As one of the pioneers of historical performance practice in Flanders, Jos van Immerseel needs little introduction. Besides playing historical keyboard instruments, he is a researcher, collector, teacher and conductor. Music in its many facets is central to his work and life. Nowadays, van Immerseel is back on stage more often as a soloist and chamber musician, mainly on instruments from his own collection.
His most recent solo piano recording is “Piano works of the young Beethoven” (Alpha, 2020). He regularly performs solo, in chamber music ensembles and as a conductor and soloist with Anima Eterna Brugge. In the upcoming months, the recording of a triple CD of French harpsichord music is planned (release 2023 Channel Classics / Outhere).
van Immerseel owns a unique collection of historical keyboard instruments, which accompany him at his concerts and CD recordings. Jos van Immerseel always strives to perform the music on the instruments that the composers knew in their time and that inspired them to write their compositions.
His programme offerings range from 18th century harpsichord music, over Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Liszt, to Debussy, Gershwin, Bartok, and others on keyboards by makers such as Clarke, Tröndlin, Erard, Bechstein.
With chamber music partners such as Thomas Bauer (baritone), he performs Schubert’s Song Cycles, with Midori Seiler he presents violin sonatas by Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, and with pianist Ayako Ito works for piano four-hands by Schubert and works for two pianos by Debussy, Lutoslawski, Saint-Saëns, Poulenc and others.
In 2010, he received the Music Festival Prize of the City of Bremen, followed by the Klara Career Prize in 2018. By former Vice-President of the Flemish Government and Flemish Minister of Culture Sven Gatz, he was awarded the highest distinction for his life’s work in the service of classical music in Flanders.
