Gilmore Piano Festival To Become An Annual Festival In 2026

The Gilmore Piano Festival will become an annual festival beginning in the spring of 2026. The decision to shift the festival from biennial to annual was reached after consulting with a wide variety of stakeholders, who expressed a desire to experience the outstanding keyboard artistry more regularly. In addition to the change in frequency, the festival will also be shorter in duration each year.

Transitioning to an annual festival will allow The Gilmore to work more closely with distinguished artists from the fields of classical, jazz, and other musical genres. More frequent collaborations with the Gilmore Artist Award recipients will allow them to showcase projects that may have gone unseen by festival audiences under the previous biennial model. Moreover, the transition will facilitate more commissions of new classical and jazz piano works and expand The Gilmore's educational and community engagement initiatives. An annual festival also aims to benefit the entire Kalamazoo community, attracting piano enthusiasts nationwide each year. This influx of visitors will bolster local businesses and foster economic growth.  

Van der Westhuizen said, “For over thirty years, our biennial festival has brought together incredible artists, emerging talents, and enthusiastic audiences. Building on this success, as well as the Gilmore Artist Awards and the upcoming Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Awards, we're ready for the next chapter. We have gained valuable insights about ourselves and our audiences, and adapting to change is critical to our future success. This logical next step for The Gilmore will allow space for more creativity, more engagement with current and new audiences, and more opportunities to further our mission.” 

“The Gilmore Board of Trustees gives its wholehearted, enthusiastic support to moving from a biennial to an annual festival,” said Dr. Zaide Pixley, Gilmore Board of Trustees President. “We believe that an annual cadence will only increase excitement, with each year building on the one before, and make possible even more creative programming. In making this decision the board has drawn on the thoughtful preparation and thorough research done over the past year by the staff, led by Pierre. We feel confident that this new model is not only feasible, but will be tremendously successful. Since the first Festival in 1991, The Gilmore has brought us magnificent music, inspiring artists, ground-breaking commissions, and innovative collaborations that have enriched our lives. We look forward to enjoying our marvelous piano festival for many years to come.”

The first annual festival in 2026 coincides with the naming of the first-ever Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist. Mirroring the Gilmore Artist Award for classical pianists, the Jazz Artist Award will be bestowed on a jazz pianist selected by an anonymous committee. World-class jazz pianists — including Kenny Barron, Chick Corea, Ray Charles, Eliane Elias, Sullivan Fortner, Hiromi, Brad Meldau Dr. Lonnie Smith, and Herbie Hancock —  have appeared at The Gilmore Piano Festival since its inception, and the new Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Award solidifies the festival's commitment to this important American art form. Like the Gilmore Artist Award, the Bell Jazz Artist Award will be given every four years.

Seth Abramson, Director of the Jazz Awards, said, “The introduction of the Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Award coinciding with the first annual Gilmore Piano Festival in 2026 will be a pivotal moment for The Gilmore, solidifying our commitment to jazz and recognizing the profound influence the genre has on both artists and audiences. By honoring and presenting exceptional jazz pianists alongside classical musicians, we continue to expand the festival's reach and celebrate the artistry that defines jazz as a vital, evolving art form. I'm thrilled to be part of this exciting new chapter as we create more opportunities for creativity, collaboration, and engagement with jazz lovers from around the world."

Created in 1989 to honor the legacy of Kalamazoo businessman and philanthropist Irving S. Gilmore, the Gilmore Piano Festival has since presented 16 biennial festivals, commissioned over 40 new works for the piano, and named 9 Gilmore Artists and 40 Gilmore Young Artists. In addition to the festival, The Gilmore presents concerts throughout the year ensuring that world-class piano music is presented continually. In addition, a major program dedicated to community engagement and music education touches the lives of thousands of area children and adults by offering neighborhood concerts, piano lessons in elementary schools, music therapy, group lessons for adults, toddler-friendly concert experiences, summer piano camp, master classes, and much more.

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