Harpsichord concert

Yoshio Watanabe is one of Japan’s leading figures in early music. On the occasion of his week-long visit to Villa Médicis to record an album, he will give a concert on the Académie’s historic harpsichord in the Grand Salon on April 6.

The harpsichord at Villa Medici is a living instrument, and was played at Scott Ross ‘s last concert before his death on April 6, 1989. Yoshio Watanabe will bring the harpsichord to life before its complete restoration, performing repertoire by Johann Jacob Froberger and Louis Couperin.

Yoshio Watanabe performs in numerous concerts to promote harpsichord music. In 1984, he founded the Baroque Bandwith which he has conducted major works for voice and orchestra, including Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo and Vespro della Beata Vergine , George Frideric Handel’s Messiah and Johann Sebastian Bach’s St. John Passion.