The Irving S. Gilmore International Piano Festival will feature the finest international pianists playing classical, jazz, and pop music. The piano will be center stage for Gilmore-commissioned world premieres, free community concerts, films, musical theatre, and so much more.

Festival Schedule:

April 24, 2024

7:00PM: Opening Night Celebration with Hiromi feat. PUBLIQuartet

Hiromi: The Piano Quintet feat. PUBLIQuartet

HIROMI, piano
PUBLIQuartet: Hamilton Berry, Cello – Chern Hwei Fung, Violin – Nick Revel, Viola – Curtis Stewart, Violin

Our opening night will blend the world of contemporary jazz and classical fusion as superstar pianist Hiromi and the acclaimed PUBLIQuartet team up for a unique collaboration. Known for her outgoing stage presence and personal style, Hiromi captivates audiences around the world with her dynamic energy and emotional depth. Her boundary-busting blend of genres has earned accolades and a devoted fan base for her creativity. Her critically-acclaimed albums include Spiral, Brain, and Voice, which showcase her distinctive compositions. The collaboration with PUBLIQuartet combines piano and string quartet to turn classical music on its head.

Location: Chenery Auditorium

8:30PM: Opening Night After Party

Get ready to celebrate as we kick off the 2024 Festival with a party at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts following the opening concert by Hiromi and PublicQuartet. Just as they seamlessly weave together genres, this event is set to honor the fantastic fusion of Japanese and American cultures.

Enjoy food stations crafted with a mix of traditional and fusion delights, sip on a variety of beverages while enjoying live music that’ll keep the celebration going. We hope you’ll join us to connect with festival friends, both old and new!

Location: Kalamazoo Institute of Arts

April 25, 2024

7:30PM: Labèque Duo

Katia Labèque, piano
Marielle Labèque, piano

French sisters Katia and Marielle Labèque make their highly anticipated Gilmore debut in works by Schubert, Debussy, Ravel, and Philip Glass. Respected for their musical synergy and interpretative depth, they were hailed by The New York Times as having “…Transformed the Piano Duo.” Their programming is inventive and broad, taking us from the haunting Fantasy in F Minor by Schubert (one of his last works before his death), and the intricate “Mother Goose” suite by Ravel, to the monumentally powerful 4 Movements by American composer Philip Glass.

6:30 pm Concert preview with Dr. Sophiè van der Westhuizen, Olmstead Room, Mandelle Hall

Location: Stetson Chapel, Kalamazoo

April 26, 2024

7:30PM: Gabriel Kahane

Singer-songwriter Gabriel Kahane presents Magnificent Bird, an album of songs written in self-imposed isolation, a full year off the internet. The album has received critical acclaim and showcases Kahane’s talent for crafting songs that are both thought-provoking and deeply moving. A storyteller who blends indie pop and classical music with poignant lyrics to create narratives of contemporary societal themes, Kahane is also a writer who has been published in The New York Times; an educator for Princeton University; and theater artist whose work has been seen at the Public Theater and Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Location: Wellspring Theater

April 27, 2024

2:00PM: Family Concert: The 5 Browns

Desirae Brown – Deondra Brown – Gregory Brown – Melody Brown – Stephen Beus

What an entertaining afternoon for the family: five incredible pianists on five grand pianos. Most are siblings, and all attended The Juilliard School. The 5 Browns are known for a fun, relaxed introduction to classical music for everyone. The group will play spectacular arrangements of music by Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Gerswhin, and more. Dubbed the “Fab Five” by People, Ryan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra, and Desirae have been featured on shows including Oprah, The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, The Today Show, National Public Radio’s Performance Today, and in magazines including The New York Times, Parade, Los Angeles Times, and Sunday London Telegraph.

Location: Chenery Auditorium

7:30PM: Maria João Pires

Revered for her interpretations of Chopin, Mozart, and Beethoven, Portuguese pianist Maria João Pires will visit as part of a national U.S. tour that includes stops in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Known for her delicate touch and profound musicality, join us to hear a legend of the piano world share her gift for intimate storytelling. She has said “Music and art are the deepest expressions of our soul and the direct transmission of our universe.”

