Past Lectures and Master Classes
2020-2024
Friday, February 17, 2023. Lecture-recital on Beethoven’s Quartet Op. 132 with the Takács Quartet and Erica Buurman (Director, Beethoven Center).
November 19, 2020. Laura Tunbridge talks about her new book Beethoven: A Life in Nine Pieces with Dr. Erica Buurman, Director of the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies.
March, 11, 2021. Lewis Lockwood dicusses his new book Beethoven's Lives: The Biographical Tradition with Dr. Erica Buurman, Director of the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies.
April 8, 2021. Mark Evan Bonds talks about his new book Beethoven: Variations on a Life with Dr. Erica Buurman, Director of the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies.
April 18, 2021. Masterclass with Stewart Goodyear and featuring the winners of the 35th Celia Mendez Young Pianists Beethoven Competition.
May 6, 2021. William Kinderman discusses his new book Beethoven: A Political Artist in Revolutionary Times with Dr. Erica Buurman, Director of the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies.
April 2, 2022. Masterclass with Ronald Brautigam and featuring the winners of the 36th Celia Mendez Young Pianists Beethoven Competition.
2015-2019
April 18, 2018. "Beethoven's Trip to Berlin in 1796: First Fortepiano and Cello Works." Visiting artist Guadalupe López-Íñiguez, cello, joins Gwendolyn Mok, fortepiano, for a lecture and recital.
November 9, 2015. Christina Kobb, visiting fortepianist and educator at Oslo's Barratt Due Institute of Music, lecture/demonstration on historical keyboard performance practices.
May 6, 2015. "Beethoven Used Politically: Music as Propaganda in WWII." Lecture by Dr. William Meredith, Director, The Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies. First Wednesdays series.
2010-2014
November 5, 2014. "Der Jüdische Bub” from Prague: Ignaz Moscheles and his Encounters with Beethoven." Lecture by Mark Kroll, Professor Emeritus at Boston University. First Wednesdays series.
February 21, 2013. "Exploring Beethoven's Late Quartets: A Conversation with the Escher Quartet and William Meredith." Co-sponsored by the San Jose Chamber Music Society, the Beethoven Center and the American Beethoven Society.
February 6, 2013. To Quill or Not to Quill: Exploring the Art of Writing with Quill and Ink. First Wednesdays series.
October 3, 2012, 7:00 p.m. "English Versus Viennese: Dueling Fortepianos." A close-up view of the Center's instruments featuring Janine Johnson and a new video by Robert Brilliant. First Wednesdays series.
March 2, 2011. Music Critics in Conversation: Richard Scheinin, San José Mercury News, with William Meredith. First Wednesdays Lecture series.
November 29, 2010. Demonstration of historic keyboard collection at the Beethoven Center by Dr. Richard Sogg. Pre-concert presentation for the 3rd Annual Historic Keyboard Concert at the San Jose State University Concert Hall, co-sponsored by the School of Music and Dance at San Jose State University and the Kurosawa Piano Music Foundation.
October 6, 2010, 7-8:30 p.m. Screening of the film Virtuoso: The Olga Samaroff Story with producer Donna S. Kline. First Wednesdays Lecture Series.
April 7, 2010, 7:00 p.m. Dmitry Rachmanov, Chair of Keyboard Studies, California State University Northridge. "Beethoven and His Teachers." First Wednesday's Lecture Series.
2005-2009
November 4, 2009, 7:00 p.m. Davitt Moroney, University of California, Berkeley. "The Pope, the Emperor, and the Grand Duke: The Rediscovery of a Musical Masterpiece from Renaissance Florence." First Wednesday’s Lecture Series.
May 6, 2009, 7:00 p.m. First Wednesday's Lecture. "Schulz's Beethoven, Schroeder's Muse." Lecture by Dr. William Meredith. Beethoven Center, King Library 580.
February 28, 2009, 23rd Annual Young Pianist's Beethoven Competition with Angela Hewitt, master teacher. Competition: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.; Masterclass: 2:00-4:00 p.m. Concert Hall, Music Building, San Jose State University.
