, 2008. 7:00 p.m. Jon Nakamatsu, piano. Performance of Beethoven's Sonatas in D Major, Opus 28 ("Pastoral") and C-sharp Minor, Opus 27, no. 2 ("Moonlight"); Schumann's Papillons; and Chopin Etudes and Grand Polonaise. Le Petit Trianon. Benefit concert for the Beethoven Center's acquisition fund.

April 18, 2008. 8:00 p.m. Beaux Arts Trio. San Jose Chamber Music Society at Le Petit Trianon. Pre-concert talk by Dr. William Meredith.

February 16, 2008. 8:00 p.m. Craig Sheppard, pianist, performs preludes and fugues from Book 2 of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, Beethoven's Sonata in A-flat Major, Opus 110, and the "Appassionata," Opus 57. SJSU Concert Hall. Pre-concert lecture by Dr. William Meredith at 7:00 p.m.

October 13, 2007. 8:00 p.m. Miró String Quartet performs the Quartet in F Major, Opus 59, no. 1. San Jose Chamber Music Society at Le Petit Trianon. Pre-concert talk by Dr. William Meredith.

April 14, 2007, 8:00 p.m.. John Perry, piano. Performances of Beethoven's Sonata in E-flat Major, Opus 31, no. 3; the Sonata in F Minor, Opus 57 ("Appassionata"), and the Sonata in A-flat Major, Opus 110. Pre-concert lecture by Dr. William Meredith at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 8, 2006, 8:00 p.m., Concert Hall, Music Building. Menahem Pressler, piano, performs the "Tempest" Sonata and the Piano Sonata, op. 110. Preconcert lecture by Bill Meredith.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006, 11:00-5:00 p.m., Special Collections Program Room, Room 550, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library. Piano students of Dr. Gwendolyn Mok perform Beethoven piano sonatas.

Sunday, January 15, 2006, 7:00 p.m. Jacques Thibaud String Trio and pianist Anton Kuerti perform the Mozart Piano Quartet in G Minor, K. 478, and his arrangement of two J.S. Bach Adagios and Fugues, K. 404a; Beethoven's Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, Opus 16, and String Trio in G Major, Opus 9, no. 1. Preconcert lecture by Bill Meredith at 6:15 p.m. Co-sponsored by the San José Chamber Music Society.

Sunday, September 25, 2005, 7:00 p.m. Peabody Trio performs Beethoven's Pianoforte Trios, op. 1, no. 2; op. 97; and the Violin Sonata, op. 96. Co-sponsored by the San José Chamber Music Society. Preconcert lecture by William Meredith.

Saturday, September 24, 2005, 8:00 p.m. Peabody Trio performs Beethoven's Pianoforte Trios, op. 1, no. 3; the "Ghost" Trio, op. 70, no. 2; and the Violoncello Sonata, op. 96. Music Building, San Jose State University, Room 150.

Friday, September 23, 2005, 8:00 p.m. Peabody Trio performs Beethoven's Pianoforte Trios, op. 1, no. 1; op. 70, no. 2; op. 11; and the "Kakadu" Variations, op. 121a. Co-sponsored by the San José Chamber Music Society. Preconcert lecture by William Meredith.

July 27-August 12, 2005. Music@Menlo Beethoven series.

Friday, April 22, 2005. Charles Rosen, piano. All-Beethoven concert. 8:00 p.m., Concert Hall, San Jose State University. Pre-concert lecture by Dr. William Meredith at 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, February 27, 2005. Concertante. Beethoven's Septet in E-flat Major, Opus 20, and Schubert's Octet in F Major, D. 806. Sponsored by the San Jose Chamber Music Society. 7:00 p.m. Le Petit Trianon Theater. 6:15 p.m., pre-concert talk by Dr. William Meredith.

Sunday, February 6, 2005. Alexander String Quartet & violist Toby Appel. Beethoven's String Quartet in F Major, opus 135, and works by Shostakovich and Mozart. Sponsored by the San Jose Chamber Music Society. 7:00 p.m. Le Petit Trianon Theater. 6:15 p.m., pre-concert talk by Dr. William Meredith.