6:30 pm Concert preview with Dr. David Abbott, Dalton Lecture Hall

Location: Dalton Center Recital Hall-WMU

April 28, 2024

2:00PM: Conrad Tao & Caleb Teicher: COUNTERPOINT

Conrad Tao, piano
Caleb Teicher, tap dance

In COUNTERPOINT, 2012 Gilmore Young Artist Conrad Tao and acclaimed dancer Caleb Teicher explore how the percussion of piano and tap relate to one another. Featuring music by Bach, Tatum, Schoenberg, and Gershwin, and the world premiere of a Gilmore commission by Conrad Tao. Tao and Teicher first collaborated in 2013 in Miami as teenagers and former prodigies who had already spent many years in training. Ten-plus years together has only sharpened their dialogue.

Location: Williams Theatre

7:30PM: An Evening with Eliane Elias

Grammy? Award-winning Eliane Elias is an internationally acclaimed recording artist, pianist, singer, composer, and arranger from Brazil who blends South American roots and sultry voice with pianistic mastery. Her live performances showcase her charismatic personality, and talents in jazz, Brazilian, classical, and pop music. She has collaborated with some of the world’s most important jazz artists, including Chick Corea. Her album Mirror Mirror won the 2022 Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album.

Location: Dalton Center Recital Hall-WMU

April 29, 2024

11:00 AM: Aubrey Bergauer: Changing the Narrative

Run it Like a Business: Strategies to Unleash the Full Power and Profit of the Arts

The arts are a $763 billion sector whose 100,000+ organizations serve almost every county in the nation. Today they all seek to rebuild audiences, confront centuries of systemic discrimination, and regain relevance. And just because they are nonprofits, that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t make money. Data, research, and case studies from the for-profit sector show us a necessary and sustainable model, essential to revitalizing the critical economic engine and better serving the arts and its consumers.

Location: Kalamazoo Public Library- Central Library

2:00PM: Ingrid Fliter, 2006 Gilmore Artist

2006 Gilmore Artist and winner of the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw, Fliter will present Chopin’s 3rd Piano Sonata, Op. 58 and Schumann’s Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13. Ms. Fliter’s delicate touch and profound interpretations of classical compositions will spotlight the centuries-long staying power of these works. As one of the pre-eminent exponents of Chopin’s music, her recording of the complete Chopin Waltzes received five star reviews and was chosen as Editor’s Choice in both Gramophone and Classic FM Magazine.

1 pm Concert preview with Dr. Zaide Pixley, Dalton Lecture Hall

Location: Dalton Center Recital Hall-WMU

7:30PM: Sphinx Virtuosi with Awadagin Pratt

Pianist Awadagin Pratt and the Sphinx Virtuosi (launched in Ann Arbor, Michigan) will perform Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Piano Quintet in G Minor, Op. 1, and a new concerto by Xavier Foley, among other works. Sphinx Virtuosi features the nation’s top Black and LatinX musicians, a group of 38 soloists dedicated to increasing diversity in classical music. They will perform with esteemed classical pianist Awadagin Pratt, who has performed throughout the US at major venues including Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, and Carnegie Hall. Pratt is Professor of Piano at College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and Artistic Director of their Art of the Piano Festival.

Location: Chenery Auditorium

April 30, 2024

12:00 pm: Igor Levit: NO FEAR

A fly-on-the-wall documentary following 2018 Gilmore Artist Igor Levit from the final recordings of his Beethoven piano sonata cycle and into the beginning of Covid lockdown, when public music-making stopped and Levit gave a series of concerts from his apartment in Berlin. The film offers a very good look at the day-to-day life of a world-class artist: going from concert to studio to sleep, all the while feeding the social media beast, which will eventually turn into an important medium for Levit during Covid lockdown. Run time 78 minutes.

Location: Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Stryker Theatre

2:00PM: Paul Lewis: Schubert Sonata Series I

In a special Festival event, British pianist Paul Lewis will present a survey of Franz Schubert’s monumental contribution to the classical repertoire: his piano sonatas. Mr. Lewis has received critical and public acclaim worldwide, consolidating his reputation as one of the world’s foremost interpreters of the central European classical repertoire. He regularly works as a soloist with the world’s great orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, London Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, LA Philharmonic, and the Royal Concertgebouw, and Cleveland Orchestras, among many others.

