Classical Music Agenda: concerts in the Netherlands and Flanders

Lapiano Creative Sessions

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 11:00:00 GMT

An afternoon filled with concerts by piano talents De Opening Prepare to be amazed by twelve dynamic concerts by Lapiano students, full of musicality, creativity, and expression. During this concert day, students and local creators showcase what they have been working on with dedication and joy. From piano pieces to original compositions and songs: every […]

Classical Music Mini Course

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Tickets

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven

Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons is more than just music. It is a vivid musical illustration, capturing life and nature throughout four adventurous seasons… All four concertos teem with living creatures and dramatic events. Within the music, you can discover citizens suffering from the biting cold and scorching heat, piercingly chirping birds, sighing winds, annoyingly barking dogs, dancing shepherds, dizzy, drunken peasants, buzzing mosquitoes and flies, and so much more… But how do you actually recognize these characters in the music? Today, you will discover the special musical ingredients Vivaldi used to bring them to life. Each of the four sessions will focus on one specific concerto, spotlighting a single season at a time. The course will follow the original order of the composition: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Together, we will listen to the music, discuss the key musical moments, identify the characters and scenes, and analyze Vivaldi’s clever tricks. Tricks that spark our imagination and bring the entire landscape to life. No prior musical knowledge is required, and the sessions can be followed independently. The mini-course will be conducted in English.

Candlelight Concerts: Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 16:30:00 GMT

Tickets

Kleine zaal

Candlelight Concerts bring the magic of live music by candlelight to Muziekgebouw Eindhoven! Experience the music of Vivaldi under the warm glow of candlelight.

Philzuid

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Tickets

Kleine zaal

Family concert (4+) De Opening In The Escaped Note you can hear what is involved in making music together. Philzuid is a versatile orchestra for everyone. They usually play their family concerts with the full orchestra, but even with a small ensemble they know how to enchant young listeners with beautiful music and compelling stories. […]

Philzuid

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Tickets: €19.50

TU Eindhoven

At Philsurround, you’re not sitting at a distance. You’re sitting in the orchestra. The musicians are in a circle around you, with the conductor in the middle. The music moves around you, above you, past you. Every note, every breath, every vibration comes close. You don’t just hear what’s being played, you feel it. The warmth of the strings. The power of the brass. The tension that fills the room when everything comes together. Together with other listeners, you experience this moment from within, as if you were part of the orchestra itself. What once began as a one-off anniversary idea has grown into a concert format that people come back for especially. This season, Philsurround will feature a beautiful symphonic program conducted by Robert Kahn. The impact is guaranteed. So step into the music, let yourself be carried away, and go home with a different feeling.

Candlelight Concerts: A Tribute to Hans Zimmer

Sun, 06 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tickets

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Candlelight Concerts bring the magic of live music by candlelight to Muziekgebouw Eindhoven! This evening, the string quartet Magic Strings presents a tribute to Hans Zimmer. Enjoy iconic film scores from movies like Pirates of the Caribbean, Wonder Woman, The Lion King, and Gladiator under the warm glow of candlelight.

Candlelight Concerts: Coldplay vs. Ed Sheeran

Sun, 06 Sep 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets

Kleine zaal

Candlelight Concerts bring the magic of live music by candlelight to Muziekgebouw Eindhoven!

Candlelight Concerts: The Best of Ludovico Einaudi

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:45:00 GMT

Tickets

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Candlelight Concerts bring the magic of live music by candlelight to Muziekgebouw Eindhoven! Tonight’s concert features the most famous piano works of Ludovico Einaudi. Enjoy “Primavera,” “Una Mattina,” and “Divenire” under the warm glow of candlelight.

Candlelight Concerts: The best of Ludovico Einaudi

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Tickets

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Candlelight Concerts bring the magic of live music by candlelight to Muziekgebouw Eindhoven! Tonight’s concert features the most iconic piano works by Ludovico Einaudi. Enjoy “Primavera,” “Una Mattina,” and “Divenire” under the warm glow of candlelight.

Brul Gevaar! Tijger Orkest

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Tickets: €8 – €12

Tweede Foyer

For children from 4 years old Pancake Concert The pop music show that gets the entire audience roaring at the top of their lungs! This concert is entirely spoken in Dutch. Sometimes you just want to roar. Because it’s your birthday, the sun is shining, and you’re allowed to have three scoops of ice cream. […]

Course: Well-tuned Ears

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 17:30:00 GMT

Tickets

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (M)

Would you like to get more out of classical pieces and feel more engaged during concerts? Or do you want to understand classical music better? In this course, music theorist Asja Zakhareva interactively shows you the ‘games’ composers have hidden in their music. Discover how to unravel these puzzles and let yourself be carried away by the emotions and humor embedded within the pieces. In this way, classical music becomes not only understandable, but an enrichment of your daily life. This is what you can expect: Part 1: Wed 16 sep 2026: The first session uncovers three listening principles that have been scientifically proven to help get the greatest emotional impact from pieces. Part 2: Wed 23 sep 2026: The second session explores compositions from the 16th through to the 20th century welcoming our creative imagination to thrive. Part 3: Wed 7 oct 2026: The third session explains how emotions in music have evolved over time, and how can we benefit from this knowledge as listeners. Part 4: Wed 14 oct 2026: The fourth session shares strategies helping to maintain focus and build an exciting curiosity for what is coming next. Four interactive evenings filled with music and interactivity in which learning-by-doing is the key. (English-taught course, no prior knowledge required) Reviews: ”I liked the course as it is quite a beginner-friendly and easy to follow! I enjoyed a lot the good balance between theory and examples. I think examples were very well chosen.” ”I liked the scheme with three aspects + all the examples and explanations. And more important, your enthusiasm and your love of the music.” ”I loved it! A bit of history, a bit of Music Theory while just playing with the piece and elements of the different eras using fun techniques. The presenter was very engaging, kind, knowledgeable & fun!”

Matteo Myderwyk

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €15

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (M)

Following the arrival of three new Steinway & Sons concert grand pianos for the Hertog Jan Hall and the Small Hall, MgE has now also welcomed a new Yamaha concert grand to M. Renowned for its exceptionally wide tonal palette, the instrument is ideally suited to jazz, pop, contemporary music and crossover performances. The festive presentation will be given by Dutch pianist and composer Matteo Myderwyk. During this special concert, he will perform music from his new album “Nocturnal Blues:” a collection of impressionistic nocturnes inspired by the night and the sound worlds of Debussy and Ravel. With his adventurous playing style, he will showcase everything the new Yamaha concert grand has to offer. The arrival of this new instrument was preceded by a carefully considered selection process. Together with Turkish-Dutch pianist and composer Elif Murat, MgE travelled to Hamburg to select one instrument from several Yamaha concert grands. The choice fell on a piano with an exceptionally versatile character, making it a wonderful complement to the venue’s Steinway & Sons concert grands. Throughout the selection process, MgE was supported by Van Hoorn Piano’s, its trusted partner for the tuning and maintenance of its concert grands. The purchase of the new Yamaha concert grand was made possible by the Municipality of Eindhoven, whose support helps further strengthen MgE’s musical infrastructure.

De letterliedjes show

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Tickets: €8 – €12

Tweede Foyer

For children from 6 years old Pancake Concert Step into the world of letters, sounds, and music during De letterliedjes show! This concert is entirely spoken in Dutch. Ramón and Stefan bring you an interactive, cheerful, and educational De letterliedjes show you won’t want to miss! Inspired by the popular Schooltv program Letterliedjes. Sing along […]

Arne Jesper Zeller

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 12:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €24 – €36

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

As a six-year-old boy, Arne Jesper Zeller (Germany, 2006) picked up the cello and never put it down again. His career has been going from strength to strength. At a young age, he studied with the best teachers and won many competitions. His latest trophy was first prize and the audience prize at the International Cello Competition in Budapest in 2025. The year before, he won the International Pablo Casals Prize. All these great results have taken him all over the world, including to Muziekgebouw Eindhoven. Arne Zeller is praised for his seemingly ‘easy’ playing, with which he performs Bach, Mendelssohn, and Weinberg, to name just three different genres. With the works of Mendelssohn and Schumann, the cellist, accompanied by Italian pianist Jacopo Giovannini, embarks on a romantic journey. Mendelssohn’s Second Sonata is beloved for its Adagio, in which the composer was inspired by a chorale by Johann Sebastian Bach, whom he admired. Schumann’s Fünf Stücke im Volkston are lovely vignettes that have already found their way into the hearts of audiences in many arrangements. With Bridge’s Sonata, the cellist and pianist take a trip to England, where the teacher of the famous Benjamin Britten wrote his Sonata under the concerns of the First World War.

Philzuid

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 12:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €32 – €59

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Philzuid shines a spotlight on a number of symphonic pioneers. Featuring on the main menu is the mystical vision Le Poème de l’Extase by the Russian composer Alexander Scriabin. An endless world of sound unfolds. At the beginning of the twentieth century, composers sought a deeper expressiveness. The boundaries of recognizable tonal reality were poetically expanded. Composers from all over Europe revealed new dimensions in sound, rhythm, and structure. One of the absolute masterpieces of that period is Le Poème de l’Extase by the Russian composer Alexander Scriabin. As never before, Scriabin plays with lush harmonies and timbres. Dream music for the inside of your eyes. Scriabin intensely believed that music has the power to change the world. In his Le Poème de l’Extase, Scriabin is inspired by Theosophy. According to this religious doctrine, man possesses mystical powers that enable us to break free from physical, earthly existence, on the way to a higher level of being. Scriabin’s work culminates in a joyful hymn to life, in which the human soul reaches for the highest. The First Violin Concerto by the Polish composer Karol Szymanowski is rarely experienced in concert halls. In this five-movement work, the well-traveled Szymanowski experiments with Oriental timbres and exotic soundscapes. For half an hour, the listener feels transported to another world. The violin soloist is given ample opportunity to showcase their talent in several genuine, romantic passages. With her kaleidoscopic sound palette, this modern tour de force is perfectly suited to ‘Laureate of the Queen Elizabeth Competition’ Sylvia Huang. A true violinist who enjoys unearthing undiscovered violin gems and is also making waves with her GoYa Quartet Amsterdam. In between, the impressionistic genius Maurice Ravel provides a veritable feast of color. For his dance-like Valses nobles et sentimentales, the French master subtly turns the waltz inside out, creating, in passing, one of his most delightful compositions.

Round 2: Ten.Solo.Percussion

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €22

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

One evening, one stage, ten of the world’s best young percussionists. Round 2 is the classical heart of the TROMP Percussion Competition: a recital evening built around a repertoire carefully chosen by the jury. This is where you hear what each artist does with the music itself. Same selection, ten interpretations, and every one of them brings its own colors, its own ideas, its own choices. The notes on the page stay the same. What each player finds in them doesn’t. It all happens in the Recital Hall of Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, ten outstanding artists side by side across a single evening, each one making the music entirely their own. TROMP International Percussion Competition 2026 The TROMP International Percussion Competition 2026 takes place from 19 to 27 September 2026 in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. This biennial event is regarded worldwide as the leading competition for solo percussion and offers a platform to some of the most talented young percussionists from around the globe. For the 2026 edition, TROMP has redesigned the format to place greater emphasis on the artists’ individual creative identity. The Main Competition (TIPC 2026) brings together ten selected top-level performers who travel to Eindhoven to present their own unique artistic programs, ranging from classical to electronic and contemporary music. Round 1 consists of ten 35-minute recitals, where audiences are free to move between three immersive spaces. Round 2 is a classical recital evening, where all ten artists perform the same jury-selected repertoire, each offering a distinct personal interpretation. Round 3 transforms the Paterskerk into a continuous soundscape, with musicians positioned throughout the space as the audience moves freely between them. The central work is Seismisms by Yannis Kyriakides. The Final features three finalists collaborating with an artistic team to create a personal 35-minute recital, including a world premiere by Malika Kishino and specially commissioned material by Genevieve Murphy.

