YOUNG FRENCH STARS MAKE PRINCETON UNIVERSITY CONCERTS DEBUTS ON PERFORMANCES UP CLOSE SERIES

YOUNG FRENCH STARS MAKE PRINCETON UNIVERSITY CONCERTS DEBUTS ON PERFORMANCES UP CLOSE SERIES

Baroque violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte and harpsichordist Justin Taylor of acclaimed ensemble Le Consort and trailblazing harpsichordist Jean Rondeau, whose latest album was featured by the NY Times, bring their fresh approach to music played on period instruments to Princeton University Concerts’ Performances Up Close series with audience seated on stage.

As part of their visit to Princeton, the artists will also work with students in Trenton public schools and participate in PUC’s popular Live Music Meditation series.

PRINCETON, NJ — After opening the Performances Up Close series on Sunday, October 8 with Nordic band Dreamers’ Circus, Princeton University Concerts (PUC) will offer two more fall Performances Up Close programs that invite the audience to sit on the stage of Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall alongside the musicians. These programs—featuring baroque violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte and harpsichordist Justin Taylor on Thursday, October 26, 2023 and harpsichordist Jean Rondeau on Wednesday, November 8, 2023—both celebrate young French musicians who are delivering the sound of the baroque era to our modern ears in wholly new ways.

“Last season, our audience was enamored and inspired by the young artists of the Jupiter Ensemble who breathed new life into a program of early music.” says Marna Seltzer. “Both of our upcoming fall Performances Up Close programs feature artists who are members of the Jupiter Ensemble, and they bring with them a similarly dazzling approach to early music and period instruments. We are in for Historically Informed Performance (H.I.P.) that is truly HIP…and exceptional!”

On Thursday, October 26 at 6PM and 9PM, baroque violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte and harpsichordist Justin Taylor, a young duo from acclaimed early music ensemble Le Consort, bring a program that highlights the glamourous spirit characterizing music of the eighteenth century. “The Flamboyant Baroque” spans unearthed forgotten gems from old libraries, transcriptions of the most popular opera arias from the period, and masterpieces that continue to resonate to this day, including works by Bach, Corelli, and Purcell.

On Wednesday, November 9 at 6PM and 9PM, harpsichordist Jean Rondeau brings “Gradus Ad Parnassum,” a program that asks us to consider what music originally written for the piano, including piano works by Beethoven, Haydn, and Mozart, might illuminate about the harpsichord, and what the harpsichord might reveal about music composed for the piano.

As with all Performances Up Close, both of these hour-long programs will allow the audience to sit onstage alongside the musicians, allowing for a more intimate, immediate, and informal experience of chamber music. “These young artists’ programs lend themselves so beautifully to our Performances Up Close format, as they situate their concerts in the spirit and intimacy of musical performances of the baroque and classical eras in a way that will make you hear this music differently,” says PUC Director Marna Seltzer.

In the intimate spirit of these events, capacity is limited and tickets ($40 General/$10 Students) are expected to sell quickly; patrons are encouraged to buy them soon. Reduced cost tickets for both of these concerts are available for those who qualify for PUC’s Admit All ticket access program for low-income patrons. Visit puc.princeton.edu or call 609-258-2800 for tickets and more information.

Beyond the Concerts:

Neighborhood Music Project Class in Trenton Schools

The morning after his performances in Princeton, violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte will visit Trenton Public Schools with Trenton Arts at Princeton as part of PUC’s “Neighborhood Music Project.” He will engage 12-15 Trenton Central High School orchestra students in a 60- minute concert-conversation.

Live Music Meditation

On Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at noon, harpsichordist Jean Rondeau will perform as part of Princeton University Concerts’ free Live Music Meditation events.

All are invited to breathe in sound and silence through guided meditation while listening to music more viscerally than ever before, meditating to the playing of harpsichordist Jean Rondeau, guided by Matthew Weiner, Associate Dean in the Princeton University Office of Religious Life. This is a FREE, unticketed opportunity to indulge in attentive, focused, and mindful listening.

No prior experience with meditation necessary. Capacity is limited, and participants are advised to arrive early—although the event officially begins at 12:30PM, doors to the hall will open and meditation instruction will begin at 12:00PM (noon). The event will conclude by 1:30PM. If desired, attendees may bring floor seating (mat/cushion/etc); seating will be on stage, with chairs provided.

Meet Your Fellow Concertgoers at Do-Re-Meet: Find Your Friends

After enjoying harpsichordist Jean Rondeau’s concert together at 6PM on Wednesday, November 8, patrons can meet their fellow concertgoers at one of PUC’s Do-Re-Meet social events for music lovers. At this Post-Concert Find Your Friends “speed friending” event, attendees can expect to meet their fellow concertgoers through facilitated social activities while enjoying catered hors d’oeuvres from Tipple & Rose. These events are held at the historic Maclean House on Princeton’s campus, just steps from Richardson Auditorium. Do-Re-Meet experiences are co-hosted by Princeton University Concerts and Risa Grimaldi of The Singles Group (TheSinglesGroup.com).