Location: Wellspring Theater

6:00PM & 9:00PM: Nduduzo Makhathini Quartet | Jazz at Bell’s

Nduduzo Makhathini, piano
Logan Richardson, saxophone – Zwelakhe Duma Bell, bass – Francisco Mela, drums

South African jazz pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini blends traditional jazz and innovative storytelling. He heads the music department at Fort Hare University, and has performed at festivals including the Cape Town International Jazz Festival and Essence Festival (New Orleans and South Africa), and in 2019 made his debut appearances at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York, and Jazz at Lincoln Center, where he was a featured guest with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

Location: Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, Kalamazoo

May 1, 2024

2:00PM: Kasey Shao & Harmony Zhu, 2024 Gilmore Young Artists

The newest members of the Gilmore Young Artists family come together in one of the loveliest venues in town. Ms. Shao will play Bach’s Partita 5, and Liszt’s Faust Waltz, and Ms. Zhu will play Chopin’s F Minor Fantasie and Kapustin’s Variations Op. 41. Together, the two will perform a world premiere and Gilmore commission of a work by Christopher Cerrone, two movements from Prokofiev’s Cinderella Suite, and Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances for piano four hands.

Location: Stetson Chapel, Kalamazoo

7:30PM: Gabriela Montero: Westward

Gabriela Montero’s visionary interpretations and unique compositions have garnered critical acclaim and a devoted following. Celebrated for her exceptional ability to improvise, Ms. Montero will perform an improvised accompaniment for a screening of Charlie Chaplin’s film The Immigrant, in addition to classical selections. A multiple-Grammy and International Beethoven Award winner, Ms. Montero has been recognized by Amnesty International and Human Rights Foundation as a committed human rights advocate.

Location: Dalton Center Recital Hall-WMU

May 02, 2024

12:00 pm: Silenced: Composers in Revolutionary Russia

This film explores the lives and the work of a generation of Russian composers that includes Arthur Lourié, Nikolai Roslavets, Alexander Mosolov, Leon Theremin and Arseny Avraamov. This avant-garde group, which lived through World War I, the October Revolution and the birth of the Soviet Union under Stalin, was banned, forgotten or erased from the musical map. A look at Russia past and present, music and life, cultural and political contexts and individual destinies.  Run time 55 minutes.

Location: Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Stryker Theatre

2:00PM: Paul Lewis II

In a special Festival event, British pianist Paul Lewis will present a survey of Franz Schubert’s monumental contribution to the classical repertoire: his piano sonatas. Mr. Lewis has received critical and public acclaim worldwide, consolidating his reputation as one of the world’s foremost interpreters of the central European classical repertoire. He regularly works as a soloist with the world’s great orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, London Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, LA Philharmonic, and the Royal Concertgebouw, and Cleveland Orchestras, among many others.

Location: Wellspring Theater

4:00 PM: Loki Karuna: Activism in Classical Music

Agitato: Framing Social Change Through Arts Activism

Loki Karuna began his career as a bassoonist, then transitioned into arts media and activism after seeing an opportunity to create broader change in the world through directed and intentional arts-centered dialogue. In this presentation, he will outline his career trajectory as an arts activist, offer insight on how the arts can impact immediate and long-term social change, and highlight his vision for a renewed “classical” music ecosystem.

Location: Black Arts & Cultural Center, Epic Center, Kalamazoo

6:00 PM & 9:00 PM: Gerald Clayton Trio

Gerald Clayton, piano
Jermaine Paul, bass
Justin Brown, drums

Four-time Grammy?-nominated pianist and composer Gerald Clayton’s innovative approach to jazz has charmed audiences and critics across the globe. Son of bass player and composer John Clayton, Gerald’s training began young, and he honors the legacy of his father and all his musical ancestors through a commitment to artistic exploration, innovation, and reinvention. Clayton studied with piano icon Billy Childs and fellow Festival performer Kenny Barron. He has performed and recorded with artists including Diana Krall, Roy Hargrove, Dianne Reeves, Ambrose Akinmusire, Dayna Stephens, Kendrick Scott, John Scofield, and Avishai Cohen.