Nancy Zeltsman ontmoet CvA Percussion & Chopin University

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 10:30:00 GMT

Tickets: €5

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Take a break right in the middle of the festival and unwind surrounded by music. During this intimate lunchtime concert, Nancy Zeltsman brings together students from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and the Chopin University of Music for an acoustic and deeply personal experience. Together, they will perform music from Zeltsman’s album Drinking Water —intimate and crystal clear. No grand stage, no fuss; just the marimba and a room full of listeners. You don’t need to know anything about percussion to come and enjoy. Drop in during your lunch break, stay for the whole set, and let it become the most relaxing hour of your day. After the concert A lunchtime concert is, of course, not complete without a delicious lunch. After the concert, enjoy a flavorful homemade soup and freshly baked bread in the Stadsfoyer. You can add this directly to your ticket!

Round 3: Postcards to the Future

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Tickets: €19.50

Paterskerk

Walk into a cathedral turned into a percussion world. Step inside the Paterskerk, one of Eindhoven’s most beautiful spaces, and you enter what feels like a living artwork. Ten percussionists perform around you, spread through the church, and there’s no stage to sit in front of. You move freely between them, at your own pace, through a whole landscape of sound. The common thread is a single piece: Seismisms by Yannis Kyriakides. It’s the challenge we set every competitor, one composition handed to ten artists, and each one turns it into something entirely their own. Ten readings of the same work, filling the same space, all at once. Walk, pause, listen, and feel how the architecture and the percussion fold into one another. Then, as the round closes, the three finalists are revealed. TROMP International Percussion Competition The TROMP International Percussion Competition 2026 takes place from 19 to 27 September 2026 in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. This biennial event is regarded worldwide as the leading competition for solo percussion and offers a platform to some of the most talented young percussionists from around the globe. For the 2026 edition, TROMP has redesigned the format to place greater emphasis on the artists’ individual creative identity. The Main Competition (TIPC 2026) brings together ten selected top-level performers who travel to Eindhoven to present their own unique artistic programs, ranging from classical to electronic and contemporary music. Round 1 consists of ten 35-minute recitals, where audiences are free to move between three immersive spaces. Round 2 is a classical recital evening, where all ten artists perform the same jury-selected repertoire, each offering a distinct personal interpretation. Round 3 transforms the Paterskerk into a continuous soundscape, with musicians positioned throughout the space as the audience moves freely between them. The central work is Seismisms by Yannis Kyriakides. The Final features three finalists collaborating with an artistic team to create a personal 35-minute recital, including a world premiere by Malika Kishino and specially commissioned material by Genevieve Murphy.

Queen Symphonic

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €49 – €59

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

In their home country of the Czech Republic, Michael Kluch and his band Queenie have been playing to sold-out audiences for years, and they’re also incredibly popular abroad. In 2023, the band gave a spectacular show at Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, and in 2026 they’re returning, along with the symphony orchestra The Magic Strings and Friends! Sing and dance along to “We Will Rock You,” “The Show Must Go On,” and of course, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” All the hits will be featured! This won’t just be a concert; the band and orchestra will deliver a tribute and a party with guitars, drums, keyboards, violins, cellos, and brass. It’s going to be a true spectacle!

Johannes Fischer meets Boston Conservatory at Berklee & ESART

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:30:00 GMT

Tickets: €5

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Pause in the middle of the festival for an hour of music that crosses borders. This lunch concert brings German percussionist Johannes Fischer together with students from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and ESART Portugal. Fischer is one of the leading voices in contemporary classical percussion, a professor at the Musikhochschule Lübeck who plays all over the world. Here he shares the stage with young musicians from two top conservatories, with talent from Europe, the United States and Portugal meeting in a single room for one focused hour. You don’t need to know a thing about percussion to love it. Wander in on your lunch break, stay for the whole set, and let it be the easiest, most beautiful hour of your day. After the concert A lunchtime concert is, of course, not complete without a delicious lunch. After the concert, enjoy a flavorful homemade soup and freshly baked bread in the Stadsfoyer. You can add this directly to your ticket!

Philzuid

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €32 – €59

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Le Sacre du Printemps by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky is one of the most revolutionary works ever written. During the TROMP Competition, Philzuid links this milestone to spectacular work by Toru Takemitsu. As part of the TROMP Competition, Philzuid is breathing new life into several masterpieces from the twentieth century. Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps is an essential part of the main program. The unprecedented power of Stravinsky’s majestic spring sacrifice still captures the imagination. The dance-like primal rhythm and emotional, melodic sound language of Le Sacre has inspired countless composers. In 1913, a young Stravinsky completed his masterpiece, commissioned by the powerful Russian impresario Sergei Diaghilev and in collaboration with choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky. The ballet and the music made for a sensational premiere. The pagan dance ritual in which a young girl dances herself to death for the gods made a big impression on the posh Parisian audience. The asymmetrical, pounding rhythms still touch everyone deeply in their soul. Stravinsky’s big bang is accompanied by two kindred, ritualistic orchestral works. The atmospheric rainbow tones of Claude Debussy’s Prelude l’après-midi d’un faune set an unheard-of dream world ablaze. This absolute signature work by Debussy is impressionist music par excellence. Music full of color nuances that you really have to experience live, just like the percussion spectacle From me flows what you call time by Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu. In his oeuvre, Takemitsu combines the Zen spirit of Japanese music with the Western classical tradition and impressionism. This meditative disposition is clearly audible in this exceptional concerto for five percussionists and orchestra. Takemitsu wrote From me flows what you call time on commission for the centenary of Carnegie Hall New York in 1990. In this serene work, the five percussionists represent the elements of nature: water, fire, earth, wind, and air. The entire hall is immersed in a magical sound ritual. Five percussionists led by specialist Dominique Vleeshouwers take on the challenge together with Philzuid. In collaboration with Tromp Percussion.

Home of the Creators

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Tickets: €15

Kleine zaal

An evening where the next generation takes over the stage TROMP Percussion Expect an evening that moves far beyond a traditional concert format: intimate solo moments, bold sonic experiments, personal artistic statements, and unexpected collaborations. In 2024, Yuan Xia from China, SeongYeon Kong from South Korea, and Miguel Traquina from Portugal captivated audiences during the […]

DAUW

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Tickets: €16

Where listening becomes another form of attention. TROMP Percussion TROMP invites you to slow down, listen deeply, and experience percussion in an entirely different way. DAUW invites you to slow down. Not through silence itself, but by directing your hearing toward how sound moves, breathes, and gradually fills the space. Each session begins with a […]

TROMP 2026 Final & Award Ceremony

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Tickets: €26

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

What happens when you give three international percussionists just three days to create an entirely new recital together with composers, musicians, and a visual artist? On September 27, you’ll see the result: three personal 35-minute programs filled with new works, live collaboration, and world premieres. The TROMP Final is not an evening where the same pieces are performed side by side. Each finalist creates their own artistic universe, developed in collaboration with the renowned Dutch ensemble Het Muziek, Japanese composer Malika Kishino, Scottish dramaturg and creator Genevieve Murphy, and visual artist Jurjen Alkema. The result: three world premieres in a single afternoon.| At the heart of each program is a new composition by Malika Kishino for solo percussion and ensemble. In addition, Genevieve Murphy creates material specifically tailored to each soloist. The outcome is three completely distinct experiences that reveal not only how someone plays, but, more importantly, who they are as an artist. During the TROMP Percussion Final, everything comes together. Audiences, creators, programmers, and international professionals experience how percussionists work across disciplines with the very latest artistic developments, presented in one of the Netherlands’ most distinctive concert halls. It is an afternoon in which new music comes into being before your eyes, where artistic choices become visible, and where the future of percussion unfolds live on stage.

InAlto

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €29 – €65

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

You must hear the Vespro della Beata Vergine at least once in your life, the Marian Vespers by Claudio Monteverdi. According to many, this theatrical hymn of praise is the most beautiful music of the early Baroque period. The Belgian baroque ensemble InAlto, which recorded the work on CD, assembled as many authentic instruments as possible to recreate the original sound of this deeply moving music. For example, they use a copy of an organ from 1578 that represents the sound which must once have inspired Monteverdi. The character of the various, often soloistic chants ranges from simple Gregorian chant to richly woven polyphony. InAlto approaches this music in a chamber-music spirit, singing and playing without a conductor. Monteverdi’s music represents the transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque. He was among the first to compose operas, and his affinity for the genre is clearly audible in this sacred work. He colors the music through the use of early wind instruments such as cornett and trombone, alongside the customary string instruments, including the viole da braccio (arm violin). The Marian Vespers were dedicated to Pope Paul V. Monteverdi himself traveled to Rome to present them to the Pope, using the Vespers to apply for a position at the papal chapel. He did not obtain that post, but he was appointed maestro di cappella at St Mark’s Basilica in Venice.

Elizabeth Goh

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 10:30:00 GMT

Tickets: €4

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Singaporean pianist Elizabeth Goh is known for her adventurous musical approach. She plays both the classical concert grand piano and the toy piano, using her remarkable imagination to open up new worlds of sound. Elizabeth is currently in her second year of her master’s program at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where she is mentored by David Kuyken, Frank van de Laar, and Ralph van Raat. Among other achievements, she won second prize at the Schimmel International Piano Competition in Germany and was selected as a finalist for Dutch Classical Talent 2026/2027. In this lunchtime concert, the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur. Compositions by Mattias Spee and Appollon Kalamenios, storytelling, and a mime artist come together in a recital that invites reflection on the role of imagination in a turbulent world. After the concert A lunchtime concert is, of course, not complete without a delicious lunch. After the concert, enjoy a flavorful homemade soup and freshly baked bread in the Stadsfoyer. You can add this directly to your ticket! Program Music by Escher, Gubaidulina, Crumb, and others, as well as new works by Mattias Spee & Appolon Kalamenios

Boris Giltburg

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €27 – €65

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Boris Giltburg played an indispensable role when Muziekgebouw Eindhoven selected three new concert grand pianos in Hamburg. Tonight, Boris Giltburg will play two of the new pianos for the first time since the Steinways arrived at Muziekgebouw: one piano before the interval and one after. In 2013, the Russian/Israeli pianist won one of the most difficult piano competitions in the world, the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels. Since then, he has enjoyed a successful career. Giltburg is summoning all his strength for a programme featuring music from Bach to Rachmaninov. This is more or less a cross-section of the piano repertoire. Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit is a great challenge for any pianist: one of the most difficult pieces in the piano literature. Ravel based it on three poems. He himself said of his music, which is fantastic in many ways: ‘Gaspard was a real devil during its creation, but that is only logical because it was he who wrote the poems.’