2000-2004

Friday, April 9, 2004. Anton Kuerti, piano. All-Beethoven recital. Program: 6 Bagatelles from Opus 126; Sonata in A-flat Major, Opus 110; Sonata in E Major, Opus 109; Sonata in C-sharp Minor, Opus 27, no. 2.

Oct. 12, 2003. Amati String Quartet, sponsored by the San Jose Chamber Music Society. Performance of Beethoven's String Quartet in A Major, opus 18, no. 1, and works by Schubert and Bartok. Pre-concert talk by Dr. William Meredith at 6:15 p.m.

May 16, 2003, 8:00 p.m., Concert Hall, San Jose State University. Ian Hobson, pianist, performed Beethoven's Sonatas op. 10 and op. 106. Pre-concert lecture by Dr. William Meredith at 7:00 p.m.

March 2, 2003, 7:00 p.m., Le Petite Trianon, San José. The Vienna Piano Trio. Co-sponsored by the San José Chamber Music Society. Program of chamber music including the Piano Trio in E flat Major, Opus 1, no. 1. Pre-concert lecture by Dr. Thomas Wendel at 6:15 p.m.

Feb. 16, 2003, 7:00 p.m., Le Petite Trianon, San José. Isolde Hayer, violoncello, and Florian Birsak, fortepiano. Co-sponsored by the San José Chamber Music Society. Program of chamber music including the Sonatas for violoncello and fortepiano, Opus 70, nos. 1-2. Pre-concert lecture by Dr. William Meredith at 6:15 p.m.

May 3, 2002. Russell Sherman, pianist. Performance of three Beethoven sonatas: Sonata in E Major, Opus 109; Sonata in E Minor/Major, Opus 90; Sonata in F Minor, Opus 57.

Friday, April 20, 2001, 8:00 p.m. Concert by fortepianist Malcolm Bilson, performing on the Center's original Jakesch fortepiano from 1827. Works performed included the Bagatelles, Opus 33; Sonata in E Major, Opus 109; Sonata in G Minor, Opus 49, no. 1; and the Sonata in A-flat Major, Opus 110.

Friday, March 17, 2000, 8:00 p.m., Beethoven Center and Steinway Society, San Jose State University Concert Hall: Robert Taub, piano. Beethoven's Piano sonatas in B-flat major, op. 22; C major, op. 53; A-flat major, op. 110.

Friday, March 10, 2000, 8:00 p.m., Beethoven Center, San Jose State University Concert Hall: Joseph Frank, tenor, Erie Mills, soprano, Laurel Brettell, piano, and others. All-Beethoven vocal recital (folksong arrangements, "An die ferne Geliebte, and other lieder).

Sunday, Feb. 27, 2000, 4:00 p.m., Beethoven Center, Le Petit Trianon: Isolde Hayer, violoncello, and Florian Birsak, fortepiano. Beethoven Sonatas violoncello and piano, op. 5; Joseph Wölfl, Sonata in D minor for violoncello and piano, op. 31; Beethoven, Six variations for fortepiano, op. 34. Pre-concert talk by William Meredith at 3:00 p.m.

1995-1999

April 27, 1999. 8:00 p.m. Seymour Lipkin, pianist. All-Beethoven recital. Performance of the sonatas Opus 57 ("Appassionata"), Opus 27, no. 1; Opus 101; and Opus 90. Pre-concert lecture by Dr. William Meredith at 7:00 p.m.

May 10, 1998. Paul Sperry, tenor. All-Beethoven concert (fund-raiser for the Beethoven Endowment). 8:00 p.m., Concert Hall, San Jose State University. Pre-concert lecture by Dr. Thomas Wendel at 7:00 p.m.

May 2, 1998. John O'Conor, piano. All-Beethoven concert. 8:00 p.m., Concert Hall, San Jose State University. Pre-concert lecture by Dr. William Meredith at 7:00 p.m.

April 5, 1998. Alfred Kanwischer, piano. All-Beethoven Concert (fund-raiser for the Beethoven Bibliography Database project). Concert Hall, San Jose State University.