Location: Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, Kalamazoo

7:00 PM: Beaton, MacGillivray, and MacNeil: A Cape Breton Trio

Andrea Beaton, piano, fiddle
Troy MacGillivray, piano, fiddle
Tracey Dares MacNeil, piano, fiddle

Andrea Beaton, Troy MacGillivray, and Tracey MacNeil hail from the isolated beauty of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. Their joyful style of dance music is defined by its improvised folk piano tradition. Expect instrument-switching, solo dancing, and inspiring harmonies, as they explore the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland, and Cape Breton, along with original compositions. Their performances offer a shared sense of fun and years of making music together.

Join us at a venue akin to the village halls where the musicians grew up. The evening will be introduced by radio hosts Dave Marlatt and Cara Lieurance of The Pure Drop on WMUK 102.1, celebrating its 20th anniversary of featuring music “from Ireland and beyond.”

Location: Richland Community Center, 9400 E CD Ave, Richland, MI 49083

May 3, 2024

12:00 PM: Through the Eyes of Yuja: A Road Movie

A journey with the 2006 Gilmore Young Artist who lives a nomadic lifestyle, performing upwards of 120 concerts annually. A travelog of exciting venues, glitzy cities and encounters with extraordinary artists like Gustavo Dudamel, Gauthier Capucon and Leonidas Kavakos. The other side of that shiny coin includes fatigue, jet lag, pressure, doubts, hostilities, disorientation, and loneliness. With a bittersweet reference to the transience of life, the film reveals the artist in a very personal way. “Pianists have to be alone all the time, and it’s hard, it’s lonely. Being a musician is almost like a very isolated life, and the only time you actually get to communicate is on stage with music.” Run time 89 minutes.

Location: Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Stryker Theatre

5:00 PM: Beaton, MacGillivray, and MacNeil: A Cape Breton Trio

Andrea Beaton, piano, fiddle
Troy MacGillivray, piano, fiddle
Tracey Dares MacNeil, piano, fiddle

Andrea Beaton, Troy MacGillivray, and Tracey MacNeil hail from the isolated beauty of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. Their joyful style of dance music is defined by its improvised folk piano tradition. Expect instrument-switching, solo dancing, and inspiring harmonies, as they explore the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland, and Cape Breton, along with original compositions. Their performances offer a shared sense of fun and years of making music together.

Location: Kalamazoo State Theatre

7:30 PM: Olga Kern

Gold medalist at the 2001 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (the first woman to win in 30 years), Russian-born pianist Olga Kern, in her Gilmore debut, will present a program of works by Rachmaninoff, Schumann, and Gershwin, among others. Kern’s fiery passion is balanced with elegance in the grandeur of Russia’s musical tradition. She won first prize at the Rachmaninoff International Piano Competition at age 17, and since has become known for her technical brilliance and emotional depth. She is Artistic Director of the Olga Kern International Piano Competition, and has served on the piano faculty of the Manhattan School of Music.

Location: Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU

May 04, 2024

2:00 PM: Paul Lewis: Schubert Sonata Series III

In a special Festival event, British pianist Paul Lewis will present a survey of Franz Schubert’s monumental contribution to the classical repertoire: his piano sonatas. Mr. Lewis has received critical and public acclaim worldwide, consolidating his reputation as one of the world’s foremost interpreters of the central European classical repertoire. He regularly works as a soloist with the world’s great orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, London Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, LA Philharmonic, and the Royal Concertgebouw, and Cleveland Orchestras, among many others.

Location: Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU

6:00 PM & 9:00 PM: Kenny Barron Trio

Kenny Barron, piano
Endea Owens, bass
Savannah Harris, drums

Composer, pianist, educator, and NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron returns to the festival with his trio. A peerless performer known for timeless classics and innovative improvisations, Barron’s piano skills are a testament to his status as a jazz icon. He has released over 40 albums, received 12 Grammy? nominations, and played with legends including Dizzy Gillespie, Chet Baker, Stan Getz, and Buddy Rich. Barron was a music professor at Rutgers University for more than 25 years, and was inducted into the American Jazz Hall of Fame in 2005. Whether playing solo, trio, or quintet, Kenny Barron is recognized worldwide as a master of performance and composition.

