Beethoven: Behind the Music
Join RIAM Director Deborah Kelleher for a compelling five‑week journey into the mind and music of one of history’s most revolutionary composers. (In Person or Online participation available)
Description
Beethoven: Behind the Music
A 5‑Week Music Appreciation Series with RIAM Director Deborah Kelleher
Participants can register for either "In-Person" or "Online" (via Zoom) participation.
Includes a FREE 'Access All Areas' Ticket to RIAM’s Beethoven 200 Season in 2027
Join RIAM Director Deborah Kelleher for a compelling five‑week journey into the mind and music of one of history’s most revolutionary composers.
Beethoven: Behind the Music pulls back the curtain on the artistry, vision, and innovation that transformed Western music. From the intimacy of the piano sonatas to the monumental energy of the symphonies, discover why this composer above all is Deborah’s “Desert Island” choice.
This series includes a complimentary “Access All Areas” season ticket, giving you free entry to a rich programme of Beethoven performances by RIAM students throughout 2027.
Designed as the perfect overture to this anniversary year, the series will deepen your knowledge of the very works you’ll later hear on our stages. Expect illuminating insights, lively listening, and a fresh perspective on the masterpieces shaping our Beethoven 200 celebrations.
Course Program:
Session 1: The Solo Piano Music
Explore the bold imagination and emotional depth of Beethoven’s piano writing through his solo sonatas, from early classical brilliance to the stormy, boundary‑breaking works that reshaped the instrument’s possibilities. (25th September 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM)
Session 2: Chamber Music
From string quartets to piano trios, delve into Beethoven’s laboratories of innovation, where some of his most intimate yet radical musical ideas first took shape. (2nd October 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM)
Session 3: Vocal Works
Discover the expressive world of Beethoven’s songs, choral writing, and dramatic vocal works, revealing a composer deeply engaged with text, theatre, and human storytelling. (9th October 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM)
Session 4: Concerti
Survey the concerti that redefined the relationship between soloist and orchestra - brilliant, virtuosic, and epic in scale. (16th October 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM)
Session 5: Symphonies
Enter the realm of Beethoven’s symphonic revolution, the works that changed musical history and continue to speak powerfully to audiences today. (23rd October 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM)
Prerequisites
Participants must be 18+
Participants must have a Laptop, PC or tablet with pre-installed Zoom, as well as a stable internet connection to participate in the "Online" course option.
Tutors
Deborah Kelleher (Director, RIAM)