Candlelight Concerts: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 17:15:00 GMT

Tickets

Paterskerk (DomusDela)

Candlelight Concerts bring the magic of live music by candlelight to the Paterskerk! Experience the music of Vivaldi and more during this extended concert in the warm glow of candlelight.

Noé Inui

Sun, 04 Oct 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Tickets: €24 – €36

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

He is the master of the suites for just one instrument: Johann Sebastian Bach. It is a demanding genre in which the musician must inevitably expose themselves. Violinist Noé Inui takes on the challenge with Bach’s First and Second Suites and with Violin Sonata No. 6 by the Belgian Eugène Ysaÿe (1858–1931), written in the spirit of Bach. Both Bach’s suites — of which the magnificent final movement of No. 2, the Chaconne, has taken on a life of its own — and Ysaÿe’s acrobatic sonata reveal the violin in all its possibilities and give the soloist the opportunity to shine in musical virtuosity. Like Bach, Ysaÿe wrote six solo sonatas, but unlike Bach he dedicated each of them to admired friends and contemporaries. The sixth was dedicated to the Spanish violinist and composer Manuel Quiroga, which explains the Spanish influences, such as the clearly recognisable Habanera. All six sonatas are fiendishly difficult, full of double stops, lightning-fast finger work and demanding challenges for intonation. Ysaÿe wrote his sonatas in 1923 in a very short period of time. It is said that he took only a single day to compose them. In any case, it is impressive that he managed to give each sonata its own character.

Philzuid

Sun, 04 Oct 2026 12:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €32 – €59

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

With his War Requiem, Benjamin Britten wrote a timeless and moving mass for all war victims. Philzuid pulls out all the stops for a top-notch performance. The horrors of both world wars were unprecedented. Even now, we live in a time of armed conflict. In 1962, composer Benjamin Britten completed a moving requiem for all war victims, past and present. His War Requiem touches the heart and soul. Britten produced an impressive work for three vocal soloists, choirs, organ, and large orchestra. The inspiration for his requiem was the rebuilt Coventry Cathedral, which had been so badly damaged during World War II. On November 14, 1940, virtually the whole of Coventry was reduced to ashes by German bombing, including the monumental cathedral. By some miracle, the tower and spire were spared. In 1962, the new St. Michael’s Cathedral was finally rebuilt and Britten’s hour-and-a-half-long mass was performed during the official opening. As a staunch pacifist and humanist, Britten saw his new requiem as the perfect outlet for all his emotions. It soon became clear that the War Requiem would become one of Britten’s most important compositions. Britten chose the Latin requiem mass as the basis for his War Requiem. But his requiem is given wings by the brilliant poetry of poet and soldier Wilfred Owen. His personal, poignant poems leave nothing to the imagination. Owen was in the midst of the devastating trench warfare during the First World War and he penetrates deeply into the pain of this futile war. At a time when the Netherlands and the world are once again cheerfully arming themselves, Britten’s music and Owen’s poetry raise a warning finger. For this monumental performance, Philzuid is joining forces with the Groot Omroepkoor, Studium Chorale, and Schola Puerorum choirs to perform Britten’s masterpiece.

Tenebrae Choir

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €25 – €45

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Experience the absolute pinnacle of choral music. Described as “phenomenal” (The Times) and “devastatingly beautiful” (Gramophone Magazine), the award-winning British choir Tenebrae is one of the world’s leading vocal ensembles. Under the direction of Nigel Short, Tenebrae dives into the turbulent history of sixteenth-century Tudor England—a time when the country was torn between allegiance to Catholic Rome and a rising Protestant nationalism. While William Byrd and Thomas Tallis top the Tudor charts today, Tenebrae proves that their contemporaries Robert White and William Mundy deserve the exact same acclaim. As the ultimate specialists in British polyphony, the singers reveal the deep, spiritual conviction of this era. Allow yourself to be swept away by the monumental motets of Mundy and White, a masterful mass by Byrd, and Tallis’ deeply moving anthem If ye love me.

Bamberger Symphoniker

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €29 – €85

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Bamberg, in northern Bavaria. Not a metropolis, indeed a small town, but… Here, in 1946, members of the German Philharmonic Orchestra Prague and other Bohemian and Moravian musicians met, people who had been driven from their homes by the war. It was decided to establish a new orchestra. Since then the orchestra has become synonymous with the town of Bamberg: more than 10% of its inhabitants hold a subscription to the Bamberger Symphoniker. This top orchestra, with its distinctive dark, rounded and radiant sound, became one of the most widely travelled in the world and has performed in more than 500 cities worldwide. With the Japanese-American Midori as soloist, it joins forces with one of the greatest violinists of our time. ‘One in E minor is racing through my mind,’ Mendelssohn reported in a letter to a friend in 1838. He meant that a new violin concerto was in his head and would not let him go. And so a concerto was born that represents the most graceful side of Romanticism. Bruckner’s thoughts also worked overtime, but this time for his Ninth Symphony. That was less pleasant: he never managed to complete its finale. For that reason only the first three movements are usually performed – which, from Bruckner’s pen, remains a mighty experience. The Bamberger Symphoniker are the ideal interpreters of the German Romantic repertoire: ‘For here something has been achieved that rarely succeeds: opening up not only emotional but also intellectual spaces through music’ (Süddeutsche Zeitung).

Philzuid

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €32 – €59

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Music has an unparalleled ability to uplift and inspire people. Philzuid overwhelms with Stravinsky’s Firebird and Elgar’s Cello Concerto. With his sublime Firebird suite, Igor Stravinsky puts every listener into a trance. The turbulent heartbeat of this music leaves no one untouched. In 1910, the Firebird ballet composition marked the big breakthrough for the young daredevil Stravinsky. Full of bravado, he immediately completed a masterpiece for the legendary impresario Sergei Diaghilev of the Ballets Russes dance company. The flaming feathers of the mythical Firebird still capture the imagination. The fairy-tale myth behind the composition is not really that important. The Firebird is the secret weapon in the battle against the cruel magician Kashchei. But that same Firebird also symbolizes victory, resurrection, and a radical new beginning. In the compelling score, Stravinsky expresses awakening and ignition with a range of magnificent melodies, culminating in a thunderous finale that is guaranteed to send shivers down the listener’s spine. Edward Elgar’s renowned Cello Concerto evokes the same feverish sensation. Soul-stirringly beautiful cellomusic that is the holy grail for every solo cellist. Completed in 1919, the cello concerto would be the last large-scale orchestral work that Elgar ever completed. For Elgar, it was the perfect way to process the horrors of the First World War and transform them into healing sounds. Sixty years ago, Elgar’s soulful concerto gained worldwide fame when British cellist Jacqueline du Pré took the work to a new dimension. From that moment on, this renowned cello concerto has become the Olympus for every true cellist. In four movements, Elgar covers the entire emotional palette. Now Philzuid has enlisted Belgian-Israeli cellist Liav Kerbel to color Elgar’s dream score with freshness and imagination. Kerbel has previously shared the stage with stars such as Mischa Maisky and Maxim Vengerov. Philzuid gives free rein to the young Finnish conducting talent Emilia Hoving. To complete the program, Hoving and Philzuid surprise with radiant 20th-century soundscapes for orchestra by the British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams and the Czech composer Vítezslava Kaprálová, who died young.

Vassilis Varvaresos & Iordanis Arzoglou

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Tickets: €24 – €36

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

In 2025, Muziekgebouw Eindhoven acquired two new Steinway grand pianos, an event that occurs only once every ten years. Two grands do not often appear together on stage, so this concert offers a rare opportunity to hear them in all their glory. Behind the pianos are the Greek pianists Vassilis Varvaresos and Iordanis Arzoglou. The programme features arrangements for two pianos of concertos by Kevin Puts (USA, 1972) and Frédéric Chopin. Varvaresos is a widely respected pianist and very familiar with the Romantic piano repertoire. The question “can an entire Chopin concerto really be performed on two grand pianos?” therefore raises little doubt: if Varvaresos says yes, then it certainly can. In his beloved Second Piano Concerto, Chopin chose above all the lyricism of the notes, with virtuosity as an immediate second. The American composer Kevin Puts does something similar. With ‘Night’, the Pulitzer Prize winner created a dreamy and lyrical concerto in which he does not shy away from tonality, yet neither does he actively pursue it. There are no grand themes that lodge themselves in your ears, no heroic displays of force, but rather a search for where orchestra and piano can meet in sound, colour and structure. Puts wrote the work for his fellow American, the pianist, conductor and teacher Jeffrey Cohen.

Fresku & Metropole Orkest

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €36.50

Hertog Jan Zaal

Fresku celebrates his 40th Birthday in his hometown! Together with the Metropole Orkest he will present their new project "Hand on My Heart."

Van Baerle Trio & Isabelle van Keulen

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €27 – €49

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

The Vienna Musikverein, the Barbican Centre in London, the Cité de la Musique in Paris, L’Auditori in Barcelona, and the Cologne Philharmonic: the Van Baerle Trio has performed in venues like these. It has made a name for itself since its founding in 2004. The musicians met at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, located on Van Baerlestraat. They were greatly inspired by the lessons and masterclasses of Dmitri Ferschtman and Menahem Pressler, former figurehead of the Beaux Arts Trio. Top violinist Isabelle van Keulen joins this grand trio for optimal performances of Mozart and Schumann piano quartets. It’s hard to imagine, but it’s true: once upon a time, a publisher was dissatisfied with Mozart. He commissioned a series of three quartets for piano and strings, but the publisher found the first two so difficult and complex that he abandoned the third. Mozart was ahead of his time in this respect, taking a step towards Romanticism, and these pieces are among his most profound works. Ernst von Dohnányi is not well-known outside his native Hungary, but his string trio is a classic and utterly captivating. Schumann wrote his only piano quartet during his so-called “chamber music year,” 1842, when he fully embraced this genre.

Maestro Jules presents

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €35

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Before the intermission, Maestro Jules takes you on an informal, interactive journey of discovery. Live-performed musical excerpts are combined with projections, sharp observations and recurring audience favorites such as the Toaster Quiz and the hot seats, actively involving the audience in what they hear and see. After the intermission, the piece is performed in full. The musicians appear in concert attire, the projections serve as a visual guide, and the audience experiences the music with new ears — with greater focus, greater recognition and a stronger emotional impact, without getting lost in the larger whole.

Philzuid

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €32 – €59

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Autumn is in full swing, but Philzuid warms hearts with orchestral masterpieces by Ravel, Saint-Saëns, and Franck. Symphonic music with a delightful twist. Twentieth-century composer Maurice Ravel and other innovators cheerfully flouted the rules. They turned the symphonic concert form upside down and made music history. Ravel, for example, created unexpected sound poetry full of fairy-tale images. His suite Ma Mere l’Oye (Mother Goose) began as an intimate piano work for four hands, but grew into an enchanting orchestral work. In this five-part work, Ravel takes us through the world of classic fairy tales by Perrault and others. From Sleeping Beauty to Beauty and the Beast, the composer conjured up a dream world that is both childishly innocent and adult sophistication with subtle timbres and refined orchestration, Ravel conjured up a dream world that is both childishly innocent and maturely sophisticated. Ravel originally wrote his Piano Concerto for the Left Hand for the legendary one-armed pianist Paul Wittgenstein. This scion of the renowned Wittgenstein family (his younger brother Ludwig is a famous philosopher) lost his right arm during the First World War. Countless composers, including Britten and Prokofiev, subsequently wrote piano works for him, purely for the left hand. Ravel’s sparkling piano concerto for the left hand has become one of the French impressionist’s most popular works. Especially for Philzuid, pianist Jonathan Fournel, winner of the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition 2021, will be putting his left hand to work. Philzuid complements the program with the wildly popular Danse macabre and the lesser-known Bacchanale by Camille Saint-Saëns. A special curiosity is César Franck’s rarely performed symphonic poem Le chasseur maudit. In this suspenseful work, Franck sets to music the demonic hunt for a cursed count.

