The Virtual Beethoven Festival

Valley of the Moon Music Festival presents The Virtual Beethoven Festival

July 18 – August 2
Saturdays and Sundays @ 4PM

During our annual Festival period we will explore some of Beethoven’s smaller chamber works while carefully respecting current health guidelines. These performances will be livestreamed with internationally recognized musicians from the Bay Area, who will carry the spirit of the annual festival until all of our participating artists can join us live in 2021.

All musicians originally contracted for the 2020 Festival have received 50% of their fee as part of VMMF’s commitment to taking care of our Festival Artists. Donations are gratefully received.

VMMF musicians and scholars in the Festival’s Blattner Lecture Series will introduce each concert and provide commentary.

Speakers include Nicholas Mathew, author of Political Beethoven and Associate Professor in the Department of Music at UC Berkeley, Nicholas McGegan, former Artistic Director at Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, and Kate van Orden, Harvard University’s Dwight P. Robinson, Jr. Professor of Music.

The violin sonatas of Beethoven will be performed by Avery Fisher Grant recipient and rising star Francisco Fullana, currently based in Palo Alto.

Berkeley-based Audrey Vardanega, a pupil of Richard Goode with a special interest in historical pianos, will be making her VMMF debut.

Soprano Maya Kherani, familiar to Bay Area audiences for her acclaimed roles with Opera Parallèle, Opera San Jose and West Edge Opera will also be joining the proceedings.

Finally, Bay Area favorite, violist Liana Bérubé will return for her fifth season with the festival.