5 pm Q&A with Kenny Barron and Gilmore Director of Jazz Awards Seth Abramson, Shaw Theatre lobby

Location: Shaw Theatre, WMU

7:00 PM: Beaton, MacGillivray, and MacNeil: A Cape Breton Trio

Andrea Beaton, piano, fiddle
Troy MacGillivray, piano, fiddle
Tracey Dares MacNeil, piano, fiddle

Andrea Beaton, Troy MacGillivray, and Tracey MacNeil hail from the isolated beauty of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. Their joyful style of dance music is defined by its improvised folk piano tradition. Expect instrument-switching, solo dancing, and inspiring harmonies, as they explore the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland, and Cape Breton, along with original compositions. Their performances offer a shared sense of fun and years of making music together. Enjoy the band in their natural habitat in Bell’s Back Room, with plenty of room for dancing!

Location: Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, Kalamazoo

May 05, 2024

11:00 AM: Beaton, MacGillivray, and MacNeil: A Cape Breton Trio

Andrea Beaton, piano, fiddle
Troy MacGillivray, piano, fiddle
Tracey Dares MacNeil, piano, fiddle

No stage? No seats? No problem! Parents can relax while kids of any age can have fun checking out the piano, meeting the artists, crawling or dancing around the room. A Baby Grands concert is The Gilmore’s way of sharing great music with the whole family. Refreshments will be available.

Andrea Beaton, Troy MacGillivray, and Tracey MacNeil hail from the isolated beauty of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. Their joyful style of dance music is defined by its improvised folk piano tradition. Expect instrument-switching, solo dancing, and inspiring harmonies, as they explore the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland, and Cape Breton, along with original compositions. Their performances offer a shared sense of fun and years of making music together.

Location: Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, Kalamazoo

2:00 PM: Gabriela Montero and the Calidore String Quartet

Gabriela Montero, piano
Calidore String Quartet: Jeffrey Myers, violin – Ryan Meehan, violin – Jeremy Berry, viola – Estelle Choi, cello

Venezuelan composer and pianist Gabriela Montero presents the world premiere of her new work for piano and strings, commissioned by The Gilmore, with the Calidore String Quartet. Also on the program: Dvorak’s Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81. Montero’s visionary interpretations and unique compositions have garnered critical acclaim and a devoted following on the world stage. Born in Venezuela, the Grammy? Award-winner studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras. Founded at LA’s Colburn School in 2010, The Calidore String Quartet is recognized as one of the world’s foremost interpreters of a vast repertory, from the cycles of quartets by Beethoven and Mendelssohn to works of celebrated contemporary voices.

Location: Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU

4:00 PM & 7:00 PM: Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio

Delvon Lamarr, piano
Josh Perdue, bass
Sam Groveman, drums

The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio specializes in the art of ‘feel good music.’ The charismatic Lamarr’s energetic, soulful Hammond organ blends soul, jazz, funk, and R&B’s infectious rhythms in an energetic performance. A self-taught musician with perfect pitch, Delvon Lamarr plays a multitude of instruments. With Jimmy James on guitar, and Julian MacDonough on drums, the trio has issued two Billboard-charting albums and toured internationally. Look for sprinkles of Motown, Stax Records, blues, and cosmic Jimi Hendrix- style guitar with the trio’s fiery and intuitive chemistry.

Location: Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, Kalamazoo

May 06, 2024

12:00 PM: Helen Sung Trio

Jazz pianist and composer Helen Sung was among the first graduates of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance at the New England Conservatory of Music. Her artistry and inventive compositions have earned her a Guggenheim Fellowship and won Kennedy Center’s Mary Lou Williams Jazz Piano Competition. Her artistry and inventive compositions span the full spectrum of dynamic and soulful jazz.

