Lamp’s New Bernstein Harpsichord

Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance welcomes new harpsichord from Montreal builder Yves Beaupré

Lamp’s Bernstein Harpsichord (photo by Raoul Manuel Schnell)

Lamp (the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance) is proud to announce the arrival of a new harpsichord, commissioned from Montreal builder Yves Beaupré. This exquisite instrument was made possible by a generous donation from the Zita and Mark Bernstein Family Foundation.

The offer came as a pleasant surprise in November 2021, when Lamp received an email from Tamara Bernstein, a former university colleague of Interim General Manager Mike LaLeune. Tamara Bernstein is an accomplished musician and the founding Artistic Director of Summer Music in the Garden, a music series in Toronto that featured eclectic and diverse programming for 20 years. She was also a classical music critic for the National Post and the Globe and Mail. She was writing on behalf of the recently established Zita and Mark Bernstein Family Foundation, which supports various cultural, educational, social justice, and environmental initiatives.

The harpsichord was built by Yves Beaupré, a world-renowned and celebrated Quebec builder who has been crafting high-quality keyboard instruments for more than 30 years from his small workshop in downtown Montreal. He and his son Benoît have built more than 165 instruments of different types and styles, including harpsichords, clavichords, fortepianos, and organs.

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Burt Wathen, the Artistic Director of Lamp, expressed his gratitude and excitement for the new acquisition: “We are immensely thankful to the Zita and Mark Bernstein Family Foundation for their generosity and vision. This harpsichord is a magnificent addition to our collection of instruments and will enhance our early music program immensely. We are also honored to have an instrument made by Yves Beaupré, who is one of the finest builders in the world.”

Tamara Bernstein also shared her enthusiasm for the project: “We are delighted to support Lamp and its mission of creating the next generation of outstanding performing artists. We hope that this harpsichord will inspire many musicians and audiences to explore and enjoy its rich repertoire and bring inspiration and enchantment to all.

Lamp has been offering special early music training academies since its inception, with hundreds of leading international faculty and students participating. The next Early Music training academy, ‘Praetorius/ Syntagma musicum - Exploring the musical world of Michael Praetorius’ starts on June 26th, 2023.

The first public performance on the new “Bernstein Harpsichord” on Wednesday June 28th at 8pm. Montreal harpsichordist Hank Knox will perform. Get your ticket now;

For more information, contact Mike LaLeune at Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance at info@lampns.ca or visit www.lampns.ca.