Upcoming Events
Celia Mendez Young Pianists' Beethoven Competition
The Young Pianist's Beethoven competition was founded in 1987 by Celia Méndez, a San José private piano teacher who wanted to create an artistic learning experience for California high school students that would inspire and support them in their study of Beethoven's piano sonatas.
Consistent with this purpose, the "prize" of the competition is participation in a master class by an internationally renowned artist. Additional awards are performing opportunities and a monetary prize.
2021 Competition Dates
- Saturday, April 17, 2021: Competition Final (held virtually on our YouTube channel) 2:00 p.m
- Sunday, April 18, 2021: 2021 Winner’s Masterclass with Stewart Goodyear (held virtually) 2:00 p.m. Registration is required and can be done here.
For more details and information on how to apply or attend, see the Celia Mendez Young Pianist’s Beethoven Competition page on the American Beethoven Society website.
Beethoven Sonatas for Fortepiano and Cello, Opus 5, nos 1 and 2
Performed by Gwendolyn Mok, Robert Howard and Stephen Harrison
Visit our Performances page to view the performances and conversation by pianist Gwendolyn Mok and cellists Robert
Howard and Stephen Harrison.
Gwendolyn Mok from SJSU's Department of Music performs these works on a fortepiano
built by Thomas and Barbara Wolf modeled after a 1794 instrument. This replica fortepiano
is similar to the Dulcken currently in the collection at the Beethoven Center.
William Kinderman discusses his new book Beethoven: A Political Artist in Revolutionary Times with Erica Buurman
May 6 @ 12:00 noon PT Zoom
In his new book, Beethoven: A Political Artist in Revolutionary Times, William Kinderman
presents Beethoven as a civically engaged thinker faced with severe challenges. The
composer lived through many tumultuous events—the French Revolution, the rise and
fall of Napoleon Bonaparte, and the Congress of Vienna among them. Make sure to join
us to learn more about our favorite composer!
This is a free event and all are welcome.
Lewis Lockwood talks about his new book Beethoven’s Lives with Erica Buurman
Watch our interview that explored Beethoven’s Lives by Lewis Lockwood, himself a much-lauded Beethoven biographer, tells the story of
Beethoven biography, from the earliest attempts made directly after the composer's
death to the present day.
Mark Evan Bonds talks about his new book Beethoven: Variations on a Life with Erica Buurman
Despite the ups and downs of his personal life and professional career-- even
in the face of deafness-Beethoven remained remarkably consistent in his most basic
convictions about his art. This inner consistency, the music historian Mark Evan Bonds
argues, provides the key to understanding the composer's life and works.
Watch the video of this interview on our YouTube channel here!