Pynarello

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €23 – €35

Kleine zaal

Pynarello and Jochem Stavenuiter bring Pulcinella to life in a performance where baroque, Stravinsky, and theater challenge each other.

Hadewych van Gent

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 10:30:00 GMT

Tickets: €4

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Hadewych van Gent is a Dutch cellist and singer who has developed a musical language all her own, in which voice and cello merge into a single expressive instrument. She studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she was named a Bicentenary Scholar and received a full scholarship. Hadewych has won several awards, including a nomination for the 2025 Grachtenfestival Prize, and has collaborated with leading musicians such as Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Plínio Fernandes. In her program, she explores the ancient roots of folk music and demonstrates how these traditions resonate in contemporary compositions. Old melodies and new sounds merge in an intimate performance in which her voice and cello alternate and reinforce each other. The result is a musical journey that brings to life the universal urge to make music. After the concert A lunchtime concert is, of course, not complete without a delicious lunch. After the concert, enjoy a flavorful homemade soup and freshly baked bread in the Stadsfoyer. You can add this directly to your ticket! Program Music by Hildegard von Bingen, Rebecca Clarke, and Fazıl Say

Geert Mak, Ramon van Engelenhoven en Taylor Burgess

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €24 – €36

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

At the end of the 1920s, the American stock market crashed, plunging the United States into a deep financial crisis. Misery was widespread, industrial production stagnated, unemployment rose to twenty-five per cent, and democracy was under pressure. Franklin D. Roosevelt took office as President of the United States in 1932 and launched the social and economic rescue plan that became known as “The Deal”. No one can tell this story better than historian and America expert Geert Mak. His words are accompanied by piano music and songs by American composers George Gershwin, Aaron Copland and Igor Stravinsky. Ramon van Engelenhoven will be at the grand piano, the American Operasinger Taylor Burgess will sing. Roosevelt strengthened ties with Europe. Interest in ‘the Old World’ grew and, during his presidency, manifested itself in symphonic poems such as Gershwin’s An American in Paris. The Symphony in Three Movements is considered Stravinsky’s first major composition after his emigration to the United States, influenced by the looming threat of World War II. Aaron Copland, a born-and-bred American, is regarded as the most important representative of the American Moderns—the cultural movement that reflected the social rise of the middle class. The American Margaret Bonds was a composer, pianist, and teacher. In 1933, she became the first Black soloist to perform with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She is well known for her collaborations with poet and writer Langston Hughes. Hughes’ poems were also set to music by the American Ricky Ian Gordon.

Helmut Lotti Goes Classic

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €59 – €79

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

After thirty years, Belgian singer Helmut Lotti is back with a new “Helmut Lotti Goes Classic” album! With his first album, the singer launched a chapter in world-class Belgian music history. Albums 1, 2, and 3 remain the three best-selling albums of all time in Belgium! Helmut Lotti’s latest album, “Helmut Lotti Goes Classic 30 Years Jubilee Edition,” features fourteen brand-new popular classical songs, including a number of unexpected duets, where Helmut combines his signature style with surprising and captivating arrangements. During his anniversary tour, he will give an exclusive concert in Eindhoven, showcasing his greatest classics and new songs.

Kleur! De Opera

Sun, 08 Nov 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Tickets: €8 – €12

Tweede Foyer

For children from 2 years old Pancake Concert Join us on a musical journey of discovery along all the colors of the rainbow. This concert is entirely spoken in Dutch. “From red to yellow, from green to blue… And purple! The one I love through and through!” Join us on a musical journey of discovery […]

Philips Symphony Orchestra

Sun, 08 Nov 2026 12:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €17.50 – €39.50

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

The Philips Symphony Orchestra takes you on a musical adventure this afternoon, featuring, among others, young piano talent Akari Bastiaens (14).

Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Tickets

Kleine zaal

A breathtaking show with Ballet of Lights at Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, where the timeless story of Sleeping Beauty comes to life.

Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 16:30:00 GMT

Tickets

Kleine zaal

A breathtaking show with Ballet of Lights at Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, where the timeless story of Sleeping Beauty comes to life.

Philip Glass: Águas da Amazônia

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €25 – €39

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

The DOMNIQ Group presents Philip Glass’ Águas da Amazônia in a new interpretation, surrounded by new compositions and soundscapes. Glass’ 45-minute masterpiece, originally written in 1999 for the Brazilian ensemble Uakti, is now revisited in a brand-new arrangement created in collaboration with the composer himself. Led by Dutch Music Prize winner DOMNIQ (Dominique Vleeshouwers), the ensemble of three percussionists, a flutist, and a string player expands the work into a full-length experience. Around Águas da Amazônia, they build a musical universe inspired by water, with a mix of innovative percussion, self-built instruments such as the slapaphone, rhythms from different cultures, electronics, and scenography.

Symphony of Hope with Emma Kok and more

Mon, 23 Nov 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €38.50 – €48.50

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

During this benefit concert for the Mytylschool Eindhoven, Rotary Eindhoven is doing everything possible to raise money for the school’s final trip. For these children, a school trip is not a given, as they need a lot of care and guidance. Thanks to the support of this concert, they can go on a trip together, with all the necessary assistance, and end their school years in a special way. The impressive line-up includes the young singer Emma Kok, who after winning The Voice Kids has already shared the stage with André Rieu, Philharmonie Brainport, which brings a mix of classical and popular music, and the Royal Male Choir La Bonne Espérance, known for its vocal class and harmony. The evening will be presented by Lucille Werner. Together, we will create an evening full of music, emotion, and connection, with one goal: to give the students of Mytylschool Eindhoven an unforgettable ending to their school time. Concert rescheduled This concert was originally scheduled for Thursday, January 29, 2026, but unfortunately could not take place at that time. Ticket holders were informed of this change via email.

Wiener Symphoniker

Tue, 24 Nov 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €29 – €85

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Vienna, 1900. A great wish was alive: we would very much like an orchestra of our own for our city! And so, on 30 October of that same year, the brand-new Wiener Concertverein, later called the Wiener Symphoniker, gave its first concert in the historic Great Hall of the Musikverein. A legendary ensemble; the ‘Wiener’ is one of the finest orchestras in the world. And now visiting Eindhoven for the second time, after achieving overwhelming success here in April 2024. With Mao Fujita we welcome a young pianist who excels in Mozart: in 2015 he won the Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Musicians. In 1838 Robert Schumann was astonished when, among a huge pile of music at Schubert’s brother’s house, he discovered the manuscript of several symphonies. One in particular made him very enthusiastic. What a gigantic work it was, ‘a novel in four thick volumes’, about which Schumann wrote a review praising the work’s ‘heavenly length’ at great length. Shortly afterwards Felix Mendelssohn conducted the premiere in Leipzig. A horn of plenty: Schubert’s Ninth. Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21, by contrast, is anything but abundant. It is in the very best hands with Mao Fujita, who as a 19-year-old student had already won first prize at the Concours International de Piano Clara Haskil.

Daniel Martinez Flamenco Company

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 17:30:00 GMT

Tickets: €41

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Unique, innovative, enchanting and where the breathtaking beauty of classical music merges with the passion and fire of flamenco. This extra special concert is a musical representation of the 8 regions that make up the autonomous community of Andalucia in the South of Spain, the birthplace of flamenco; Cordoba, Sevilla, Cadiz, Malaga, Jaen, Granada, Huelva and Almeria. Each region brings its own characteristic styles to life, beautifully interpreted through Daniel’s guitar playing, an ensemble of flamenco musicians, singers, and a chamber orchestra. In addition, the flamenco dancers bring the music to life visually with their expressive choreography. An unforgettable flamenco experience!

Iris Hond & Kamerata Zuid

Fri, 27 Nov 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €39.50

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Pianist Iris Hond adds a new dimension to the iconic sounds of world-renowned composer Ludovico Einaudi. In addition to Einaudi’s masterpieces, the soloist will perform her own compositions. Kamerata Zuid will perform well-known works by legendary pianist-composers, such as Alexander Scriabin and Sergej Rachmaninov. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of Kamerata Zuid, they are reviving this successful concert tour together with Iris Hond. Einaudi has previously praised Iris Hond’s exceptional playing, calling it:”One of the most beautiful performances of my music.” With these words, Einaudi sealed his unique bond with Iris. During this full-length classical concert, Einaudi’s solo concerto ‘Domino’ will be performed in its entirety—a work in which Iris’s technical precision and deep soulfulness perfectly converge. Expect an evening of unprecedented intensity, centered around the power of silence and virtuous collaboration.

Candlelight Concerts: The best of Ludovico Einaudi

Fri, 27 Nov 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Tickets

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Joshua Brown & Paolo Giacometti

Sun, 29 Nov 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Tickets: €24 – €36

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

If you win the Second Prize and the Audience Prize at the renowned and formidable Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, the world lies at your feet. Violinist Joshua Brown (1999) made a lasting impression on listeners in 2024 with Johannes Brahms’s Violin Concerto. Brahms will also feature in this Sunday afternoon concert, this time with the Violin Sonata No. 3, accompanied by the Dutch pianist Paolo Giacometti. Schumann’s Violin Sonata No. 1 is also on the programme. Despite the age difference — Giacometti was born in 1970 — these musicians meet each other in this Romantic repertoire, which ranks among the finest works of these composers. Schumann himself was not very fond of his first violin sonata (“that is why I wrote a second one”), but today the work is known as lively and even passionate. The first performance in 1851 was played with his wife and muse Clara at the piano. Brahms himself performed the premiere of his Third Violin Sonata. This work from 1887 is serious in character and contains many lyrical passages. The piano takes the lead in the fast third movement, Poco presto con sentimento. The work has something of a concerto about it, including a cadenza and a thunderous finale in the fourth movement, Presto con agitato.

Mitsuko Uchida

Sun, 29 Nov 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €27 – €65

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Mitsuko Uchida can rightly be called an acclaimed master pianist. She is a regular guest at Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, most recently in 2024. At the time, NRC wrote about her performance: ‘the sound-sensitive […] leaves no accent unexploited.’ This says a lot about the meticulousness of her playing. The pianist is known for her subtle interpretations of Mozart and Schubert, and she will be playing these composers tonight. She is also an ardent advocate of the Second Viennese School, as her interpretation of Schönberg’s Sechs kleine Klavierstücke clearly demonstrates; the pieces balance on the edge of romanticism. Uchida begins with Haydn’s Variations in F minor. It proves once again that this composer deserves to appear more often on the music stands of many pianists. Mozart is also on the programme. We know the composer for his cheerful, lively, sparkling music, but here he suddenly shows his romantic side with Rondo in A minor. A touch of the Hungarian György Kurtág, who would have turned 100 this year, could not be missing. Finally, it is time for music that, after Kurtág’s minimalism, reaches for the grand, the expansive; a lyrical song without end: Schubert’s late sonata in A, D959.

