The Carmel Bach Festival is pleased to announce the promotion of Michael Beattie to the position of Director of the Virginia Best Adams Masterclass.
Beattie succeeds David Gordon, who has led the program since 1990. Beattie previously served as music director for the Masterclass Showcase Concert. He has performed with the Festival for 10 years.
“Michael Beattie was the natural and perfect choice for this role,” said Festival Executive Director Steve Friedlander. “Already a long-term member of the Festival family, Michael is an exemplary musician, conductor and keyboardist with a particular flair for vocal coaching, and programming. He is a great colleague and collaborator, much appreciated and respected by the artistic leadership team, musicians, and administrative staff.”
Beattie has received international attention for his work as a conductor and keyboardist specializing in the music of the Baroque period. As a conductor, he has appeared with Glimmerglass Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Pittsburgh Opera, and regularly with Boston’s Emmanuel music – where he has conducted over 100 Bach cantatas.
A highly regarded keyboard player, Beattie has performed as harpsichordist and organist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Boston Baroque, the Handel and Haydn Society, the Mark Morris Dance Group, Boston Lyric Opera, and Les Violons du Roy. Keyboard highlights of recent seasons include concerts with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in Alice Tully Hall, Pegasus Early Music, Emmanuel Music, and La Jolla SummerFest. In 2014, he joined the National Symphony of Mexico as keyboardist for Bach’s St. John Passion.
In demand as a continuo player and vocal coach, Mr. Beattie has been on the music staff of Glimmerglass Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Pittsburgh Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, and Florida Grand Opera. He has been associated with several projects of director Peter Sellars, touring internationally as Assistant Conductor for the Mozart/Da Ponte cycle and as organist for staged Bach cantatas with Lorraine Hunt Lieberson.
Beattie is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and Boston University. He has been on the faculties of the Tanglewood Music Center and the Walnut Hill School and is currently a Lecturer at Boston University. He has recorded for KOCH International Classics and Nonesuch records.
