The next talk for the Arts Society Brussels is on the evening of Wednesday 4 March and will explore Johann Sebastian Bach's Matthew Passion: a masterful work that combines tunefulness, craftsmanship, dramatic power and spirituality in equal measure.

The speaker is Sandy Burnett (pictured above) is one of the UK’s most versatile music commentators, who has enjoyed a career that combines broadcasting, performing and lecturing. After studying at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge and working as music director for the RSC, National Theatre and in London’s West End, Sandy spent a decade as one of the core team of presenters on BBC Radio 3. Combining engaging scholarship with hands-on expertise, he devises and leads cultural holidays all over the world, is the author of the Idler Guide to Classical Music, is a highly sought after double bassist on the London jazz scene, and was appointed the Academy of Ancient Music’s Hogwood Fellow for the 2018-19 season.

He will guide the audience through music examples, pick out details in the Passion’s score, examine Bach's autograph manuscripts, and reflect on the extraordinarily vivid Passion texts. After an overview of Bach's life and work, Sandy will dive deeper into each dramatic stage of the Passiontide drama, before reflecting on the work's context as one of the greatest Western artworks of all.

As ever, the venue will be the Maison Communale of Woluwe St. Lambert, Avenue Paul Hymans 2, 1200 Brussels. Doors open for complimentary drinks at 19h30 with the talk beginning at 20h00.

Members of the ArtSoc have free entrance, but guests can pay at the door (€15 or €8 for bona fide students) and registration to view the talk via Zoom costs €10.

More information here.