May 09 Thursday
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.
Paul Cornish, pianoEmma 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.
Doors @ 7 pmShow @ 7:30 pmAward-winning Michigan singer-songwriter Jen Sygit teams up with Northern Michigan songstress Blake Elliott for an intimate evening of stories and songs. Sygit’s soulful folk and Americana sound blends with Elliott’s retro bluesy-jazz vibe to create a beautiful evening of a dynamic collection of solo and duo tunes.Sometimes traditional, sometimes contemporary, always imbued with raw honesty, Lansing-based Independent Music Award-winning songwriter Jen Sygit wields a rare and powerful talent that seems equally comfortable performing ethereal folk tunes, crooning sultry swing numbers or soulfully belting gritty alt-country ballads. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist who isn’t afraid to test boundaries and cross genres, Jen’s eclectic musical style draws the listener in and holds them captivated. Her poignant lyrics tinged with a delicate melancholy, reveal an oft-overlooked beauty to life’s mundane struggles while offering the occasional glimpse into the plight of a modern-day troubadour.Visit jensygit.com for more!Hailing originally from southeast Michigan, singer-songwriter Blake Elliott has called Northern Michigan’s woods, water, and it’s music scene her home for over a decade. In that time she has crafted her personal recipe for a sweet sound: start with a little folk, throw in some jazz, add a touch of funk, swing it a bit, and finish off with a healthy dose of the blues. Coupled with her trademark vintage look and style, Elliott delivers an eclectic mix of original music that blends the present with the past. While her vocal stylings have been compared to that of Natalie Merchant and Norah Jones, Elliott’s unique voice weaves throughout melodies creating a sound entirely her own.Visit blakeelliottmusic.com
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.
6:30 pm Concert Preview with Zaide Pixley, PhD, Lecture Hall
May 10 Friday
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.
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
Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella is a musical written for television but later played on stage with music by Richard Rodgers and a book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based upon the fairy tale Cinderella, particularly the French version Cendrillon, ou la petite pantoufle de verre (Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper) by Charles Perrault. The story concerns a young woman forced into a life of servitude by her cruel stepmother and self-centered stepsisters, who dreams of a better life. With the help of her fairy godmother, Cinderella is transformed into a princess and finds her prince.There will be photo opportunities throughout the night as well as crowns and tiaras that can be purchased to help bring this classic to life.
The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre presents “Catch Me If You Can” in the Civic Auditorium, May 3-19, 2024.
Based on the hit film and the incredible true story, Catch Me If You Can is a high-flying musical comedy about chasing your dreams and not getting caught. Nominated for four Tony awards, including Best Musical.
Seeking fame and fortune, precocious teenager, Frank Abagnale, Jr., runs away from home to begin an unforgettable adventure. With nothing more than his boyish charm, a big imagination and millions of dollars in forged checks, Frank successfully poses as a pilot, a doctor and a lawyer – living the high life and winning the girl of his dreams. When Frank's lies catch the attention of FBI agent, Carl Hanratty, though, Carl pursues Frank across the country to make him pay for his crimes.
Catch Me If You Can is a big and bright spectacle with high-energy dance numbers and a riveting story.
Catch Me If You CanMay 3 - May 19, 2024Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 PM, Sundays at 2:00 PMKalamazoo Civic Auditorium Tickets: https://kazoocivic.ludus.com/200435296 | 269-343-1313
Based on the DreamWorks Motion PictureBook by Terrence McNallyLyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc ShaimanCATCH ME IF YOU CAN is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
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.