Apr 26 Friday
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.
Apr 27 Saturday
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.
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
Blues Aside$18.00Doors @ 7:30 pm
Show @ 8 pm
Lauri Jarski, vocals, cello, and a variety of stringed instruments
Cori Somers, violin
Carolyn Koebel, percussion
Apr 28 Sunday
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.
Born in 2005, Harmony Zhu began piano study at The Juilliard School at age eight, with teachers including Emanuel Ax and Veda Kaplinsky. She was recognized as a Young Steinway Artist at age 10 and made her debut at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium at age 14. She won the 2021 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, becoming the youngest artist on the YCA roster. Named a 2024 Gilmore Young Artist in 2023, she is a student at the Brearley School in New York, class of 2024. Ms. Zhu will play selections by Chopin, Hayden, Schumann and Scriabin. Ms. Zhu's performance is presented by Sunday Afternoon Live in partnership with the Gilmore Piano Festival.
Sunday Afternoon Live! concerts are free to the public and include a family friendly reception where patrons can meet the artists and enjoy fellowship with each other.
The mission of Sunday Afternoon Live! is to enrich the cultural life of the greater Battle Creek Community and to continue the tradition of the First Congregational Church as a patron of artistic creativity and expression. We endeavor to do this by sponsoring a series of free concerts that present musical artistry that is exciting, beautiful, varied and enjoyable. We will underwrite the concerts by means of donors and sponsors in order to make the concerts available to the entire community.
Apr 29 Monday
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
May 09 Thursday
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
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.
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