September 6, 2008. "The World of Beethoven Pianos." Lecture/demonstration by William Meredith, for the 5th Anniversary celebrations of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library. Beethoven Center, Room 580.
September 3, 2008, 7:00 p.m. First Wednesday's Lecture. Yuko Tanaka, harpsichordist and fortepianist. "Rococo to Romantic: A Recital-Demonstration on the Evolution of Style." Featuring the music of three Bachs (J.S., J.C., and CPE), Haydn, and Beethoven on the harpsichord and Broadwood fortepiano. Beethoven Center, Room 580 King Library.
May 1, 2008, 7:00 p.m. First Thursdays lecture series. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, Schiro Program Room (Room 580). A Bettina von Brentano Recital and Lecture: "Was She Beethoven's Immortal Beloved?" Featuring Malin Fritz, mezzo-soprano and Christopher Bengochea, tenor performing songs and duets by Bettina von Brentano, with a discussion by William Meredith.
February 17, 2008. 22nd Annual Celia Mendez Young Pianist's Beethoven Competition with Craig Sheppard, master teacher. Final competition: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Masterclass: 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
October 17, 2007. 5:00-7:30 p.m. Faculty and Student Open House, King Library Special Collections Departments, Fifth Floor. Tours of collections and reception.
November 1, 2007. 7:00 p.m. Patricia Stroh, Curator, Beethoven Center will be giving a lecture on "Treasures from the Vault: An Exploration of Beethoveniana from the Center's collection," First Thursday Lecture Series. Free (limited seating). Schiro Room, Fifth Floor, King Library.
November 2, 2006, 7:00-8:30 p.m. First Thursdays Series. The Cypress String Quartet will perform Beethoven's String Quartet in B-flat Major, opus 130, and George Tsontakis's new String Quartet No. 5 that was inspired by Beethoven's Late Quartets. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, Room 550. Free.
February 1, 2007, 7:00-8:30 p.m. First Thursdays Series. "Beethoven's English Connections: John Khouri on the Broadwood Fortepiano." A lecture performance featuring works by John Field, Johann Baptist Cramer, and Muzio Clementi performed on the Beethoven Center's Broadwood fortepiano built in 1823. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library.
Sunday, April 9, 2006. Master class with Menahem Pressler for the winners of the 20th Annual Young Pianists' Beethoven Competition.
Thursday, February 2, 2006, 7:30-9:00 p.m., Special Collections Program Room, Room 550, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library. Davitt Moroney, harpsichord.
September 1, 2005, 7:30 p.m. Room 550, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library. "The History of the Fortepiano and Its Rise to Prominence." A lecture-recital by Janine Johnson. First event in the "First Thursday" lecture series sponsored by the special collections of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library.
April 24, 2005. Master Class with Charles Rosen for winners of the 19th annual Young Pianist's Beethoven Competition.
2000-2004
April 10, 2004. Master class on Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas with Anton Kuerti. For winners of the 18th annual Young Pianist's Beethoven Competition.
Feb. 22, 2005. "Plucked or Struck?" Series. Eric Zivian, fortepianist.
Feb. 15, 2005. "Plucked or Struck?" Series. Erik Siverson, piano historian and technician.
Feb. 10, 2005. "Plucked or Struck?" Series. Laurette Goldberg, clavichord.
Aug. 16, 2003: Grand Opening Celebrations for the new Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library begin at 10:00 a.m. The Beethoven Center hosted the following programs that day:
- 1:00 p.m. Susan Kagan, President of the New York Chapter of the American Beethoven Society, performed the Bagatelles, Opus 126, on the Center's 1927 Steinway piano
- 2:00 p.m. Founder Ira Brilliant gave a short talk about "Collecting Beethoven Manuscripts and First Editions" and will speak about his vision of the future of the Center and Society
- 3:00 p.m. Bill Meredith, Director of the Beethoven Center, gave a demonstration on "Original Beethoven on Original Pianos" showing how the pianos of Beethoven's day are radically different from modern instruments
May 17, 2003. Master class on Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas with Ian Hobson. For the winners of the 17th Annual Young Pianist's Beethoven Competition.
