PRESS KIT

About LAcadmie

LAcadmie began at a small gathering of friends, where there was a common desire to recapture the spirit of novelty and exploration which seemed to characterize the early music movement in Boston in decades past
LAcadmie is a Baroque orchestra specializing in music of 17th- and 18th-century France with an emphasis on lesserknown works and composers. Founded in Boston in early 2009, the organization provides opportunities to Bostonarea musicians to collaborate and audiences to connect with compelling programs of early music. Since January 2010, internationally renowned organist, harpsichordist and conductor Ton Koopman has served as Artistic Advisor to LAcadmie. Now in its third season, LAcadmie is making a name for itself with innovative programming and a dedication to providing opportunities to the wealth of young Baroque musicians in Boston.
MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to encourage, develop and preserve the extraordinary legacy of Boston as a world-class center for early music. As an orchestra we strive to achieve this through engaging and enlightening performances that are accessible and inclusive.
GENERAL DIRECTOR

Leslie Kwan
ARTISTIC ADVISOR

Ton Koopman
PERFORMANCES

In 2011/12, LAcademie will perform 6 performances of 3 concert programs during its mainstage season.

Artistic Leadership
LESLIE KWAN, GENERAL DIRECTOR
Praised by The Miami Herald, ...the graceful, imaginative continuo playing... gave the music palpable energy, New York native Leslie Kwan has quickly garnered a reputation for her remarkable artistic range as a soloist, continuo player and director. In 1997, she enrolled in the Master of Music program at the Mannes College of Music under the tutelage of harpsichordist Arthur Haas as a Helena Rubenstein Scholar. Ms. Kwan continued her training with Arthur Haas in the Doctoral of Musical Arts program at SUNY Stony Brook from 19992004. In 2005, she made her Carnegie Recital Hall debut with soprano Brenna Wells, as well as her New World Symphony debut, to critical acclaim. As the continuo player of the New World Symphony from 20052010, Ms. Kwan performed under the direction of Ton Koopman, Robert King, Scott Yoo, Edwin Outwater and Nicolas McGegan. In February 2009, Ms Kwan co-founded LAcadmie with choral conductor Michael Barrett. After two successful seasons, Ms. Kwan was promoted to the role of General Director. Under her direction, LAcadmie has since distinguished itself as the Baroque orchestra that specializes in music of 17th and 18th century France. The ensemble has developed a distinctive style and has been lauded for its consistently intelligent, stylish and unique programming. Future projects for Ms. Kwan include a solo recording and recitals in Boston, New York, London, Brussels and Paris.
PHOTO: DANIEL DOKE

Artistic Leadership
TON KOOPMAN, ARTISTIC ADVISOR
Ton Koopman was born in Zwolle in 1944. After a classical education he studied organ, harpsichord and musicology in Amsterdam and was awarded the Prix d'Excellence for both instruments. From the beginning of his musical studies he was fascinated by authentic instruments and a performance style based on sound scholarship and in 1969, at the age of 25, he created his first Baroque orchestra. In 1979 he founded the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra followed by the Amsterdam Baroque Choir in 1992. Over the course of a forty-five-year career Ton Koopman has appeared in the most important concert halls and festivals of the five continents. As an organist he has performed on the most prestigious historical instruments of Europe, and as a harpsichord player and conductor of the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir he has been a regular guest at venues which include the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Thatre des Champs-Elyses in Paris, the Philharmonie in Munich, the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, the Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in New York and leading concert halls in Vienna, London, Berlin, Brussels, Madrid, Rome, Salzburg, Tokyo and Osaka. Between 1994 and 2004 Ton Koopman has been engaged in a unique project, conducting and recording all the existing Cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach, a massive undertaking for which he has been awarded the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis "Echo Klassik", the BBC Award 2008, the Prix Hector Berlioz, has been nominated for the Grammy Award (USA) and the Gramophone Award (UK). In 2000 Ton Koopman has received an Honorary Degree from the Utrecht University for his academic work on the Bach Cantatas and Passions and has been awarded both the prestigious Silver Phonograph Prize and the VSCD Classical Music Award. In 2006 he has received the Bach-Medaille from the City of Leipzig. Ton Koopman is very active as a guest conductor and he has collaborated with many prominent orchestras in Europe, USA and Japan. He has been Principal Conductor of the Netherland Radio Chamber Orchestra and has collaborated with the Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam, DSO Berlin, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks in Munich, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Cleveland Orchestra, Santa Cecilia in Rome, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie and Wiener Symphoniker. In the following season he will work on new programmes with the New York Philharmonic, DSO Berlin, Orchestra RAI in Turin, Stockholm Philharmonic, Tonhalle in Zurich. After the great success of his tour at the beginning of 2008, Ton Koopman has been nominated Artist in Residence at the Cleveland Orchestra for three consecutive years starting in 2011.

PHOTO: MARCO BORGRREVE

Artistic Leadership
JOAN PLANA, CONCERTMASTER
Praised by his ...finger-knotting virtuosity... (Yorkshire Post, England), baroque violinist Joan Plana is a founding member of the baroque ensemble CONCITATO as well as an inaugural member of the new Historical Performance Program at the Juilliard School of New York, where he studies with Monica Huggett and Cynthia Roberts. With CONCITATO he has appeared in venues in New York, Chicago, Montreal and Cleveland. The ensemble was the only American group on the finals of the 2009 York International Young Artists Competition (England). Joan plays regularly with several baroque groups such as Apollos Fire (Cleveland), LAcademie (Boston) or Baroque Band (Chicago). At Juilliard, he plays with Juilliard 415 and has collaborated with Juilliard Baroque in concerts in New York and Madrid. His appearances around the country include concerts at the Dame Myra Hess Concerts in Chicago and the Ravinia, Aspen and the Boston Early Music Festival. Joan got interested in the Historical Performance Practice following his arrival in Cleveland in 2005. He joined the CaseCIM Baroque Orchestra at the Case Western Reserve University, where he studied with Julie Andrijeski, Cynthia Roberts and Miho Hashizume. He became concertmaster, soloist and guest conductor of the ensemble. In 2008 he received an Early Music Certificate from Case Western University and the Cleveland Institute of Music. While attending the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute in Toronto, he received the Jeanne Lamon Scholarship Award. He also participated at the Baroque Performance Institute at Oberlin and the International Baroque Institute at Longy (Cambridge), studying with Marilyn McDonald and Elizabeth Blumenstock. He has taken lessons and masterclasses given by Robert Mealy, Manfred Kramer, Fabio Biondi, Enrico Onofri and Jordi Savall. Joan has taught baroque violin masterclasses and workshops at the Baldwin-Wallace College (Ohio) and the Sarah Lawrence College (New York).