Philzuid

Thu, 03 Dec 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €32 – €59

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

In Finland and Russia, they have centuries of experience with harsh, bleak December months. The serene silence of winter weather brings pure inspiration to composers. For many, the unpredictable and bleak winter means hardship. But it is also a time for reflection. For centuries, the serene silence of winter weather has brought pure inspiration to composers. Isolated from their surroundings, they create chillingly beautiful music. Philzuid pays tribute to Finnish and French composers who are in love with (winter) natural beauty. Special attention is paid to Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara, who died ten years ago. Together with Kaija Saariaho, Rautavaara is considered the most influential Finnish composer after Sibelius. The prolific composer Rautavaara sought the healing power and all-encompassing energy of nature in his accessible, symphonic work. In his enormous oeuvre-including eight symphonies and nine operas-Rautavaara increasingly found a spiritual connection between the divine and all earthly beauty in his later years. Rautavaara captivated a large audience with his post-Romantic, spiritual style. One of his best-known works is the orchestral piece Cantus Arcticus, in which Rautavaara enhances the beauty of Finnish nature with recordings of bird songs. Rautavaara’s atmospheric Violin Concerto is, in turn, a true tour de force for the solo violinist. The up-and-coming German violinist Tobias Feldmann knows the work like the back of his hand. Was it love for his mistress that inspired Debussy, or the sweeping sea view from the hotel room where he stayed with her? Just as Impressionist painters such as Monet captured the shimmering water in colors, Debussy painted his masterpiece with the most refined orchestral sounds. In his La Mer, you can almost smell the sea.

Candlelight Concerts: A Tribute to Hans Zimmer

Sun, 06 Dec 2026 16:30:00 GMT

Tickets

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Candlelight concerts bring the magic of live music by candlelight to Muziekgebouw Eindhoven! This evening, the string quartet Magic Strings presents a tribute to Hans Zimmer. Enjoy iconic film scores from movies like Pirates of the Caribbean, Wonder Woman, The Lion King, and Gladiator under the warm glow of candlelight.

SYML & Metropole Orkest

Sun, 06 Dec 2026 18:15:00 GMT

This concert is sold out.

Tickets: €39 – €49

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

SYML is the solo project of American singer-songwriter Brian Fennell. The name means ‘simple’ in Welsh, a meaning that aligns seamlessly with his musical approach. With little more than a piano, acoustic guitar, minimal synthesizers and his distinctive, angelic voice, SYML creates an atmosphere that feels both vulnerable and powerful. Following his self-titled debut album, featuring the mega-hit “Where’s My Love,” and his second studio album “The Day My Father Died,” he released “Nobody Lives Here” last year, his clearest and most thoughtfully crafted work to date. For this special concert series, his new music as well as his biggest hits will take on a new dimension in collaboration with the renowned Metropole Orkest, conducted by Jules Buckley.

Brankele Frank & Jelmer de Moed

Tue, 08 Dec 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €24 – €36

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

What happens in our brains when we listen to music? How do sounds and emotions become physical sensations? And vice versa: how does a musician capture emotion in sound? In this edition of Scherpdenkers, neurobiologist and winner of De Slimste Mens, Brankele Frank, explores the relationship between music, stimuli, the brain and emotions. She does so on the basis of personal experiences, neuroscientific insights and music that is particularly capable of stimulating or, conversely, de-stimulating. Joining her on stage are clarinettist Jelmer de Moed, cellist Pieter de Koe, bajan player Robbrecht Van Cauwenberghe and pianist Rik Kuppen, who will perform music by contemporary composers Marko Tajčević, Celia Swart and Sebastian Fagerlund. The folk character of Balkan music plays a major role in the music of the Croatian composer Marko Tajčević (1900-1984), who is unknown here. Celia Swart (1994) strives for simplicity in her music, which consists of small, simple building blocks. In the postmodern soundscapes of the Finnish composer Fagerlund (1972), the experience of nature is paramount. ‘I am fascinated by the relentless drive and energy of nature. Many of my works have a hint of primitivism. Rhythm plays a major role in this. My vision of music is a form of expression of fundamental questions and existential experiences,’ says Fagerlund, composer-in-residence at the Concertgebouw in 2021.

Janine Jansen & Alexandre Kantorow

Thu, 10 Dec 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €27 – €59

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

César Franck’s Sonata in A major is the sonata of all sonatas for violin and piano. This concert offers the opportunity to hear this work at its finest. Violinist Janine Jansen and pianist Alexandre Kantorow represent an exceptional group of musicians, who, in addition to their talent, also bring their spirited musical stage presence to the table. Janine Jansen, a regular at Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, needs little introduction; Alexandre Kantorow has been described as a “fire-breathing virtuoso with poetic charm.” Charm and temperament will prevail during this concert, alongside knowledge, skill, experience, and the joy of playing. Frank’s romantic sonata expresses the lyricism of the violin, the sparkle of the grand piano, and the gentle romanticism of the Belgian composer. Nature and poetry blend blissfully in Debussy’s sonata, albeit in three movements but only thirteen minutes long, which also constitutes his last major composition. Beethoven’s Sonata in E-flat is a grand and virtuosic work from his middle period, dedicated to his teacher Antonio Salieri. The intensity of the opening movement reflects the transition from the Classical to the early Romantic period.

Frank Lammers & JW Roy

Fri, 11 Dec 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €35.50

Hertog Jan Zaal

Frank Lammers and JW Roy are back with their new show, Geboren Vrienden. Exclusively at Muziekgebouw Eindhoven!

Winter Market 2026

Sat, 12 Dec 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Tickets

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven

Explore a colourful world filled with unique sights, sounds, and flavours as you meet all kinds of people. A market with live performances and a range of creative workshops.

Le Caravansérail

Sun, 13 Dec 2026 12:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €24 – €36

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Two voices, one simple accompaniment. And suddenly: light in the darkness. François Couperin’s Leçons de ténèbres are among that rare kind of artwork in which tradition and genius merge to produce perfection. Sopranos Rachel Redmond and Maïlys de Villoutreys gracefully deliver Couperin’s richly ornamented musical orations, demonstrating the refinement of these spiritual musings. Le Caravansérail accompanies the Leçons with a suite for viola da gamba and intimate harpsichord music.

Philzuid

Sun, 13 Dec 2026 12:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €32 – €59

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Antonín Dvořak is unsurpassed as a sound painter of natural panoramas. Philzuid combines his breakthrough symphony, the Fifth, with Ginastera’s sparkling Harp Concerto. In the Czech Republic, they are very proud of their musical godfather, Antonín Dvořak. With his Fifth Symphony, Dvořak discovered his own voice as a composer. In this pastoral symphony, Dvořak interweaves the energy of his beloved Slavic folk music with the grandeur of the classical tradition. Echoes of great heroes such as Beethoven and Wagner occasionally shine through, but with the Fifth, the Bohemian master leaves his mark on symphonic history as never before. The Andante is of an idyllic beauty, while the Finale definitively fulfills all of Dvořak’s symphonic ambitions. Chief conductor Duncan Ward and Philzuid embark on a fraternal expedition with Dvořak. But the voyage of discovery does not end there. Together with the amiable Belgian harp magician Anneleen Lenaerts, a permanent member of the Vienna Philharmonic, the orchestra sets course for the exotic Argentina of Alberto Ginastera. Lenaerts will perform as soloist in a rare performance of Ginastera’s Harp Concerto. Ginastera’s work is considered a classic among nimble-fingered harp virtuosos. Ginastera wrote an extremely complex work for the willing harpist, but the listener can enjoy it to the fullest. In the three-part work, Ginastera conceals robust rhythms, sultry harmonies, and seductive melodies. Following Dvor k’s example, Ginastera lets the listener drift away over the endless Argentine pampas, but also picks up the tempo with biting and flashy harp passages. In the beautiful, slow second movement, the harp soloist interprets the lonely voice in a vast, desolate landscape. In an extensive cadenza in the finale, the harpist is allowed to pull out all the stops in the old-fashioned way. Harpist Anneleen Lenaerts and Philzuid offer a unique opportunity to experience this groundbreaking harp concerto live once again.

Christmas with the Dutch Bach Society

Tue, 15 Dec 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €29 – €65

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

From darkness to light… It is December and Christmas is approaching. Outside it is dark, bleak, and cold. We want light, we want warmth. And we find it in music. Bach’s radiant Magnificat is performed alongside that of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Two wonderful Christmas works by father and son. The Magnificat is the hymn of praise by Mary, the mother of Jesus. The first line, ‘Magnificat anima mea Dominum’, means ‘my soul glorifies the Lord’. Words from the Middle Ages. But countless composers since then have felt inspired to compose their greatest works based on them. J.S. Bach wrote his beloved Magnificat in 1723 for choir, soloists, and orchestra. Tonight’s concert unfolds from the smallest musical core: the monophonic Gregorian chant Ave Maris Stella. Its dark atmosphere transitions into a Sinfonia by Bach’s eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann. A talented composer, he never became very popular. How different was the fate of Carl Philipp Emanuel, the most successful of all Bach’s children, who in the second half of the eighteenth century was called ‘the great Bach’. His Magnificat, his first major vocal work, breathes the spirit of his father’s Magnificat and Hohe Messe. At the same time, it looks ahead to the music of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.

Candlelight Concerts: Christmas Classics

Sat, 19 Dec 2026 16:30:00 GMT

Tickets

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Candlelight Concerts bring the magic of live music to Muziekgebouw Eindhoven.

Candlelight Concerts: Christmas Classics

Sat, 19 Dec 2026 18:45:00 GMT

Tickets

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Candlelight Concerts bring the magic of live music to Muziekgebouw Eindhoven.

Nikola Meeuwsen

Sun, 20 Dec 2026 12:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €24 – €36

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Only two Dutch pianists (Rian de Waal and Hannes Minnaar) have reached the final of the Belgian Elisabeth Competition in recent decades, but Nikola Meeuwsen made history by winning this prestigious competition in 2025. The twelve-member jury praised his musicality, the poetic expressiveness of his playing, his technical mastery, and the refinement of his interpretations. With Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin, Mendelssohn’s Variations Sérieuses, and Beethoven’s Sonata No. 23 ‘Appassionata’, Nikola Meeuwsen takes the listener on a musical journey in which the rare combination of ‘technical brilliance and deep emotional expression’ (jury) will shine. Nikola Meeuwsen’s star immediately began to shine, resulting in a wildly enthusiastic reception for his recital at the Concertgebouw and an equally well-received performance with violinist Janine Jansen. With his Tombeau de Couperion, Ravel wanted to pay tribute not so much to Couperin as to the French harpsichord suite from the Baroque period. He did this by taking the structure of the Baroque suite as his starting point. And Beethoven’s Appassionata? Stormy and emotional, linked to the loneliness brought on by his increasing hearing loss.

The Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge

Tue, 22 Dec 2026 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €25 – €45

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Christmas. A wonderful celebration. Outside the cold, inside the warmth. The conviviality, the atmosphere, the tradition. What better way to celebrate than with The Choir of St John’s College? World-famous for its ‘St Johns’ sound’: rich and warm. Since around 1670, these singers from the university city of Cambridge have been guaranteeing moving choral performances. The lower parts are sung by adults, but the soprano part is sung by children. These children are between 8 and 13 years old and are specially trained at St. John’s College School. The choir has put together a beautiful program for Christmas. It includes beloved early 20th-century Christmas carols, as well as deeply moving carols by living composers. At the heart of the programme are beloved carols from the English twentieth-century tradition by Richard Rodney Bennett, Benjamin Britten, Herbert Howells, John Joubert, and William Walton. A joyous early Spanish carol will also feature, as well as deeply moving carols by living composers Jim Clements, Eleanor Daley, Philip Stopford, and Helena Paish. As well as hearing familiar Christmas favourites like ‘In dulci jubilo’, ‘Silent night’, and ‘The angel Gabriel’, you will have the chance to join in with ‘O come, all ye faithful’ and ‘Hark, the herald-angels sing’. The Choir of St John’s College performs the liturgy seven days a week in the Gilbert Scott Chapel. But it also tours worldwide, delighting millions of listeners over the years. In addition to quality, it attaches great importance to enjoyment: ‘What struck me most, however,’ wrote BBC Music Magazine, ‘was how much everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Philzuid

Sat, 09 Jan 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €32 – €59

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Philzuid makes it a habit to start the new year with a bang. From graceful waltzes to a thrilling Trumpet Concerto by Armenian composer Aleksandr Arutiunian (Grigori). Orchestra lovers have already circled the first days of 2027 in their concert calendars. During the popular New Year’s tour, Philzuid will travel through Limburg and North Brabant with a special festive program. At the start of the new year, hearts, minds, and souls will be refreshed with an invigorating round of Viennese classics by Johann Strauss and Franz Lehar. But a lesser-known waltz fantasy by Russian composer Mikhail Glinka also graces the program. As usual, Philzuid takes visitors on an adventure, because in the brand-new year, you don’t want to miss a single surprise. Philzuid’s solo trumpeter, Ramon Wolkenfelt, shines in the thrilling Trumpet Concerto by Armenian composer Grigori. Aleksandr Arutiunian (Grigori), who died in 2012, became world famous with this undisputed trumpet showpiece that every soloist loves to sink their teeth into. In his unbridled, energy-swirling Trumpet Concerto, he incorporates inspired Eastern European melodies and radiant harmonies. Aleksandr was crazy about Armenian folk music. In his concerto, the trumpet soloist takes on the role of a traditional Armenian bard (ashik) who improvises freely on the most beautiful song melodies during performances. The solo trumpet player will soon be able to conjure up all the technical feats from his toolbox. The celebrated Dutch baritone Raoul Steffani has been invited as a special guest during the New Year’s concerts. Steffani is considered one of the most versatile baritones in the Netherlands. In 2023, he won the prestigious Dutch Music Prize. Steffani has collaborated with mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kozená, soprano Barbara Hannigan, and violinist Janine Jansen. During the New Year’s Concert, Steffani will throw himself wholeheartedly into the soothing arias of Albert Lortzing, Johann Strauss, and Franz Lehár.

Ennio Morricone

Wed, 13 Jan 2027 18:00:00 GMT

Tickets: €70 – €94

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Ennio Morricone’s iconic film music comes to life! The Czech National Symphony Orchestra and the Czech boys’ choir Boni Pueri present a musical tribute to the legendary Italian composer, known for classics such as Once Upon a Time in the West and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Morricone’s work transcends the screen and remains deeply beloved: last year, eight of his soundtracks were featured in the NPO Klassiek Film Music Top 200. This exclusive concert brings his most famous compositions to the stage, performed by a remarkable orchestra and choir who interpret his music with precision and emotion.

Fee Suzanne de Ruiter

Thu, 14 Jan 2027 10:30:00 GMT

Tickets: €4

Kleine zaal

With her warm mezzo-soprano voice and original approach, Fee Suzanne de Ruiter explores the many facets of melancholy.

Jamie Duffy

Fri, 15 Jan 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €25.50

Kleine zaal

The Irish pianist and composer Jamie Duffy will play his cinematic neoclassical piano music at Muziekgebouw Eindhoven on January 15, 2027.

Candlelight Concerts: A Tribute to Hans Zimmer

Sat, 16 Jan 2027 16:30:00 GMT

Tickets

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Sat, 16 Jan 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €29 – €85

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

‘Monumental and brilliant.’ ‘A genius who has reached the height of his creative powers.’ That is what Tagesspiegel and Spectator wrote about the British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor. And: ‘Everything he touches turns to gold’ (Classical Source). What will turn to gold tonight is the Piano Concerto by Edvard Grieg. This Norwegian meets another Scandinavian: Jean Sibelius. His First Symphony will be heard. A beautiful, long clarinet solo opens the vision in which Sibelius depicts Finland’s vast forests and lakes. As energetic and concise as Grieg is, Sibelius breathes broadly. An evening entirely in Scandinavian atmospheres, with a top British orchestra. Since it was founded in 1932 by Sir Thomas Beecham, the London Philharmonic Orchestra has been one of the world’s most pioneering and inspiring orchestras. With every performance it aims to astonish the modern world and strengthen its position as one of the leading orchestras of the 21st century. ‘Real Swedish punch!’ Franz Liszt exclaimed when he sight-read the piano concerto by the then 26-year-old Grieg. He was deeply moved by the originality, the unexpectedness, the uniqueness of this score. And of Sibelius’ First one reads: ‘Here is a lonely man in conversation with the forces of nature.’

Opus13 Quartet

Sun, 17 Jan 2027 12:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €24 – €36

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

This young Scandinavian string quartet won first prize at the Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition 2025, and earlier that year took home the same prize at a similar competition in Bordeaux. In 2026, they added the prestigious Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award to their list of achievements. The quartet is praised for the kaleidoscopic colors and depth it displays despite the young age of its musicians. The quartet takes its name from Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in A minor, Op. 13, the first piece they ever played together. It is also on the program this afternoon, alongside Janáĉek’s beloved “Intimate Letters” and the surprising Entr’acte by the young American Caroline Shaw (1982). The quartet consists of violinists Sonoko Miriam Welde and Edvard Erdal, violist Albin Uusijärvi, and cellist Daniel Thorell, and is based in Oslo. In addition to the standard repertoire for string quartet by composers such as Mozart, Bartók, and Schubert, Opus13 enjoys playing Norwegian classical and contemporary music and regularly programs works by Grieg, Stenhammar, Tarrodi, Byström, and Fagerlund. It also enjoys collaborating with artists from other musical genres and has performed with Norwegian folk and popular artists such as the Gjermund Larsen Trio, Sissel Kyrkjebø, and Sver. The work by Caroline Shaw (1982) was written for the Brentano Quartet. It resembles a minuet but constantly throws the listener off balance.

Huub van der Lubbe & Amsterdam Sinfonietta

Sun, 17 Jan 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €49.50

Hertog Jan Zaal

By the Time Together with the orchestra, Huub van der Lubbe performs his own songs alongside hits by De Dijk, seamlessly interwoven with classical repertoire. For its successful annual New Year’s concert series, Breder dan klassiek (Broader than Classical), Amsterdam Sinfonietta joins forces with an artist from outside the classical world. The orchestra has previously […]

Madison Cunningham & Metropole Orkest

Wed, 20 Jan 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €39 – €46

Hertog Jan Zaal

At this concert, the songs of folk and Americana singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham take on a new dimension with the Metropole Orchestra.

Philzuid

Sun, 24 Jan 2027 12:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €32 – €59

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Vienna is music, music is Vienna. Every music lover should treat themselves to a weekend in Vienna at least once. Music history comes to life on every street corner and in every square. The Austrian capital cherishes its rich musical past. A history that goes beyond Beethoven and Mozart. Around 1900, the bustling, sophisticated Vienna was an unparalleled creative melting pot. Gustav Mahler amazed friends and foes alike with symphonies and songs full of personal pain and universal expressiveness. Philzuid and chief conductor Duncan Ward delve into Viennese music history. Special guest is Dame Sarah Connolly, who was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2017 for her services to music. Conolly is enamored with the sensitive sound world of the Mahlers, including Gustav Mahler’s Rückert Lieder. Inspired by the lyrical poetry of German poet Friedrich Rückert, Mahler composed a set of lush songs. Mahler’s melodic gift gives wings to Rückert’s romantic poetry. The highlight of this song cycle is the almost biographical song Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen. The slightly unworldly, isolated romantic Mahler felt understood. Conolly also performs several songs by Alma Mahler. She was not only Gustav’s muse, but also a great source of inspiration for composer Alexander von Zemlinsky. The icing on the cake of this deeply romantic composer’ ‘s monumental musical fairy tale The Mermaid. He had just lost his great love Alma to Gustav Mahler. In this large-scale orchestral fantasy, Von Zemlinsky immediately delves into the depths with The Little Mermaid. For Von Zemlinksy, this famous Andersen fairy tale was the perfect way to process his earthly heartbreak.

Collegium Vocale Gent

Fri, 29 Jan 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €29 – €65

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

In the Netherlands true “Passion country” the St Matthew Passion and the St John Passion are performed together nearly two hundred and fifty times a year. The opportunity to hear Mass in B minor, considered by some to be even more beautiful than the Passions, is far rarer. So seize that chance, especially under the direction of Baroque specialist Philippe Herreweghe and his outstanding Collegium Vocale Gent. Between an awe-inspiring Kyrie and the jubilant concluding Dona nobis pacem, we hear nine unique arias and duets, fourteen impressive ensemble movements for four, five, six, and even eight voices, and a wide array of instrumental solos. Because of its scale, the nearly 120-minute Mass could never have been performed in its entirety during a church service. Yet it is not true that Johann Sebastian Bach never heard this monumental work performed live; over the years, parts of it were heard separately. Most Bach scholars assume that he largely compiled the Mass from existing material, especially from his predominantly vocal cantatas. The exquisite Et incarnatus est is Bach’s very last vocal composition. It follows the Crucifixus, written more than thirty years earlier as an adaptation of a cantata from 1714. The complete Mass is often regarded as Bach’s musical testament.

Daniel Rowland, Maja Bogdanović & Anna Fedorova

Sun, 31 Jan 2027 10:00:00 GMT

Tickets: €24 – €36

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Remarkable trio, these three widely praised musicians who live in Amsterdam but come from afar. Violinist Daniel Rowland was born in England, cellist Maja Bogdanović in Serbia, and pianist Anna Fedorova in Ukraine. Yet music knows no borders and speaks a universal language, as you can hear this afternoon in, among other works, the Second Piano Trio by Dmitri Shostakovich. The program also includes the Sarabande by the Serbian composer Isidora Žebeljan (1967–2020) and Beethoven’s “Ghost” Trio. The nickname “Ghost” comes from the first movement of this trio, which, because of its somewhat eerie sound and slow motion, gives a ghostlike impression. Shostakovich’s piano trio is not cheerful, but it is full of meaning. The piece consists of four movements. The final movement, the “Dance of Death,” is filled with Jewish themes. Shostakovich expert Erik Levi wrote: “Shostakovich confronts the listener with the horrors committed by the retreating German army in the final years of the war. He was particularly shaken by reports in the Soviet press that SS guards in the extermination camps Treblinka and Majdanek had forced Jewish prisoners to dig their own graves and then dance on them. This discovery gave rise to the macabre musical imagery that characterizes the finale of the Trio.”

