Pianist

For four years, star pianist Kit Armstrong has dedicated himself to Ludwig van Beethoven together with conductor Jan Caeyers and his orchestra – in a total of 27 concerts. The main part of this concert consists of two works by Beethoven, the Fourth Symphony and the »Andante favouri«, which are played relatively rarely, probably because they are bursting with sunshine and light-heartedness, which is quite untypical of Beethoven. They are an expression of Beethoven’s optimism at the time, which was partly work-related – but also related to his relationship with Josephine von Brunsvik, his presumed »immortal lover«, to whom he dedicated the »Andante favouri«.

EPSG:4326

The Olympic Concert / Kit Armstrong / Jan Caeyers

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

SPO Chamber Series V: Kit Armstrong

Industrial Bank of Korea Chamber Hall

Hankyeol Yoon conducts Mozart and Strauss

Lotte World Mall

Works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms and Leonard Bernstein

Enchanting

Maria-Magdalenen-Kirche Marne - Ev.-Luth. Kirchengemeinde Marne

Gut Pronstorf

Nostalgie française – Nostalgia I

Evangelical Reformed Church

How is the house built? When are the roof, walls and floors added? And will the structure be able to support itself? These are the questions of an architect – but they can also be the questions of conductors when they approach musical structures with their very own style and passion. It is therefore hardly surprising that Bertrand de Billy, who was already fantasising about becoming a conductor at the age of four, once said: »If it hadn’t worked out with music, I would probably have been an architect.« From an early age, he carefully observed the movements of conductors – whether from the choirboy's perspective or as an orchestral musician. Today, he conducts numerous renowned orchestras himself. His specialities include classics and key works of the 20th century and, as a native of Paris, time and again declarations of love for French music. With us, he combines Gershwin and Ravel, two composers who knew each other well and both absorbed the other’s idiom. Ravel’s dazzling piece »Daphnis et Chloé« is a fairytale story about two foundlings, which premiered in the French metropolis in 1912. Gershwin’s pulsating piano concerto also has something to do with the city of love: although it was composed in 1925 in the jazzy melting pot that is New York, large parts of it were later woven into the film »An American in Paris«. As a congenial sound designer, Bertrand de Billy will work with us and the pianist Kit Armstrong to delicately emphasise the different currents and similarities of the compositions like a musical architect: Because he never wants to be an overbearing chef d'orchestre, but simply to be an artist among artists: »The fulfilment of creating something together is indescribably beautiful.«

Guest in Erlangen

Heinrich-Lades-Halle

Bertrand de Billy, Kit Armstrong

Bamberg Concert Hall

“It is the best thing I have written in my life”, declared Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1784 of his piano quintet. Many of his most famous works had not yet been written, but the quintet remains a Mozartian jewel, with its melodic beauty and charming dialogues between the instruments. It is no wonder that the young Ludwig van Beethoven was inspired by Mozart’s example to write an equally enchanting quintet. Members of the Berliner Philharmoniker play both works with pianist Kit Armstrong. Contemporary counterpoints are provided in the form of wind quintets by Hans Werner Henze and Wolfgang Rihm.

Philharmonic chamber music Piano quintets by Mozart and Beethoven with Kit Armstrong

Berliner Philharmonie

"In the melodies of the natives I find everything that a great and national musical art needs. They are touching, tender, passionate, melancholic, bold and happy", said Antonin Dvorák about his inspiring journey to the 'New World' - the USA, which he visited in 1893. The inspiration became Dvorák's Symphony No. 9, which Tivoli Copenhagen Phil playing at full blast.

Venzago, Armstrong and Dvorák's 9.

Tivolis Koncertsal

Kit Armstrong & friends: Expedition Mozart

Mozarteum Foundation

Ulrich Leisinger in conversation with Kit Armstrong

Artist Talk: Kit Armstrong

After the opening tour of their »Beethoven 27« project in November 2024, Jan Caeyers and the orchestra he founded, Le Concert Olympique, will return to the Elbphilharmonie together with Kit Armstrong. Jan Caeyers, a recognised Beethoven specialist, has set himself a special goal with the »Beethoven 27« project, which will run for several years: With 27 works from the pen of the great composer, he wants to build bridges to the 27 member states of the European Union. As in all concerts of the BEETHOVEN27 project, Kit Armstrong will open the concert with a prelude and fugue from Bach’s Well-Tempered Piano. This is not only a reference to the important significance this iconic piano music had for Beethoven, but also serves as an opening ritual to get musicians and audience in the right mood.

Pianist

Kit Armstrong

Events

Upcoming events

Nov 10, 2025 - Feb 19, 2026

The Olympic Concert / Kit Armstrong / Jan Caeyers · Elbphilharmonie

Feb 1, 2026

Kit Armstrong & friends: Expedition Mozart · Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum

Feb 1, 2026

Artist Talk: Kit Armstrong · Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum

Apr 19, 2026

The Olympic Concert / Kit Armstrong / Jan Caeyers · Elbphilharmonie

Past events

Nov 10, 2025 - Feb 19, 2026

The Olympic Concert / Kit Armstrong / Jan Caeyers · Elbphilharmonie

Sep 13, 2025

SPO Chamber Series V: Kit Armstrong · Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra

Future and recently performed repertoire

Piano in Concerto in F by Gershwin

Bamberger Symphoniker

Piano in Piano Quartet No. 1 by Mozart

Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum

Piano in Piano Concerto No. 27 by Mozart

Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra

Piano in Quintet for Piano and Winds by Beethoven

Berliner Philharmoniker

Piano in Piano Quartet by Schumann

Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra

Piano in Fantasia on Themes from Gounod’s Faust by Wieniawski

Gstaad Menuhin Festival

Piano in Daphnis et Chloé by Ravel

Bamberger Symphoniker

Piano in Piano Concerto No. 9 by Mozart

Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum

Piano in Wind Quintet by Rihm

Berliner Philharmoniker

About

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