May 4, 2002. Master class on Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas with Russell Sherman. For the winners of the 16th Annual Young Pianist's Beethoven Competition.
Saturday, April 21, 2001. Master class on Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas with Malcolm Bilson. For the winners of the 15th Annual Young Pianist's Beethoven Competition.
"Exploring Beethoven's Interior World: The Piano Sonatas." Four-lecture/concert series.
- Tuesday, April 3, 2001, 7:30-9:30 p.m. "Beethoven: His Hands and His Feet." Robert Taub, pianist, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. Location: Beethoven Center.
- Tuesday, April 10, 2001, 7:30-9:30 p.m. "The Nicknamed Sonatas: Pathètique, Moonlight, Waldstein, Appassionata." William Meredith, Director, Beethoven Center. Location: Beethoven Center.
- Tuesday, April 17, 2001, 7:30-9:30 p.m. "How Beethoven's Music Sounded on His Own Pianos." Laurel Brettell, pianist, performing the Sonata, Opus 27, no. 1, and William Meredith, Director, Beethoven Center. Location: Beethoven Center.
- Friday, April 20, 2001, 8:00 p.m. "The Key of Love: E Major and the Sonata, Opus 109." William Meredith. Location: SJSU Concert Hall. Pre-concert lecture for recital by Malcolm Bilson.
March 19, 2000. Master class on Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas with Robert Taub. For the winners of the 14th Annual Young Pianist's Beethoven Competition.
1995-1999
April 25, 1999. Master class on Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas with Seymour Lipkin. For the winners of the 13th Annual Young Pianist's Beethoven Competition.
March 25, April 1, April 8, and April 15, 1999. 6:30-8:00 p.m., Charlotte Wendel Education Center, San José Museum of Art. "Destination Beethoven: Four Road Maps to the Classics," four-part lecture series by Dr. Thomas Wendel, presented as a fund-raiser for the American Beethoven Society. Dr. Wendel guided listeners through the design of each of the standard four movements of the classical style (Haydn through Brahms) with an emphasis on the works of Beethoven.
February 21, 1999, 7:00 p.m. The Alexander String Quartet, presented by the San José Chamber Music Society. All-Beethoven concert. Exhibit from the collection of The Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies. Pre-concert lecture at 6:30 p.m. by Dr. William Meredith.
February 9, 1998. Dr. William Meredith, lecture on Beethoven's Fifth and Ninth Symphonies during WWII (fund-raiser for the Arts Council, College of Humanities and the Arts)
May 17, 1997. Daniel Pollack, piano. Master class on performing Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas, for the winners of the 11th Annual Young Pianist's Beethoven Competition.
May 18, 1996. Steven Lubin, piano. Master class on performing Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas, for the winners of the 10th Annual Young Pianist's Beethoven Competition.
April 8, 1995. Grant Johannesen, piano. Master class on performing Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas, for winners of 9th Annual Young Pianists' Beethoven Competition.
May 21, 1995. Thomas Wendel. Pre-concert lecture on Beethoven's string quartets for the Artaria String Quartet concert presented by the San Jose Chamber Music Society
February 5, 1995. William Meredith. Pre-concert lecture on Beethoven's string quartets for the Stanford String Quartet concert presented by the San Jose Chamber Music Society
January 15, 1995. Thomas Wendel. Pre-concert lecture on Beethoven's wind music for the Archor Chamber Players concert presented by the San Jose Chamber Music Society
1990-1994
November 13, 1994. William Meredith. Pre-concert lecture on Beethoven's fortepiano trios for the Streicher Trio concert presented by the San Jose Chamber Music Society
April 30, 1994. Christopher O'Riley, piano. Master class on performing Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas, for winners of 8th Annual Young Pianists' Beethoven Competition..
October 16-17, 1993. Program on Beethoven's violin concerto, sponsored by Musicosophia.
