Skip Sempé
From New Orleans
Popularity
Skip Sempé has no upcoming shows in the Netherlands right now. Leave your email address and we’ll tell you the moment a date is announced.
Is Skip Sempé coming to the Netherlands?
Last show in the Netherlands: September 6, 2026 at Lutherse Kerk, Utrecht.
Stay in the loop
Like Skip Sempé and new shows appear on your homepage.
About
Also known as: Joseph John Sempé
Skip Sempé is a New Orleans born harpsichordist and conductor whose playing has a distinctive Latin flair, combining strong sonority, freedom in interpretation, and dramatic presence. He trained in Amsterdam under the legendary Gustav Leonhardt, and his unconventional approach caught the ear of Reinhard Goebel and William Christie, who encouraged him to stay in Europe and keep pushing at lesser known repertoire from the period 1500 to 1750. In 1986 he founded Capriccio Stravagante, which has since expanded into a full orchestra, a renaissance orchestra, and an opera ensemble. As a soloist, Sempé has carved out a reputation for adventurous interpretations of French keyboard masters like Chambonnières, d'Anglebert, Forqueray, and both Couperins, alongside Bach, Scarlatti, and early virginalists such as William Byrd. He has performed at venues including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Wigmore Hall in London, and the Palace of Versailles. His recordings have earned him a Grammy nomination and multiple major French and German record prizes.