Ruben Mersch & Het Collectief

Wed, 03 Feb 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €24 – €36

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Polarization is on the rise in our society. We argue over themes both large and small; every social debate risks getting bogged down in a “war of positions” where two camps, both armed to the teeth with facts, clash with one another. The logical reaction is: away with polarization. However, Flemish philosopher and biologist Ruben Mersch argues that it is precisely through polarization that we can understand and break the dynamics of “us-vs-them” thinking, and learn to deal with contradictions constructively. The five musicians of Het Collectief (violin, cello, clarinet, flute, and piano) use the innovative works of 20th-century composers Charles Ives, Alban Berg, Wolfgang Rihm, and Elliott Carter to demonstrate how these struggles resonate within music. Concert rescheduled This concert has been rescheduled from Thursday, February 4, to Wednesday, February 3.

Mikhail Pletnev

Thu, 11 Feb 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €27 – €65

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Mikhail Pletnev: the Russian pianist, conductor and composer is known as one of the greatest all-round performers of our time. He is blessed with the ability to enchant his audience and produces exceptionally profound, expressive interpretations. Wherever and whatever he plays, the music comes to life under his hands as if it were being written on the spot. Pletnev is never predictable and remains faithful to the composer’s intentions. At the age of 21, the young Pletnev won the Gold Medal and first prize at the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition. He has more than fulfilled his great promise. ‘I am now overflowing with music and beautiful melodies,“ wrote Robert Schumann, young, to his beloved Clara Wieck in 1839. He was working on his Kreisleriana at the time. You can hear this abundance. Schumann himself called it ‘my favourite work”. The title refers to the fantasy character Kreisler from a story by E.T.A. Hoffmann, “an eccentric, wild and witty conductor”. Rarely did Schumann express himself more romantically, passionately and compellingly than here. Pletnev also comes across well with Bach this evening. His music is characterised by an almost stoic balance and “Abgeklärtheit”. And then there is Grieg, the composer who was able to compose such lively, vital music about his country: vast fjords, grey-green mountains, perhaps a troll here and there… Grieg is Norway!

Laat Me

Sun, 14 Feb 2027 13:00:00 GMT

Tickets: €55 – €79

Hertog Jan Zaal

Pim Muda and Sabine Krol perform the renowned repertoire of Ramses Shaffy and Liesbeth List, accompanied by a live orchestra including a string ensemble.

Juilliard String Quartet

Wed, 17 Feb 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €27 – €49

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

The Juilliard String Quartet is a legend, and has been since 1946. “The most important American string quartet in history,” The Boston Globe called it. And recently, the Washington Post wrote about the quartet of top musicians: “Confident and determined… The Juilliard’s sure, deliberate approach, rhythmic acumen, and precise ensemble playing were on full display.” The Americans are now coming to Eindhoven. It’s fitting then that they are playing a work nicknamed “American”; the Czech Dvořák wrote it during a long stay in the United States. Summer 1893. Dvořák takes a break from his busy schedule as director of the New York Conservatory. He does so in the town of Spillville, Iowa, a settlement where he encounters other Czechs. Composing comes naturally; in four days, he puts his most famous string quartet on paper. “Thank you, God. I am satisfied.” “It went fast,” it says at the bottom of the score. Beethoven wrote his last composition with his quartet, Opus 135. This time, he expresses himself concisely. Short and powerful are also the “musical moments” of the Hungarian György Kurtág, who recently turned 100. He always manages to extract the maximum amount of music from the tiniest number of notes. Ears on edge! “The most important American quartet in history.” – The Boston Globe “Decisive and uncompromising… Juilliard’s confidently thoughtful approach, rhythmic acuity and ensemble precision were on full display.” – Washington Post

François Joubert-Caillet & Philippe Grisvard

Sat, 20 Feb 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €24 – €36

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

Johannes Schenck did what every genius does: ignore boundaries and do what no one ever thought possible. And so, our 17th-century compatriot fused Italian bravado, German depth, and French finesse into a musical language that belongs to him, and him alone. Gambist François Joubert-Caillet and harpsichordist Philippe Grisvard tap into Schenck’s richest vein: sonatas from Tyd en Konst- Oeffeninger, Scherzi Musicali, and L’Écho du Danube—titles that reveal that the musical horizons of this superman on strings extended far beyond Amsterdam.

Eric Lu

Sun, 21 Feb 2027 12:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €24 – €36

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

American pianist Eric Lu plays a romantic program that will make your mouth water. Lu is no ordinary pianist: in 2025, he won the prestigious Chopin Competition in Warsaw. Born in 1997, he has already performed on major concert stages around the world, both inside and out. Lu’s playing is described as ‘thoughtful, poetic and powerful’, qualities that he can showcase in this romantic program with music by Brahms, Rachmaninov and Chopin, plus a preview of Schumann. In music magazine Luister, his debut CD with music by Schubert was described as ‘subtle and modest, melodious and also exuberant’. The piano music in this Sunday afternoon concert represents an era of Romantics who lost their hearts to the piano’s big brother. For all four, the grand piano was the instrument on which they composed; for Chopin and Rachmaninov, it was the medium with which they made their names. Although there is a hundred-year difference between these two composers, their music shares the same intensity and romantic atmosphere. It is characterized by both melancholy and tranquility as well as exuberance and virtuosity. Pianists embrace them because they offer the opportunity to showcase the entire range of pianistic skills.

Philzuid

Sun, 21 Feb 2027 12:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €32 – €59

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

A Philzuid tradition to be proud of. Chief conductor Duncan Ward continues his Mahler journey with a performance of the epic Ninth. For aspiring conductors, Gustav Mahler’s symphonies represent the pinnacle of achievement. Every year, Philzuid’s chief conductor Duncan Ward takes a close look at one of Gustav Mahler’s powerful symphonies. Last season, Ward and Philzuid surprised audiences with a passionate plea for Mahler’s personal Sixth ‘Tragic’ Symphony. With Mahler’s all-encompassing Ninth on the menu, Philzuid has a real challenge ahead of it. In his last completed symphony, everything comes together for Mahler. Love, grief, death, and an unshakeable faith in life. His marriage to Alma Mahler, nineteen years his junior, was severely shaken by the death of their daughter Maria. Mahler was also diagnosed with a serious heart condition that would later prove fatal. The bells of doom tolled ever louder for the professional worrier Mahler. By writing a new symphony, the Austrian arch-romantic was able to release much of his pent-up grief. Mahler set to work alone in a summer cottage in Tyrol. Alma and their remaining daughter Anna stayed with her mother during this time. In seclusion, Mahler threw all his compositional energy into the battle one last time. The four-part symphony feels like one big, hopeful farewell. The symphony is framed by two intense, slow movements that are among Mahler’s best music. Two shorter, invigorating symphonic movements capture the energy of life. Although Mahler is staring death in the face, his symphony radiates hopeful optimism. You can hear his love for nature and this strange life in every note. Or, as Mahler himself puts it: ‘I am more thirsty for life than ever before.’

Isabelle van Keulen & Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss am Rhein

Tue, 23 Feb 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €25 – €45

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Violinist Isabelle van Keulen has been artistic director of the Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss am Rhein for six years. With this outstanding orchestra, the Dutch violinist plays Vivaldi Recomposed, a special adaptation of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons by film composer Max Richter. A version that has rivalled the original in recent years. Not surprisingly, while retaining the original beauty, Richter has added a strong touch of contemporaneity to Vivaldi’s immortal music. The result is a beautiful mix of earthy sounds and magical electronic ‘landscapes’ in which the solo violin continues to play the leading role and the familiar notes take on a cinematic character. As a classically trained and experienced composer, Max Richter drew on his own knowledge and skills in his adaptation, but also took inspiration from composers such as Philip Glass, Arvo Pärt, Steve Reich, and Brian Eno. Based on his preference for repetitive patterns (minimal music), he became fascinated by Vivaldi’s patterns. He unraveled them and created an ambient remix that stimulates and moves the listener and enhances the color of Vivaldi’s music. Sometimes Vivaldi is in the foreground, sometimes Richter.

Openbare repetitie Philzuid

Wed, 24 Feb 2027 08:00:00 GMT

Tickets: €5

Hertog Jan Zaal

A glimpse behind the scenes of Philzuid Take a look at the rehearsal of: Shostakovich 1 and Brahms’ Violin Concerto with conductor Tung-Chieh Chuang. Are you curious about what happens during an orchestra rehearsal? Or what a conductor says to the musicians? What is worked on during a rehearsal? Then visit an open rehearsal by […]

Julia Lezhneva, Maarten Engeltjes & PRJCT Amsterdam

Wed, 24 Feb 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €29 – €65

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

“The most perfect and moving duet ever to have flowed from the pen of any composer.” described the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau the opening movement of Stabat Mater by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi. Pergolesi wrote it in 1736, suffering from tuberculosis, during the final weeks of his 26-year life in a Franciscan monastery near Pozzuoli. Immediately after his death, the work became immensely famous. Antonio Vivaldi composed In furore giustissimae irae in the 1720s during a visit to Rome. The Nisi Dominus is a musical setting of a psalm for the Vespers service; it was written when Vivaldi was still a music teacher at the girls’ orphanage, the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice. A magnificent score. The other Vivaldi. We know him for The Four Seasons, but he had many more facets. With the motet In furore giustissimae irae and the cantata Nisi Dominus, he proves himself a great vocal composer as well. Yet it always remains unmistakably Vivaldi: radiant, colorful, energetic. The star soprano Julia Lezhneva is the ideal interpreter for this repertoire. One of the most sought-after sopranos in the world, she specializes in Vivaldi, George Frideric Handel and Gioachino Rossini, and is a true virtuoso coloratura soprano. Maarten Engeltjes is a highly sought-after countertenor from the Netherlands. The two merge in Pergolesi’s heart-rending Stabat Mater.

Philzuid

Thu, 25 Feb 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €32 – €59

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

With his Violin Concerto, Brahms completed one of his absolute crown jewels. For Philzuid concertmaster Lei Wang, a dream comes true. A violin concerto that is unparalleled in terms of tension and acuity. Inspired by his muse, top violinist, and good friend Joseph Joachim, Brahms wrote a wide-ranging concerto that ticks all the emotional boxes. The eternal bachelor Brahms had gathered a circle of dear friends around him, including the Schumanns and Joachim. Brahms, who always doubted himself, found a reliable sparring partner in the conscientious Joachim. In 1878, Brahms reluctantly wrote to Joachim that he had ‘a few violin passages’ ready. Joachim immediately urged him to work on a dream violin concerto. This modest project would result in a monumental, three-part violin concerto that is seen as a personal portrait of violin maestro Joseph Joachim. In an impressive opening allegro, Brahms plays with melodies and themes as never before, with the soloist and orchestra encouraging each other in turn. In the moving Adagio, soloist and orchestra together raise an inspired song. Brahms’ Violin Concerto does not reveal its secrets easily. The violin soloist reaches deep into his reserves, searching for the limits of technique and empathy. Lei Wang, concertmaster of Philzuid, together with her orchestra, fulfills a long-cherished violin dream. Philzuid opens the concert with a special surprise: the stormy Faust Overture by Brahms’ contemporary, the German Romantic composer Emilie Mayer. With this suspenseful work, she fully lives up to her nickname ‘the female Beethoven’. The impressive finale is an intriguing performance of Shostakovich’s youthful First Symphony. It is the self-assured orchestral debut of a teenager already brimming with brilliant creative ideas. This symphony premiered on May 12, 1926, and throughout his life, Shostakovich considered that joyful moment to be the birth of his career as a composer. The young Shostakovich displays a strikingly mature sound, with room for venom, humor, and virtuosity. Like his great example Mahler, Shostakovich masterfully makes use of marches, and waltzes. At the time, top conductors such as Bruno Walter and Otto Klemperer were fans of the work. A hundred years later, Taiwanese guest conductor Tung-Chieh Chuang reveals the enormous contemporary expressiveness of Shostakovich’s successful work.