Location: Kool Family Community Center, 200 W Michigan Ave, Battle Creek, MI 49017

12:00 PM: Isaiah J. Thompson Trio

Isaiah J. Thompson, piano
Barry Stephenson, bass
Matthew Lee, drums

Jazz pianist, bandleader, and composer Isaiah J. Thompson won the 2023 American Pianists Awards and the Cole Porter Fellowship of the American Pianists Association. As a performer, he aims to express joy and convey his personal experiences through music and his everlasting love of jazz. His recording debut was featured on Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Handful of Keys album with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and Wynton Marsalis. He worked on the Golden Globe-nominated soundtrack for Motherless Brooklyn, was named a Steinway Artist, and won the 2018 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award.

Location: Civic Theatre Auditorium, Kalamazoo

2:00 PM: Mark Nepo: Drinking from the River of Light

Kalamazoo-based poet, philosopher, author, and educator Mark Nepo will explore the lifelong process of listening, reflecting, and expressing, and on how bearing witness to the truth of living reveals the mysteries of life while introducing each of us to our very personal voice. Through poems and stories, Mark will explore the nature and practice inherent to the life of expression, by which we can strengthen our connections and find our way.

Location: Kalamazoo Public Library- Central Library

7:30 PM: Paul Lewis: Schubert Sonata Series IV

In a special Festival event, British pianist Paul Lewis will present a survey of Franz Schubert’s monumental contribution to the classical repertoire: his piano sonatas. Mr. Lewis has received critical and public acclaim worldwide, consolidating his reputation as one of the world’s foremost interpreters of the central European classical repertoire. He regularly works as a soloist with the world’s great orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, London Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, LA Philharmonic, and the Royal Concertgebouw, and Cleveland Orchestras, among many others.

Location: Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU

May 07, 2024

12:00 PM: Isaiah J. Thompson Trio

Isaiah J. Thompson, piano
Barry Stephenson, bass
Matthew Lee, drums

Jazz pianist, bandleader, and composer Isaiah J. Thompson won the 2023 American Pianists Awards and the Cole Porter Fellowship of the American Pianists Association. As a performer, he aims to express joy and convey his personal experiences through music and his everlasting love of jazz. His recording debut was featured on Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Handful of Keys album with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and Wynton Marsalis. He worked on the Golden Globe-nominated soundtrack for Motherless Brooklyn, was named a Steinway Artist, and won the 2018 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award.

Location: Kool Family Community Center, 200 W Michigan Ave, Battle Creek, MI 49017

12:00 PM: Shai Maestro Quartet

Pianist and composer Shai Maestro, known for his genre-defying performances, seamlessly melds elements of jazz, world music, and contemporary sounds. His imaginative compositions and commitment to sonic exploration have earned high praise and a growing reputation. His unique personal identity and musical fluidity show up in his joyful interplay with his close-knit quartet, who come together in one-of-a-kind, high-energy concerts.

Location: Civic Theatre Auditorium, Kalamazoo

2:00 PM: Warsaw Is My Name

Gilmore Artist Piotr Anderszewski remains deeply connected to his hometown of Warsaw, though he lives in Paris. He has been haunted by growing up in a city that had, he said, “ceased existing” not long before his childhood, given the horrors inflicted on the Jewish ghetto under Nazi rule and the almost total annihilation of the city in 1944. With no specific narrative, the film unfolds in lingering shots of contrasting places and people. Making the film has helped Anderszewki come to terms with his conflicted feelings about his homeland, which has always been, he said, “a fascination and pain for me.” Run time 36 minutes.

Location: Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Stryker Theatre

7:30 PM: Simone Dinnerstein: Undersong

Simone Dinnerstein presents Undersong, a program of works by Couperin, Satie, Glass, and featuring the Schumann masterpiece Kreisleriana. Ms. Dinnerstein’s distinctive musical voice and evocative interpretations breathe new life into classical masterpieces. Ms. Dinnerstein rose to international prominence in 2007 with her recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, and 13 of her albums have topped the Billboard classical charts. She founded Neighborhood Classics, a concert series open to the public and hosted by New York City Public Schools to raise funds for their music education programs, and Philip Glass’ Piano Concerto No. 3 was composed for her and co-commissioned by twelve American and Canadian orchestras.

