2025 Festival | June 8–15, 2025
Keyboard Mini-Festival
Friday, June 13
PLEASE NOTE THE LOCATIONS: The clavichord recital takes place at First Church Boston, while the fortepiano and harpsichord recitals take place across the street at First Lutheran Church of Boston.
9AM | First Church Boston Yi-Heng Yang, clavichord
Awaken to Love
The playing of keyboardist Yi-heng Yang has been described as “impeccable” (BBC Music) and “superbly adept” (Gramophone). For her BEMF début, she explores the dynamic and expressive range of the clavichord in a program of galant, pre-Romantic improvisatory works by Auernhammer, C. P. E. Bach, and Haydn, which spring directly from the composers’ emotional landscapes. Paired with these are 21st-century pieces in historical keyboard style, by Neo-Baroque composers Mondry and Canzano, as well as short historical-style improvisations interspersed throughout.
11:30AM | First Lutheran Church of Boston Federico Ercoli, fortepiano
Farewell: On the Other Side of Love and Power
Bitterness, hope, faith, and despair are just some of the ingredients that mix at the moment of farewell. Federico Ercoli, laureate of the MA Fortepiano Competition 2024, makes his BEMF début in a recital that explores fortepiano examples of this theme from the late 18th and early 19th centuries: from Dussek’s farewell to his beloved friend Clementi, through Haydn’s depiction of Christ’s farewell to earthly life, to Beethoven’s farewell to Archduke Rudolf, his powerful student and patron.
2PM | First Lutheran Church of Boston Justin Taylor, harpsichord
French Love
After a spectacular BEMF début with Le Consort in 2024, the stunning virtuoso Justin Taylor returns for the 2025 Keyboard Mini-Festival. His program has its roots in the golden age of French harpsichord, with some of the greatest music ever composed for the instrument, by Rameau, François Couperin, d’Anglebert, and other masters. Be transported by the dazzling emotional intensity expressed by the harpsichord in this recital where all is about love!