“I can't believe we're finally here with this moment," says Pierre van der Westhuizen, Executive Director of the Gilmore Piano Festival, talking to Cara Lieurance about tickets going on sale to the general public for spring’s events.
Running April 24 through May 10, the 2026 festival marks a major shift from the previous biennial format. New Orleans pianist Sullivan Fortner, whose album Southern Nights just won a Grammy, will appear as the inaugural Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Award. Van der Westhuizen and Larry Bell surprised Fortner at his Atlanta hotel, with the pianist's first words being "Can I tell my mom?"
Fortner opens the festival April 30 with a multi-keyboard showcase featuring acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, Hammond B3, and harpsichord at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. He closes May 10 with vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire.
Other highlights include violinist Joshua Bell performing April 24 at Chenery Auditorium with pianist Shai Wosner, honoring the Stulberg International String Competition's 50th anniversary. Bell won Stulberg's gold medal in 1981 at age 14.
May 1 features "From Cliburn to Kantorow," a celebration of the Tchaikovsky Competition. The evening includes a commissioned monodrama about Van Cliburn by composer Evan Mack, followed by 2024 Gilmore Artist Alexandre Kantorow performing Tchaikovsky's Second Piano Concerto with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.
Pianist Kirill Gerstein performs May 4 with jazz pianist Brad Mehldau, then plays and conducts three Beethoven concertos with KSO two days later. Organist Cameron Carpenter performs May 3 at First United Methodist Church, and Cuban jazz master Chucho Valdés appears May 9.
Free master classes, daily films at Kalamazoo Valley Museum, and late-night jazz at Crawlspace Comedy Theater round out the programming.
Tickets are available at thegilmore.org or by calling 269-359-7311.
The interview was summarized by Claude AI and edited by the author.
