The 2026 Gilmore International Piano Festival fills venues across Michigan with the sounds of piano music from morning to night. Throughout the Festival, audiences gather to celebrate a shared love of the piano and the artists who bring it to life.
At The Gilmore, we know music can shape the rhythm of your day. That spirit inspired our Jazz at Noon series: a chance to enjoy exceptional piano-centered performances earlier in the day, before the evening’s performances begin. A midday performance can energize, inspire, and set the tone for everything that follows.
Jazz at Noon is accessible in more than one sense. With performances in both Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, the series makes it easier to attend a concert near where you live or work. For our Kalamazoo performances, it’s a perfect excuse to spend time downtown, where you can shop on the mall or grab lunch and an exclusive Gilmore Festival Beer at Bell’s Brewery. It is also one of the more affordable Festival options, with all Jazz at Noon concerts priced at $25, no matter who is performing.
Additionally, it’s a strong choice for groups. For teachers and educators, the series offers a chance to bring students to hear professional jazz musicians live, which can be a meaningful and memorable way to experience the music.
This year’s series features a dynamic lineup of jazz artists performing on our Jazz at Noon stages. One especially exciting connection to our community is Sam Weber, bassist for Nicole Zuraitis. Sam is from Kalamazoo and attended Western Michigan University, where he earned both a BA in Jazz Studies (2010) and an MA in Music (2011). So for him, this appearance at The Gilmore is a meaningful hometown highlight.
Get acquainted with our four Jazz at Noon artists below.
2026 Bell Young Artist Esteban Castro Trio
May 5 – Kalamazoo Civic Theater
May 6 – Kool Family Community Center, Battle Creek
One of the highlights of Jazz at Noon is the chance to hear inaugural Bell Young Artist Award winner Esteban Castro. A Brooklyn-based pianist, Esteban began playing piano at age 3 and quickly moved into improvisation and composition. With more than 50 original works to their name, they will perform several of their own pieces at the Festival.
A graduate of The Juilliard School, they were the youngest-ever first prize winner of the Montreux Jazz Piano Solo Competition and selected as a finalist in the 2023 American Piano Awards. Take a listen to their performance of “The Way You Look Tonight” in the 2023 American Pianists Awards Premiere Series.
May 5 in Kalamazoo | Learn More | Get Tickets
May 6 in Battle Creek | Learn More | Get Tickets
2026 Bell Young Artist Tyler Bullock Trio
May 5 –Kool Family Community Center, Battle Creek
May 6 –Kalamazoo Civic Theater
The second Bell Young Artist featured at Jazz at Noon is Tyler Bullock, a pianist and composer from Nashville, Tennessee, who is quickly emerging as an exciting new voice in jazz. Like Esteban, Tyler is also a graduate of The Juilliard School. In fact, the two knew each other even before receiving the award.
Since 2022, Tyler has been the regular pianist with the Roy Hargrove Big Band, and he also leads his own band at venues across New York City and around the world. His appearance at The Gilmore is a chance to hear one of today’s rising jazz artists in an intimate Festival setting. Get a preview of Tyler and his trio before they come to The Gilmore by listening to this recording of “Dangerous” from Chris’ Jazz Cafe.
May 5 in Battle Creek | Learn More | Get Tickets
May 6 in Kalamazoo | Learn More | Get Tickets
Nicole Zuraitis
May 7 –Kalamazoo Civic Theater
Another exciting artist in our Jazz at Noon series is the previously mentioned Nicole Zuraitis, who will appear with her band, including bassist Sam Weber, a Kalamazoo native. Nicole is a two-time GRAMMY® winner and six-time GRAMMY-nominated jazz singer-songwriter, pianist, producer, and arranger whose work continues to push the boundaries of vocal jazz and jazz songwriting.
Her Festival performance promises to be a standout. One listen to her newly released LP—featuring Christian McBride on bass, Larry Goldings on organ, Dan Pugach on drums, and Gilad Hekselman on guitar—makes it clear why we are so excited to welcome her to The Gilmore.
May 7 in Kalamazoo at Noon | Learn More | Get Tickets
May 8 in Battle Creek at 7:30 pm | Learn More | Get Tickets
Yes! Trio
May 8 –Kalamazoo Civic Theater
Last but not least, we are excited to welcome Yes! Trio for two performances. United by more than three decades of friendship and a deep appreciation for straight-ahead jazz and swing, the trio brings together three standout musicians, each with an impressive career.
Ali Jackson has performed with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra since 2005. Omer Avital is celebrated for weaving together American jazz, Israeli, and other Arab musical traditions into a sound that feels fresh and vital. Aaron Goldberg leads his own trio and tours with the Joshua Redman Quartet.
Together, they bring remarkable experience and musical connection to the stage, and their performance in Battle Creek on May 8 promises to be a special part of this year’s Festival. Preview their connected sound in this recording of “The Best is Yet to Come” from their album “Spring Sings”.
May 8 in Kalamazoo at Noon | Learn More | Get Tickets
May 7 in Battle Creek at 7:30 pm | Learn More | Get Tickets