PUC opens its season with two Do-Re-Meet events on October 8: Speed Dating and an LGBTQ+ Mingle

Tickets to Do-Re-Meet include the full experience—both the social event and the concert— for $50/General and $20/Students. Reduced cost tickets for this Do-Re-Meet experience are available for those who qualify for PUC’s Admit All ticket access program for low-income patrons. Visit puc.princeton.edu or call 609-258-2800 for tickets and more information about concerts, Do-Re-Meet experiences, and Admit All.

ABOUT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY CONCERTS’ PERFORMANCES UP CLOSE SERIES

Every detail of PUC’s Performances Up Close —including seating configuration, a relaxed atmosphere, and audience interaction—is curated to foster as direct an experience of the music as possible. Extending the warm, informal, and intimate nature of these concerts, they are often paired with a Do-Re-Meet social event for music lovers, giving concertgoers a chance to get to know their fellow concertgoers and meet new concert buddies through facilitated social activities over catered hors d’oeuvres.  The 2023-24 Performances Up Close season will end with an especially forward-looking program: the North American premiere of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra’s “Future Presence,” an immersive installation in virtual reality, running January 18-21.

ABOUT THE MUSICIANS

Théotime Langlois de Swarte

Passion and eclecticism define the repertoire choices of Théotime Langlois de Swarte which extends from the 17th century to contemporary creation. He is the first baroque violinist to be nominated for the Victoires de la Musique Classique 2020 in the “Instrumental Soloist Revelation” category, recognition for his work within multiple baroque ensembles, particularly in France: Ensemble Jupiter, Les Ombres, Pulcinella, Marguerite Louise, and Les Arts Florissants. After studying at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP) in the class of Michaël Hentz, Théotime founded the ensemble Le Consort with harpsichordist Justin Taylor in 2015. The ensemble was quickly recognized as one of the most important of his generation; he collaborates with lyrical artists such as Eva Zaicik, Véronique Gens and Mathias Vidal. Their recordings for Alpha Classics/Outhere are rewarded by the press: Choc Classica (Venez Chère Ombre) and Diapason d’Or of the year 2019 (Opus 1). Théotime Langlois de Swarte is a laureate of the Banque Populaire foundation and the Jumpstart Foundation. He plays on a Jacob Stainer violin from 1665.

Justin Taylor

Justin Taylor’s dazzling concert and recording career began in 2015 when he won First Prize at the Musica Antiqua Harpsichord Competition in Bruges, along with the Audience Prize, the Alpha Classics Prize, and the EUBO Developing Trust Prize. He is famed for his “virtuoso, sensitive, and gourmand interpretations” (Sophie Bourdais, Télérama, 2021). In 2017, he was nominated as one of the three finalists in the “Instrumental Soloist Revelation” category of the “Victoires de la Musique Classique.” That same year, the Professional Critics Association awarded him the “Musical Revelation of the Year” Prize. Since then, he has been invited to play in concert halls in Europe. Justin Taylor has already made more than ten recordings, in exclusivity with Alpha Classics. His most recent album, La Famille Rameau, has received much critical acclaim and has been praised for his “triumphant virtuosity, tender poetry, and downright miraculous touch” (Classica, May 2021). Justin Taylor’s ensemble Le Consort, created with his violinist-friends Sophie de Bardonnèche and Théotime Langlois de Swarte, won the First Prize in 2017 at the Loire Valley International Early Music Competition, whose jury president is William Christie. Their recordings, both instrumental (Opus 1, Specchio Veneziano) and vocal (Venez chère ombre, Royal Handel), were quickly singled out for critical praise. Opus 1, which presented Jean-François Dandrieu’s sonatas for the first time, was awarded the Diapason d’Or for the year 2019.

Jean Rondeau

Described as “one of the most natural performers one is likely to hear on a classical music stage” by the Washington Post, Jean Rondeau is a veritable global ambassador for his instrument. His outstanding talent and innovative approach to keyboard repertoire have been critically acclaimed, marking him out as one of today’s leading harpsichordists. During the 2021-22 season, Rondeau completed a tour of major European venues performing Bach’s Goldberg Variations – a project long in the making; emphasizing sustainability with a “green itinerary” to highlight his environmental commitments, it includes visits to the Berlin Philharmonie, the Frankfurt Opera House, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, the Liszt Academy in Budapest, Geneva’s Victoria Hall, the Philharmonie de Paris, and London’s Wigmore Hall. Rondeau is signed to Erato as an exclusive artist, with whom he has recorded several albums championing early music. Rondeau’s previous album Barricades (2020), recorded with Thomas Dunford of The Jupiter Ensemble, garnered widespread critical acclaim, as did his 2019 Scarlatti Sonata recording, which won that year’s Diapason d’Or de l’Année.