Anders Muskens is a Canadian fortepianist, harpsichordist, and ensemble director specializing in historical keyboard performance and musicology. Based between North America and Europe, he is known for his dynamic interpretations of 18th- and early 19th-century music, combining rigorous historical research with expressive artistry.

He began piano studies at the age of four in Edmonton, Alberta, later earning an Associate Diploma (ARCT) from the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, under the tutelage of Dr. Irina Konovalov. He completed a Master of Music in Fortepiano at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague under Bart van Oort and Petra Somlai, with further studies in harpsichord under Fabio Bonizzoni and Patrick Ayrton. Currently pursuing a PhD in Musicology at Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, his research explores rhetorical acting and early modern theatre practices in musical performance. His academic work has been supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Province of Alberta, and the Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg.

Muskens is the founder and director of Das Neue Mannheimer Orchester, an ensemble dedicated to reviving the music of the Mannheim Court Orchestra. Under his leadership, the ensemble has performed at major festivals, including the Schwetzinger SWR Festspiele, and has recorded extensively for Etcetera Records and Naxos via Leaf Music Distribution. His projects include Army of Generals, a multi-year anthology of Mannheim and Munich repertoire, and Beethoven’s Forgotten Piano Concerto (2024), featuring Beethoven’s Op. 61a performed on a period Broadwood fortepiano.

As a soloist and ensemble musician, Muskens has appeared at Het Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Utrecht Early Music Festival, MAfestival Brugge, Laus Polyphoniae Antwerp, Bloomington Early Music Festival, and Salle Bourgie (Montreal). His performances have been praised for their energy and originality, with Early Music America describing his Beethoven interpretations as “not only vital and exciting, but new and revolutionary.” His recital at the 2024 Walldorf Musiktage was lauded for “unleashing a true firework of sounds” (Stadt Walldorf Review).

His discography includes Beethoven: Waldstein & Appassionata Sonatas (2023), Beethoven, the Forgotten Piano Concerto Op. 61a (2024), Army of Generals: Vol. I & II (2020, 2023), Vogler à la chambre de Marie-Antoinette (2023), and Louise Farrenc: Complete Works for Violin and Fortepiano (2023), which was praised for its “rich melodic sound and natural, unmannered phrasing” (Early Music America). Upcoming releases include keyboard works by Georg Joseph Vogler and Franz Ignaz Beck, a complete cycle of Johann Christian Bach’s solo keyboard works and Mannheim ballet music by Christian Cannabich.

Muskens has won numerous awards, including First Prize at the Early Music Young Ensemble Competition (London, 2018), the Sir James Lougheed Award of Distinction (2024), and the Mark-Madoff Prize for his essay in the Canadian Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies journal Lumen (2024). He has been artist-in-residence at Schloss Weißenbrunn and the National Music Centre (Canada) and is a member of the Dutch Historical Acting Collective.

Since 2023, he has been represented by Sonus Artist Agency. Through his commitment to historically informed performance and research, Anders Muskens continues to shape the early music landscape, bringing forgotten masterpieces to life with authenticity and artistry.