April 13, 1997. Igor Kipnis, fortepiano. Music by Schubert, Mozart, and Beethoven.

March 16, 1997. Isolde Hayer, violoncello, with Laruel Brettell and Yi Shang, piano. Music by Beethoven and Shostakovich.

May 18, 1996. Steven Lubin, fortepiano. Concert of music by Beethoven, Haydn, and Mozart.

April 14, 1996. "Bach, Beethoven, and Buckley," a benefit concert for the Beethoven Center and the San Jose Chamber Orchestra, with special guest artist William F. Buckley Jr., and Tom Wendel, Craig Bohmler, and Barbara Day Turner, harpsichords.

December 17, 1995. Byung-Woo Kim, violin, and Marina Gusak-Grin, piano. Beethoven's violin sonatas (third of three-concert series).

November 5, 1995. Byung-Woo Kim, violin, and Marina Gusak-Grin, piano. Beethoven's violin sonatas (second of three-concert series).

October 22, 1995. Byung-Woo Kim, violin, and Marina Gusak-Grin, piano. Beethoven's violin sonatas (first of three-concert series).

April 7, 1995. Grant Johannesen, piano. Recital of works by Beethoven, Schumann, and Fauré.

1990-1994

April 29, 1994. Christopher O'Riley, piano. All-Beethoven recital.

April 10, 1994. Alfred Kanwischer, piano. All-Beethoven recital.

December 5, 1993. Joseph Frank, tenor, and Laurel Brettell, piano. Second Annual Beethoven Benefit Concert.

May 23, 1993. Leslie Tung, fortepiano. All-Beethoven recital.

February 20, 1993. Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano. All-Beethoven recital.

January 31, 1993. Neil Rutman, piano. Inaugural Beethoven Benefit Recital.

October 18, 1992. Martin Stoner, violin; Constance Moore, piano. All-Beethoven recital.

March 15, 1992. Sylvia Kersenbaum, piano. All-Beethoven recital.

April 16, 1991. Peter Schreier, tenor. Recital of Lieder by Beethoven and Schumann.

September 23, 1990. Jeanne Stark, piano. Piano works of Mozart and Beethoven.

May 18, 1990. Juilliard String Quartet. All-Beethoven concert featuring three of Beethoven's string quartets, one each from his early, middle, and late periods.

May 12, 1990. 9th Symphony Sing-Along. Conducted by Charlene Archibeque. Assisted by Ken Hannaford and Daniel Hoggatt and the San Jose State University Choirs.

April 6, 1990. Robert Sayre, cello; John Delevoryas, piano. All-Beethoven program.

February 16, 1990. Robert Sayre, cellist; John Delevoryas, piano. All-Beethoven program.

February 10, 1990. Malcolm Bilson, fortepiano. Concert of music by Beethoven, Haydn, and Mozart.

1985-1989

February 20, 1989. Richard Goode, piano. Concert of music by Beethoven and Schubert.

October 11, 1988. Lowell Greer, original horn; Artaria String Quartet. Concert of music by Mozart and Beethoven on original instruments.

October 10, 1988. Lowell Greer, original horn; John Khouri, fortepiano. Concert of music by Danzi, Dussek, Gallay, Hummel, and Beethoven.

July 21, 1988. Steven Lubin, fortepiano. Concert of the music of Mozart and Beethoven.

March 24, 1988. Trio d'Amsterdam. Concert of music by Beethoven played on original instruments.

October 11, 1987. Judith Nelson (Berkeley, CA), soprano, and Elaine Thornburgh (San Francisco, CA), fortepiano. Concert of music by Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven.

April 26, 1987. Karen Swietlik (Buffalo, NY), fortepiano. Fortepiano music of the Classical Period. Sponsored jointly with the San Jose Chamber Music Society.

April 18, 1987. Joerg Demus (Vienna), fortepiano. All-Beethoven recital on two fortepianos.

September 21, 1986. Charlene Brendler, fortepiano; Katherine Kyme, violinist; Paul Hale, cello; various singers. Beethoven songs for voices and pianoforte trio.