Ben Kazez
baritone

Ben Kazez has been praised for his “velvety and full voice” by Barcelona Clássica. He regularly performs as a soloist in Europe and the U.S., and has sung in the Netherlands Bach Society and the Monteverdi Choir under Sir John Eliot Gardiner.

In the 2022–23 season he sings Pilatus and Pontifex I in St Matthew Passion with Netherlands Bach Society, Pilatus and arias in Bach’s St John Passion in Amsterdam and northern England, Kuhnau Magnificat solos in a Vox Luminis atelier, Fauré Requiem at Stanford University, and Bach arias with Bach Collegium San Diego. Ben recently performed Charpentier solos under William Christie in Les Arts Florissants masterclasses, Valens in Handel’s Theodora under Christian Curnyn and Dame Sarah Connolly, and Handel’s Hercules under Václav Luks and Shunske Sato.

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Ben is passionate about the music of J. S. Bach and has performed the Passions (Christus, Pilatus, and arias), Christmas Oratorio, B Minor Mass, and 40 cantatas. His interpretations are influenced by studies with Max van Egmond, Peter Harvey, Mark Padmore, and Dame Emma Kirkby. He has performed Bach cantata solos in Snape Maltings (Aldeburgh, England), Barcelona’s L’Auditori and Petit Palau (under Václav Luks and Shunske Sato), and Westerkerk in Amsterdam.

Ben also loves the harmony and counterpoint of ensemble singing. Highlights include Monteverdi Vespers at the Chappelle Royale de Versailles and Monteverdi operas at the Salzburg Festival (Sir John Eliot Gardiner), Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and St Matthew Passion with Netherlands Bach Society, Mozart Requiem at Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Verdi Requiem at Vienna Musikverein, and Berlioz at the BBC Proms (Royal Albert Hall).

During the pandemic Ben created VMII, a digital resource that 150,000 people per year use to learn about early vocal music. He is fluent in French and Italian.

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Upcoming performances

1 April 2023

St. Baafskerk, Aardenburg, NL
Bach St Matthew Passion, Pilate, Pontifex I, chorus I
Netherlands Bach Society
Masato Suzuki, director

2 April 2023

Corbridge, UK
Bach St John Passion, Jesus, arias, 1/part choruses
Bishop’s Consort
David Stancliffe, conductor

See all upcoming performances

4 April 2023

TivoliVredenburg (Grote Zaal), Utrecht, NL
Bach St Matthew Passion, Pilate, Pontifex I, chorus I
Netherlands Bach Society
Masato Suzuki, director

4 April 2023

Grote Kerk, Naarden, NL
Bach St Matthew Passion, Pilate, Pontifex I, chorus I
Netherlands Bach Society
Masato Suzuki, director

7 April 2023

Grote Kerk, Naarden, NL
Bach St Matthew Passion, Pilate, Pontifex I, chorus I
Netherlands Bach Society
Masato Suzuki, director

7 April 2023

Westerkerk, Amsterdam
Bach St John Passion, Pilate, arias
Westerkerkkoor
JanJoost van Elburg, conductor

5 May 2023

All Souls' Episcopal Church, San Diego
Bach and Handel soloist
Bach Collegium San Diego
Ruben Valenzuela, director

6 May 2023

Sts Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, San Diego
Bach and Handel soloist
Bach Collegium San Diego
Ruben Valenzuela, director

21 May 2023

Amare Concert Hall, The Hague
J. M. Haydn Requiem in c, MH 155
Mozart Missa in c, K. 427
Vox Luminis
B’Rock Orchestra
Caecilia Bernardini, concertmaster
Lionel Meunier, director

24 May 2023

De Singel, Antwerp
J. M. Haydn Requiem in c, MH 155
Mozart Missa in c, K. 427
Vox Luminis
B’Rock Orchestra
Caecilia Bernardini, concertmaster
Lionel Meunier, director

25 May 2023

Bozar, Brussels
J. M. Haydn Requiem in c, MH 155
Mozart Missa in c, K. 427
Vox Luminis
B’Rock Orchestra
Caecilia Bernardini, concertmaster
Lionel Meunier, director

Further performances to be announced soon

Recent performances

29 March 2023

Concertzaal, Tilburg, NL
Bach St Matthew Passion, Pilate, Pontifex I, chorus I
Netherlands Bach Society
Masato Suzuki, director

22 February 2023

Bing Concert Hall, Stanford University
Fauré Requiem, soloist
University Singers
Robert Huw Morgan, director

See more recent performances

21 January 2023

Cal Poly Bach Week
Bach Jesu, der du meine Seele, BWV 78, soloist
Tesserae Baroque
David Arrivée, conductor

8 January 2023

Berkeley, California
Bach Schau, lieber Gott, BWV 153, soloist
Bach Sehet, welch eine Liebe, BWV 64, soloist
Bach Sehet, welch eine Liebe, BWV 151, soloist
Cantata Collective

