Presenting with pride: Beethoven27
Leading Beethoven expert Jan Caeyers saw a unique opportunity to celebrate Beethoven and Europe with an ambitious sociocultural project. The result is Beethoven27 and the organisation of concerts throughout Europe. Discover the reason for the project and its unifying mission.
From concept to concert: Beethoven and Europe
Beethoven’s music calls for peace and human brotherhood, exemplified by his masterpiece The Ninth Symphony. It is a powerful message that is in line with the ambitions of the European Union, which is why the symphony lives on in the official EU anthem. Beethoven and Europe, they are closely connected.
Fate would have it that the year 2027 offers the perfect occasion to celebrate both. That year marks the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s death as well as the signing of the first and last EU treaties. Jan Caeyers could not let this symbolic year go by unnoticed. The seeds of inspiration took fruit and the Beethoven27 project was born, its running time carefully chosen: from 2024 to 2027.
From borders to brothers: uniting Europe through music
Music is a universal language. So what better way to celebrate the harmony and unity of Europe than through the power of Beethoven’s music. To do so, Beethoven27 will organise live concerts across 27 EU cities, performing 27 key compositions by the maestro.
Jan Caeyers is aided in his mission by creative partner Kit Armstrong, a star pianist who, like Beethoven, is both a piano virtuoso and a prolific composer. To bring Beethoven’s music to life, Jan and Kit are joined by renowned Beethoven orchestra Le Concert Olympique and, to perform the maestro’s choral works, the acclaimed Arnold Schoenberg Choir from Vienna. Together they form a powerhouse of musical talent, more than capable of doing Beethoven’s compositions justice.
From maestro to metaverse: a cross-cultural project
Concerts are central to Beethoven27, but the project offers more than a musical experience. Beethoven composed his music while struggling with deafness. His life story is one of perseverance, overcoming challenges and turning them into art. Beethoven27 wants to tell that story with the Beethoven Experience Day: a 12-hour weekend event consisting of various activities. These include educational activities for children, a theatre piece on deaf author Helen Keller, a metaverse project and initiatives to support the hearing-impaired.
Kick-off concert on 13 May 2024
The Beethoven27 project will kick off with a bang. The year 2024 marks the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Beethoven27 is celebrating it with a live performance in Antwerp on 13 May. Are you celebrating with us? For tickets and info, keep an eye on our ticket page.
Meet proud partner fashion house Natan
Meet couturier Edouard Vermeulen, founder of Belgian fashion house Natan. Over the years, he has garnered a reputation as a high-end fashion designer with an eye for elegant female clothing. Now, Natan has decided to dress the female musicians of Le Concert Olympique.
Call for peace - Ninth Symphony
On 13 May 2024 in Antwerp, Le Concert Olympique, pianist Kit Armstrong and the Arnold Schoenberg Choir performed Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in the Elisabethzaal in Antwerp. The official opening concert of Beethoven27, dedicated to a European 'Call for peace'. >>
Beethoven Today, Living Tomorrow: musical narrative with Jan Caeyers
In December 2023, we brought sponsors and partners together at Living Tomorrow in Vilvoorde for a musical narrative with dinner by Beethoven expert Jan Caeyers. A fantastic evening dedicated to the new Beethoven project.
Why Beethoven matters: Jan Caeyers and Kit Armstrong in conversation
An established conductor and world-class pianist met to discuss their favourite subject: Beethoven. Jan Caeyers and Kit discuss the project’s mission, vision and the relevance of classical music today.
Designing the Beethoven tour
At the heart of the Beethoven tour are 27 key compositions spread across nine programmes. Project founder and conductor Jan Caeyers explains the carefully-chosen structure behind each programme.