Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century records Beethoven piano concertos for the first time
Today The Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century is proud to announce pianist Olga Pashchenko as its newest Artistic Partner. O18c's Artistic Partners form a dynamic and diverse group consisting of conductors, soloists and other creative kindred spirits. They work closely with the ensemble's specialized core players.
In future seasons, Pashchenko will solo several times with the orchestra, and in 2026 they will record the first in a series of Beethoven piano concertos. These recordings will be released on Alpha Classics, the first of which will be in Beethoven Year 2027. The next concerts with O18c and Olga Pashchenko will be at PHIL Haarlem and Nieuwe Kerk The Hague on Thursday, April 16 and Friday, April 17, 2026.
In the past two seasons, O18c and Pashchenko have already played together twice: in November 2023 with Clara Schumann's piano concerto and in 2025 with conductor Václav Luks in Dusík's 12th piano concerto.
Kate Rockett, general and artistic director: "Olga is a very special pianist who is making huge waves in the historically informed musical world. Besides being a virtuoso player she is an artist who is constantly searching for new sounds and new sources of inspiration, rediscovering and recreating repertoire from the past anew each time she plays it. This is a way of music-making that fits perfectly with this orchestra and we are delighted to strengthen our collaboration in this way.''
Olga Pashchenko: "The rich tradition of historically informed performance (HIP!) in the Netherlands - embodied so beautifully by the legendary Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century - was what first drew me here in 2010. To now stand alongside this extraordinary orchestra as an Artistic Partner feels like a full-circle moment. Our bond runs deep, in our music-making we share the same 'DNA'. Together, we seek the same style of meaning and joy in music. Whenever we meet, the music itself becomes our language, and together we follow the urge to explore, rethink, interpret and diversify, staying true to our core values. I am profoundly honored to help carry the legacy of Frans Brüggen into the future."
More about Olga Pashchenko
Olga Pashchenko is considered one of today's most versatile keyboard artists; she is equally at home on piano, fortepiano, harpsichord and organ. Her playing is praised for its eloquence, intensity and historically informed approach with which she conquers international stages as a soloist and in collaboration with leading ensembles and orchestras. As of season 2025/26, she is Artist in Residence at AMUZ Antwerp and joins as the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century's newest Artistic Partner. Olga and the O18c share a spirit of curiosity and innovation, of conviction and artistic daring.
Highlights of her recent career include her debut with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, performances with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Il Gardellino and Concerto Köln, as well as a recital tour of Asia. Pashchenko's discography on Alpha Classics has been awarded numerous prestigious honors and rave reviews. Together with baritone Georg Nigl, she received the "Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik" in 2021 for the album Vanitas. Her most recent album Guess Who Fanny & Felix Mendelssohn was named one of the "Best Albums of 2025 (so far)" by The Times and Qobuz. Future projects include the continuation of the Mozart concerto series with Il Gardellino, and the start of the Beethoven concerto series with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, both with Pashchenko as soloist and leading from behind the keyboard.
Since 2011, Olga Pashchenko has lived in the Netherlands, where she is a professor at the Conservatory of Amsterdam.