Location: Stetson Chapel, Kalamazoo College

May 08, 2024

12:00 PM: Helen Sung Trio

Jazz pianist and composer Helen Sung was among the first graduates of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance at the New England Conservatory of Music. Her artistry and inventive compositions have earned her a Guggenheim Fellowship and won Kennedy Center’s Mary Lou Williams Jazz Piano Competition. Her artistry and inventive compositions span the full spectrum of dynamic and soulful jazz.

Location: Civic Theatre Auditorium, Kalamazoo

12:00 PM: Shai Maestro Quartet

Shai Maestro, piano – Philip Dizack, trumpet – Jorge Roeder, double bass – Ofri Nehemya, drums

Pianist and composer Shai Maestro, known for his genre-defying performances, seamlessly melds elements of jazz, world music, and contemporary sounds. His imaginative compositions and commitment to sonic exploration have earned high praise and a growing reputation. His unique personal identity and musical fluidity show up in his joyful interplay with his close-knit quartet, who come together in one-of-a-kind, high-energy concerts.

Location: Kool Family Community Center, 200 W Michigan Ave, Battle Creek, MI 49017

7:30 PM: Yuja Wang

Critical superlatives and audience ovations follow Yuja Wang wherever she performs. The Beijing-born pianist was a 2006 Gilmore Young Artist, and her jaw-dropping technique and passionate playing make her a true piano sensation. Her charismatic artistry, emotional honesty, and captivating stage presence combine for performances like no other. Ms. Wang has performed with the world’s most venerated conductors, musicians and ensembles, and in concert halls throughout the world.

Location: Chenery Auditorium, Kalamazoo

May 09, 2024

12:00 PM: Benito Gonzalez Trio

Venezuelan jazz pianist, composer, and Steinway Artist Benito Gonzalez combines a lineage of American jazz tradition with rhythms from around the world. Nominated for two Grammy? Awards and winner of the 2005 Great American Jazz Piano Competition, his sound is recognizable for the powerful rhythm and Afro-Latin patterns he prioritizes across his projects. The New York-based artist grew up playing traditional folk music with his family before being inspired by pianists Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, and Keith Jarrett, whose quartet he later joined. He played with saxophonist Azar Lawrence’s band and joined saxophone legend Pharoah Sanders as his pianist/musical director in 2019.

Location: Civic Theatre Auditorium, Kalamazoo

12:00 PM: Paul Cornish Trio

Paul Cornish, piano
Emma Dayhuff, bass – Jonathan Pinson, drums

Winner of the 2018 American Jazz Piano Competition, Composer-pianist Paul Cornish’s style is a blend of contemporary and jazz with experimental elements. Pianist for the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance, he has performed and worked with artists including Herbie Hancock and John Legend, and on stages throughout the world. An accomplished composer and educator, he is on the faculty at the Stanford Jazz Workshop and strives to inspire freedom and collaboration in his music and community.

Location: Kool Family Community Center, 200 W Michigan Ave, Battle Creek, MI 49017

7:30 PM: Piotr Anderszewski, 2002 Gilmore Artist

2002 Gilmore Artist Piotr Anderszewski is recognized internationally for the intensity and originality of his interpretations of classical works. He will also perform on May 11 with the Kalamazoo Symphony, where he will play and conduct from the keyboard. Perhaps best of all, he will have a conversation with Festival Director Pierre van der Westhuizen after the May 7 screening of his film, My Name is Warsaw, a deeply personal film about the city of his birth.

Location: Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU

May 10, 2024

12:00 PM: Benito Gonzalez Trio

Venezuelan jazz pianist, composer, and Steinway Artist Benito Gonzalez combines a lineage of American jazz tradition with rhythms from around the world. Nominated for two Grammy? Awards and winner of the 2005 Great American Jazz Piano Competition, his sound is recognizable for the powerful rhythm and Afro-Latin patterns he prioritizes across his projects. The New York-based artist grew up playing traditional folk music with his family before being inspired by pianists Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, and Keith Jarrett, whose quartet he later joined. He played with saxophonist Azar Lawrence’s band and joined saxophone legend Pharoah Sanders as his pianist/musical director in 2019.

