Welcome to Saint Catherine's Church

Harpsichordist Jean Rondeau is a global ambassador for his instrument. Combining a profound respect for the past with bold, boundary-pushing programming, Rondeau is at the forefront of the movement to bring the harpsichord into the 21st century. As *Gramophone* magazine noted (2023), Rondeau teaches us “just how flexible and expressive the harpsichord can be—perhaps more so than any of us had previously imagined.” For the 2025–2026 season, Rondeau presents an innovative project centered on the complete works of Louis Couperin. The culmination of several years of intensive work, this project has resulted in the release of a 10-CD and 1-DVD box set (November 14th on Warner Classics/Erato), numerous performances of Couperin's works in venues such as London's Wigmore Hall, Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie, and Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, a Japanese tour, and Couperin marathons at the Philharmonie de Paris and the Utrecht Early Music Festival, where he will be artist-in-residence. Following its successful launch during the 2024-2025 season, Rondeau's improvisation program, *Sisyphus*, will continue to be a prominent feature, with concerts at De Bijloke (Ghent), the KKL Lucerne, and the Ruhr Piano Festival (Klavier-Festival Ruhr). Among his other forays into the world of contemporary music is *UNDR*, a co-composition with drummer Tancrède Kummer inspired by the *Goldberg Variations*, which was described as “explosive” after its premiere at La Grange au Lac in Évian in 2022. Other highlights of the 2025-2026 season include a concert at Carnegie Hall with the Orchestra of St Luke’s and performances of the *Goldberg Variations* at Bold Tendencies (London), the London Festival of Baroque Music, the Konzerthaus Dortmund, and the Schaffhausen Bachfest. Rondeau will collaborate with the Ricercar Ensemble at Wigmore Hall and the Utrecht Early Music Festival (Festival Oude Muziek), with Nicolas Altstaedt at the Dresden Music Festival, and will tour Europe with his baroque quartet, Nevermind, to present their recent transcription of the *Goldberg Variations*. A Warner Classics/Erato artist, Rondeau has recorded several critically acclaimed albums. *Gradus Ad Parnassum* (2023) was hailed as a “triumph” by *Gramophone* and described as “quietly audacious” by *The New York Times*, while his recording of the *Goldberg Variations* (2022) was described as “fascinating” by *Gramophone* and received 5 stars in *BBC Music Magazine*. His previous recordings include *Imagine* (2015), *Vertigo* (2016), *Dynastie: Bach Concertos* (2017), *Scarlatti Sonatas* (2018), *Barricades* (2020, recorded with Thomas Dunford), and *Melancholy Grace* (2021). Rondeau studied harpsichord with Blandine Verlet at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris before training in basso continuo, organ, piano, jazz, improvisation, and conducting. He completed his musical training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. In 2012, at the age of 21, Rondeau became one of the youngest performers in history to win First Prize at the Bruges International Harpsichord Competition (MAfestival 2012).