Quirine Viersen & Vincent van Amsterdam

Sun, 28 Feb 2027 10:00:00 GMT

Tickets: €24 – €36

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

They play two completely different instruments, but when minds are aligned, the notes move in the same direction. Cellist Quirine Viersen and accordionist Vincent van Amsterdam are among the best in their field internationally. Both won the Dutch Music Prize, the highest distinction awarded in the Netherlands, and both have built careers that have taken them around the world as soloists and chamber musicians. Music from all directions appears on the music stand, from the baroque Bach and the romantic Mendelssohn to the impressionistic Boulanger, the contemporary Auerbach, and the tango-loving Piazzolla. Bach on the accordion? Why not. “Whether it’s a harpsichord, a string quartet, an accordion or even a set of kettles, Bach’s music remains just as beautiful,” says Vincent van Amsterdam. The first classical composition for accordion dates from 1927, and contemporary composers have since embraced the instrument. Thanks to its many registers (tone colors), the accordion adapts easily, in this case to the sonorous sound of the cello. “Did you know that the accordion is the only acoustic instrument that can start a chord softly and gradually make it louder?”

Mozarteumorchester Salzburg & Fazıl Say

Sun, 28 Feb 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €29 – €85

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

‘Magnificent and inspired,’ writes Die Presse. The Mozarteumorchester Salzburg maintains a high standard, especially when it comes to performances of Mozart’s music. (It is no coincidence that it bears the name of the city where the composer was born.) Today, too, the ‘angel from Salzburg’ appears on the music stands. The Turkish star pianist Fazıl Say is the soloist in Piano Concerto No. 23. A radiant work in which both orchestra and soloist can truly shine. The slow middle movement is astonishingly poignant and plaintive, and perhaps one of Mozart’s most beautiful. Say also appears on the programme as a composer with his orchestral tribute to Atatürk. Schumann’s magnificent Second Symphony brings the programme to a close. A key work that both quotes Bach and points ahead to Bruckner. Fazıl Say represents the nowadays rare phenomenon of the performing musician who is also a composer. In Mozart’s time this was very common; today the two are usually separate. Say plays with dazzling brilliance and has also built an impressive body of work as a composer. He has a special affinity with Mozart, performing his music regularly, which also forms a lasting inspiration for his own compositions. Tonight’s programme includes Yürüyen Köşk, or The Walking Mansion, referring to an episode from the life of the politician Atatürk, a lover of nature, who once had his house moved to make room for a large tree…

Martin String Quartet

Thu, 04 Mar 2027 10:30:00 GMT

Tickets: €4

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Kleine zaal)

The Martin String Quartet consists of four young, dedicated musicians who together create a refined quartet sound. The ensemble was founded at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where they study with Dmitry Ferschtman and Sven Arne Tepl, among others. They are also affiliated with the Netherlands String Quartet Academy. In 2024, the quartet won both first prize and the Grachtenfestival Prize at the Gelre International Chamber Music Competition. In their program, the four musicians explore the question: what is a string quartet? They take the audience on a journey through the raw intensity of Gubaidulina, the clarity of Bach, the festivity of Beethoven, and the original compositions of their cellist Ori Ron. The result is a musical journey in which four voices slowly merge into a single whole. After the concert A lunchtime concert is, of course, not complete without a delicious lunch. After the concert, enjoy a flavorful homemade soup and freshly baked bread in the Stadsfoyer. You can add this directly to your ticket! Program Music by Bach, Beethoven, Gubaidulina, and Ori Ron

André Kuipers & Kamerata Zuid

Fri, 05 Mar 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €39.50

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

When astronaut André Kuipers starts sharing his stories, you can usually hear a pin drop. However, during this extraordinary concert with Kamerata Zuid, that silence will be filled by the world-famous sounds of Gustav Holst’s ‘The Planets’. ‘A Musical Space Journey’ is a unique encounter between music, science, and a sense of wonder. Kamerata Zuid performs ‘The Planets’ in an intimate arrangement for ten wind instruments and twelve strings, revealing new layers of detail and emotion. As both an astronaut and a storyteller, André shares fascinating insights into our solar system. His cosmic perspective sheds a unique light on Holst’s musical imagination. To add an extra dimension to the experience, breathtaking visuals of the planets and deep space will be projected throughout the performance.

Angélique Kidjo & Metropole Orkest

Thu, 11 Mar 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €39 – €49

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

With five-time Grammy-winning singer Angélique Kidjo, the rich tradition of African music meets the symphonic sound of the Metropole Orkest in their new project African Symphony. The program pays tribute to the great voices of Africa, featuring music by artists including Miriam Makeba, Fela Kuti, Youssou N’Dour, Rema, and Burna Boy. Kidjo’s own songs will also be performed — music that has itself been a major inspiration for a new generation of African artists. For this project, Kidjo collaborated with acclaimed American bassist, composer, and arranger Derrick Hodge, known for his work with Robert Glasper, Common, and Jill Scott. Together, they created a symphonic setting in which the energy, rhythms, and stories of African music can fully come to life.

Bach’s St Matthew Passion

Wed, 17 Mar 2027 17:30:00 GMT

Tickets: €34 – €49

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

For generations, the St Matthew Passion has held a special place in the cultural heart of the Netherlands. Every year, in the weeks leading up to Easter, listeners gather to experience Johann Sebastian Bach’s monumental masterpiece, a work filled with deep emotion, reflection, and humanity. More than a concert, it is an essential tradition, in which music gives voice to grief, doubt, compassion, and hope. The Philips Philharmonic Choir and the baroque orchestra Florilegium Musicum bring this timeless work to Muziekgebouw Eindhoven in a performance that invites us to pause and listen more deeply. With well-known chorales, intimate arias, and compelling narratives, Bach sketches the last days of Jesus Christ in a story of human vulnerability and enduring love. Performed on original period instruments and baroque replicas, the music sounds as it was heard in Bach’s time.

Philzuid

Thu, 18 Mar 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €32 – €59

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

Virtuoso storytelling and musicality come together in Sibelius’s acclaimed Violin Concerto and Richard Strauss’s symphonic poetry. There are some absolute masterpieces that no solo violinist can ignore. With his Violin Concerto, Finnish composer Jean Sibelius wrote a modern venture brimming with virtuoso ideas. A concert work of Beethoven-like allure that demands the utmost from soloist and orchestra. As a promising young musician, Sibelius already dreamed of a great career as a solo violinist. Due to a congenital hand tremor, Sibelius’ dream never got off the ground. Many years later, he would recognize a true brother in arms in the German- n violin maestro Willy Burmester. Burmester immediately commissioned a violin concerto from the Finnish great. Sibelius did not rush into anything and worked meticulously on his violin epic. In the three-part concerto, a heavenly Adagio is framed by two finger-twisting allegros that demand all the attention. Burmeister ultimately did not premiere this masterpiece, and other violinists stumbled over the devilishly difficult piece. It was only through the efforts of violin legends such as Jascha Heifetz and David Oistrach that Sibelius’ Violin Concerto earned its well-deserved place in the hall of fame. The young Swedish violin adventurer Ava Bahari and Philzuid are taking up the gauntlet. Bahari has demonstrated in the past that she has a knack for spicy, contemporary violin concertos. The Gothenburg Symphony has already appointed Bahari as artist-in-residence and, inspired by chief conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali, she has already given an acclaimed performance of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto. Like Sibelius, Richard Strauss seduces with his unadulterated storytelling. Strauss is unrivalled in his ability to bring stories to life with his symphonic poems. With his flowing, melodious style and glowing harmonies, Strauss definitively put the symphonic poem genre on the map. Philzuid treats us to no less than two Strauss tone poems. In Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, heroic pranks predominate. Like the German folk hero Till Eulenspiegel, Strauss puts the listener in the right mood with a light-hearted, even mischievous symphonic poem. With themes for horn and clarinet, Strauss unravels the psyche of the legendary rogue. The amorous escapades of heartbreaker Don Juan are also memorable. In his cinematic orchestral work Don Juan, Strauss sings of the fate of love, but with impeccable bravura. Unabashed love themes and more energetic passages keep you glued to your seat. Philzuid opens this special concert with a cosmic vision by the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, who passed away in 2023. In her Ciel d’hiver, the most important Finnish composer of modern times conjures up heavenly timbres.

Antwerp Symphony Orchestra & Jaap van Zweden

Fri, 19 Mar 2027 18:15:00 GMT

Tickets: €29 – €85

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

One of the most spectacular works in twentieth-century music history – you could certainly call it that: Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps. What an eerie high opening in the bassoon! Pounding, jagged rhythms! Brilliant orchestration! In 1913 the scandal-ridden premiere in Paris marked a true revolution. Today it appears on the music stands of our nearest southern neighbours, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. Conducting icon Jaap van Zweden, from Dutch soil, wields the baton. It could well become something very special… The French-Canadian pianist Bruce Liu established his name when he won the XVIII International Chopin Piano Competition in 2021. ‘I was the vessel through which the Sacre flowed,’ Igor Stravinsky said when, at the age of 30, he composed his masterpiece. The music was, as it were, forced upon him – a relentless inspiration. Magical, raw, at times even pagan sounds, as if old Russia had suddenly come back to life: he merely had to surrender to it. And voilà, his craftsmanship came in very handy as well. A few decades earlier, Tchaikovsky had also made it known that Mother Russia had the most magnificent sounds to offer. In 1874 he composed his First Piano Concerto, which initially even startled some listeners: ‘one or two pages might have been worth saving; the rest had to be destroyed’… Well, today the work is the most frequently recorded piano concerto of all time.

Bachs Matthäus-Passion

Tue, 23 Mar 2027 17:00:00 GMT

Tickets: €39 – €85

Muziekgebouw Eindhoven (Hertog Jan Zaal)

‘Kommt ihr Töchter, helft mir klagen…’ The opening of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion is magnificent and immortal. The Netherlands Bach Society has performed it every year since its founding in 1922. That’s more than a century! The St. Matthew Passion is one of the greatest works of art ever created. It sets the story of Christ’s suffering to music. Betrayal, condemnation, death, and unconditional love—it’s all there. The piece combines the most horrific and the most beautiful and continues to amaze and move you, whether you are religious or not. Lars Ulrik Mortensen, renowned Baroque conductor and good friend of the Bach Society, is conducting this time. Let yourself be moved… Conductor Lars Ulrik Mortensen: ‘In the St. Matthew Passion, Bach used religious texts. I have often wondered whether I, as a non-believer, am allowed to conduct Bach’s religious works. But I think that the deeper meaning of words is universal, whether they come from the Bible or from a poem. Just as the feelings that texts evoke are universal. Bach writes in a traditional style, with both feet firmly on the ground. He understands the human condition and all our emotions like no other. At the same time, he created music that is absolutely divine. But you can always relate to it because of the recognition of the human aspect.’