June 5, 1993. Yefim Bronfman, piano. Master class on performing Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas, for winners of 7th Annual Young Pianists' Beethoven Competition.
March 8, 1993. Harold Schonberg, New York Times music critic. Lecture on famous pianists' performances of Beethoven. Co-sponsored with the San Jose Symphony.
February 20, 1993. Thomas Wendel (American Beethoven Society). Pre-concert lecture on Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas.
January 31, 1993. William Meredith (Beethoven Center). Pre-concert lecture on Beethoven's Bagatelles and his compositional process.
October 18, 1992. William Meredith (Beethoven Center). Pre-concert lecture on Beethoven's violin sonatas.
May 2, 1992. Garrick Ohlsson, piano. Master class on performing Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas, for winners of 6th Annual Young Pianists' Beethoven Competition.
February 16, 1992. Susan Kagan (Hunter College, NY), piano. Lecture-Recital on Archduke Rudolph's Forty Variations on a Theme by Beethoven and Beethoven's Sonata in E minor, Opus 90.
July 22-26, 1991. William Meredith (Beethoven Center). Series of lectures on "Beethoven in the 90s" for Elderhostel participants.
April 16, 1991. William Meredith (Beethoven Center). Pre-concert lecture on "Beethoven in love."
April 6, 1991. Claude Frank, piano. Master class on performing Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas, for winners of 5th Annual Young Pianists' Beethoven Competition..
May 23, 1990. William Meredith (Beethoven Center). Lecture on Beethoven's 8th and 9th symphonies.
April 25, 1990. Alfred Kanwischer, pianist and teacher. Lecture on Beethoven's 6th and 7th symphonies.
April 17, 1990. Owen Jander (Wellesley College). Slide demonstration and lecture on "Orpheus and Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto."
March 21, 1990. William George (San Jose State University). Lecture on Beethoven's 4th and 5th symphonies.
February 28, 1990. Thomas Wendel (San Jose State University). Lecture on Beethoven's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd symphonies.
February 10, 1990. Malcolm Bilson, piano. Master class on performing Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas, for winners of 4th Annual Young Pianists' Beethoven Competition.
1985-1990
February 18, 1989. Richard Goode, piano. Master class on performing Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas, for winners of 3rd Annual Young Pianists' Beethoven Competition..
November 17, 1988. Barry Cooper (University of Aberdeen, Scotland). Lecture/demonstration on his realization of the first movement of the 10th symphony.
September 10, 1988. Lowell Greer (Professor of Horn, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor). Master classes on the construction and acoustical properties of the 18th-century horn.
May 21, 1988. Alfred Kanwischer, piano. Master class on performing Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas, for winners of 2nd Annual Young Pianists' Beethoven Competition..
March 24, 1988. Eric Hoeprich (Trio d'Amsterdam). Master class on the 18th-century clarinet and performance practices.
October 12, 1987. Judith Nelson (Berkeley, CA), soprano. Master class on the performance of 18th-century vocal music.
April 18, 1987. Joerg Demus (Vienna), fortepiano. Master class on performing Beethoven's fortepiano sonatas, for winners of 1st Annual Young Pianists' Beethoven Competition..
February 9, 1987. Trio dAmsterdam (Eric Hoeprich, Baroque clarinet; Tanya Tomkins, cello; Stanley Hoogland, fortepiano). Lecture on the 18th-century forms of the clarinet.
June 19, 1986. Anner Bylsma (The Netherlands), Baroque cello, and Malcolm Bilson (Cornell University), fortepiano. Lecture and demonstration on "Performing Beethoven's music for violoncello and fortepiano on original instruments."
April 15, 1986. William Meredith (Beethoven Center) with pianists Carol Hess, Rosemary Caviglia, and Mark Anderson. Lecture and master class on Beethoven's late fortepiano sonatas. (Sponsored by the Music Teachers' Association of California, Palo Alto Branch).
September 22, 1985. Jacob Lateiner (Juilliard), piano. Lecture and demonstration on "Humor in the music of Beethoven."
