Irving S. Gilmore International Piano Festival

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:

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