Location: Kool Family Community Center, 200 W Michigan Ave, Battle Creek, MI 49017

12:00 PM: Paul Cornish Trio

Paul Cornish, piano
Emma Dayhuff, bass – Jonathan Pinson, drums

Winner of the 2018 American Jazz Piano Competition, Composer-pianist Paul Cornish’s style is a blend of contemporary and jazz with experimental elements. Pianist for the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance, he has performed and worked with artists including Herbie Hancock and John Legend, and on stages throughout the world. An accomplished composer and educator, he is on faculty at the Stanford Jazz Workshop, and strives to inspire freedom and collaboration in his music and community.

Location: Civic Theatre Auditorium, Kalamazoo

2:00 PM: Kirill Gerstein, 2010 Gilmore Artist

Kirill Gerstein brings his signature style to a varied program that includes the U.S. premiere of Matthew Aucoin’s The tracks have vanished, commissioned for him by The Gilmore. The Grammy?-nominated pianist blends the traditions of Russian, American, and Central European schooling combined with a strong background in jazz. To his broad repertoire, both new and old, he brings an unwavering clarity of expression, discerning intelligence, virtuosity, and energy.

1 pm Concert preview with composer Matthew Aucoin, Olmsted Room

Location: Stetson Chapel, Kalamazoo College

8:00 PM: Pink Martini featuring China Forbes

Pink Martini and China Forbes return with their vibrant, varied repertoire of jazz, classical, latin, music, and pop marked by extraordinary vocal talent and top-flight musicians. Pink Martini has performed with more than 50 orchestras, and in sold-out concerts at Carnegie Hall, the opening party of the remodeled Museum of Modern Art, the Governor’s Ball at the 80th Annual Academy Awards, and more. Pink Martini albums have sold more than 3 million copies worldwide.

Location: Miller Auditorium, WMU

May 11, 2024

7:00 PM: Anderszewski with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra

Anderszewski Plays/Conducts Beethoven with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra

Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
2002 Gilmore Artist Piotr Anderszewski, piano and conductor
Andrew Grams, conductor
2022 Gilmore Young Artists Janice Carissa & Clayton Stephenson, piano

Join us for a very special event when 2002 Gilmore Artist Piotr Anderszewski plays and conducts from the keyboard, featuring Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15 with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra. Janice Carissa and Clayton Stephenson, 2022 Gilmore Young Artists will perform Bruch’s Romantic Concerto for Two Pianos, Op. 88a, with Andrew Grams conducting. The program will open with Louise Farrenc’s Overture in E-flat Major, Op. 24, a fiery and celebratory work infused with the Parisian energy of the 19th Century.

Location: Chenery Auditorium, Kalamazoo

May 12, 2024

4:00 PM: Patti LuPone: A Life In Notes

Step into the extraordinary life of beloved Broadway legend Patti LuPone in this musical memoir. The Tony®, Grammy®, and Olivier Award–winning singer and actress has made her mark with acclaimed roles in Company, Evita, Sweeney Todd, Anything Goes, Gypsy, and more. Alongside her band and longtime musical director Joseph Thalken, the inimitable star of stage and screen performs a special evening of music celebrating her illustrious career. This new, one-woman show will spotlight Patti LuPone’s powerful voice and unforgettable storytelling.

Location: Miller Auditorium, WMU

Fest Date: April 24 - May 12, 2024

Locations:
Chenery Auditorium, 714 S Westnedge Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 314 S Park St, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
Stetson Chapel, Kalamazoo College, 1200 Academy St, Kalamazoo, MI 49006
Wellspring Theater, Epic Center, 359 S Kalamazoo Mall, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
Dalton Center Recital Hall, WMU, 1300 Theatre Dr, Kalamazoo, MI 49008
Williams Theatre, WMU, 1351 Theatre Dr, Kalamazoo, MI 49006
Kalamazoo Public Library- Central Library, 315 S Rose St, Kalamazoo, MI 49007,
Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Stryker Theatre, 230 N Rose St, Kalamazoo, MI 49007,
Bell’s Eccentric Cafe, 359 S Kalamazoo Mall, Kalamazoo, MI 49007
Richland Community Center, 9400 E CD Ave, Richland, MI 49083
Kool Family Community Center, 200 W Michigan Ave, Battle Creek, MI 49017

Click here for more information.