If it ain't 'baroque' it's not Barthold Kuijken

St. Paul, Minn. — Belgian Baroque Flute specialist, virtuoso, scholar, and all around rock star Barthold Kuijken has been making regular stops in the Twin Cities lately.

That might be because the flute professor at the University of Minnesota -- Immanuel Davis -- is a like-minded baroque flute aficionado.

This Thursday at Sundin Hall, both flute jocks will be on stage for a joint recital that includes music by Couperin, Leclair, the quintessential of all Baroque composers -- Johann Sebastian Bach, as well as one of Bach's best friends, Silvius Leopold Weiss.

A couple of years back, I attended not only Bart Kuijken's astonishingly beautiful concert, but also his masterclass for some of the advanced students at the U.

Though most of the students played on modern silver instruments, the words of wisdom on articulation, phrasing, tone and interpretation that Mr. Kuijken imparted to his charges was nothing short of masterful -- giving their performances an entirely new and fresh sound.

The Schubert Club is hosting Barthold Kuijken's visit with a concert Thursday night and a masterclass the next day at the Schubert Club. Dongsok Shin accompanies at the harpsichord.

Guests

• Barthold Kuijken: Belgian flutist Barthold Kuijken studied at The Hague with two of the world's great Baroque specialists Frans Vester and Frans Bruggen. During this time, he discovered a beautiful old transverse flute, which he taught himself to play. He concentrated more and more on this instrument while at the same time playing a 'normal' flute in an ensemble for avant-garde music. He was inspired by the study of old, historical works on performing practice, a practical interest in original instruments in museums, and contact with instrument makers. He currently plays in the Baroque orchestra 'La Petite Bande' and teaches flute at the conservatories of music in Brussels and The Hague. Concerts have taken him to most important European cities, to the USA, to Canada, Brasil, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the Soviet Union.