26 December 2022

Westerkerk, Amsterdam
Zelenka Missa nativitatis Domini, soloist
Westerkerkkoor
JanJoost van Elburg, conductor

11 December 2022

Het Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, Amsterdam
Bach Christmas Oratorio, cantatas 1–3
Buxtehude In dulci jubilo, BuxWV 52
Stölzel Ach daß die Hülfe aus Zion über Israel käme
Netherlands Bach Society
Shunske Sato, direction

10 December 2022

Domein Amerloo Concertzaal, Belgium
Bach Christmas Oratorio, cantatas 1–3
Buxtehude In dulci jubilo, BuxWV 52
Stölzel Ach daß die Hülfe aus Zion über Israel käme
Netherlands Bach Society
Shunske Sato, direction

20 November 2022

SLO Performing Arts Center, California
Fauré Requiem, soloist
San Luis Obispo Master Chorale
Thomas Davies, conductor

18 October 2022

Grande Salle des Croisades, Château de Versailles
Monteverdi L’Orfeo
Les Epopées
Stéphane Fuget, direction

14 September 2022

Museo Nazionale Romano, Palazzo Altemps
Massenzio 2035, consort/soloist
Stradella Y-Project
Andrea de Carlo, direction

13 September 2022

Museo Nazionale Romano, Palazzo Altemps
Massenzio 2035, consort/soloist
Stradella Y-Project
Andrea de Carlo, direction

12 September 2022

Museo Nazionale Romano, Palazzo Altemps
Massenzio 2035, consort/soloist
Stradella Y-Project
Andrea de Carlo, direction

10 September 2022

Palazzo Farnese, Caprarola, Italy
Massenzio 2035, consort/soloist
Stradella Y-Project
Andrea de Carlo, direction

3 September 2022

St. Cyprian- und Corneliuskirche, Musikfest Bremen
Pachelbel Jauchzet dem Herrn, P 213, consort/soloist
Kuhnau Magnificat in C, consort/soloist
Vox Luminis Atelier
Lionel Meunier, director

26 August 2022

Grote Zaal, TivoliVredenburg, Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht
CPE Bach Magnificat
JS Bach B Minor Mass (excerpts)
Netherlands Bach Society
Shunske Sato, direction

20 August 2022

St. Petri Dom, Musikfest Bremen
CPE Bach Magnificat
JS Bach B Minor Mass (excerpts)
Netherlands Bach Society
Shunske Sato, direction

22 July 2022

Festival de Beaune, France
Monteverdi L’Orfeo
Les Epopées
Stéphane Fuget, direction

15 April 2022

Westerkerk, Amsterdam
Bach St John Passion, Pilate and arias
Westerkerkkoor
JanJoost van Elburg, conductor

11 April 2022

Quartier des Artistes, Thiré, France
Charpentier Leçon de ténèbres H. 122, soloist
Charpentier Médée, Créon excerpts
Charpentier Les arts florissants, La Discorde excerpts
William Christie, director

31 March 2022

Noontime Concerts, San Francisco (streaming)
Bach Coffee Cantata, soloist
Albany Consort
Jonathan Salzedo, director

2 March 2022

Bing Concert Hall, Stanford University
Mozart Coronation Mass, soloist
University Singers
Robert Huw Morgan, director

11 February 2022

Vallejo, California
Jacquet de La Guerre Le déluge, soloist
Bach Amore traditore, BWV 203, soloist
Albany Consort

5 February 2022

First Congregational Church, Berkeley, California
Bach Mass in B Minor
Philharmonia Baroque
Richard Egarr, director

4 February 2022

Herbst Theatre, San Francisco
Bach Mass in B Minor
Philharmonia Baroque
Richard Egarr, director

2 February 2022

Bing Concert Hall, Stanford University
Bach Mass in B Minor
Philharmonia Baroque
Richard Egarr, director

29 January 2022

Alice Tully Hall, New York
Bach Mass in B Minor
Philharmonia Baroque
Richard Egarr, director
Cancelled due to Covid-19

19 December 2021

San Diego, California
Charpentier Messe de minuit, soloist
Charpentier In nativitatem Domini canticum, H. 416, soloist
Bach Collegium San Diego
Ruben Valenzuela, director

18 December 2021

San Diego, California
Charpentier Messe de minuit, soloist
Charpentier In nativitatem Domini canticum, H. 416, soloist
Bach Collegium San Diego
Ruben Valenzuela, director

10 December 2021

Cleveland Museum of Art
Handel Messiah
Apollo’s Fire
Nicholas McGegan, conductor

5 December 2021

Christ Church Cathedral, Cincinnati
Handel Messiah, soloist
Collegium Cincinnati
Cancelled due to Covid-19

“Velvety and full voice…he delivered all his arias with great polish.” Barcelona Clássica

“Remarkable.” San Francisco Classical Voice

Fauré Requiem at San Luis Obispo Performing Arts Center, California
Bach B Minor Mass in Provence
Photo credit: Julien Sabdes

Contact

ben@benkazez.com