A GRAMMY-nominated pianist and composer, Fortner is widely recognized as one of today’s most distinctive voices in jazz — making this solo performance a compelling start to the 2026 Festival.
OPENING NIGHT: SULLIVAN FORTNER SOLO GAME | Thursday, April 30, 6 pm | Get Tickets | Concert Info
Monday, May 4
GRAMMY Award–winning pianist Brad Mehldau and 2010 Gilmore Artist Kirill Gerstein come together at the Dalton Center for Brad Mehldau & Kirill Gerstein in Dialogue. Mehldau has long bridged musical worlds, shaping modern jazz through performances that balance structure and improvisation. Gerstein, equally at home in classical and jazz repertoire, is celebrated for his dynamic artistry and musical curiosity. Moving between jazz and classical traditions, the program reflects their shared interest in the space between composition and improvisation.
BRAD MEHLDAU & KIRILL GERSTEIN IN DIALOGUE | Monday, May 4, 7:30 pm | Get Tickets | Concert Info
Tuesday, May 5
Powerhouse pianist and vocalist Kandace Springs joins us for two performances at the Festival with her all-female trio. Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, Springs’s natural lyricism and soulful style have taken her to some of the world’s most prominent stages. She has performed alongside artists including Prince, Sting, Norah Jones, and Roy Hargrove, and has released several acclaimed acoustic jazz recordings.
Her Gilmore performance will feature arrangements from her latest album, Lady in Satin, a tribute to Billie Holiday’s 1958 recording of the same name, with Springs performing on both piano and vocals alongside her trio.
KANDACE SPRINGS | Tuesday, May 5, 5 & 8 pm | Get 5 pm Tickets | | Get 8 pm Tickets | Concert Info
Low Ticket Alert: table seating sold out for the 8 pm performance
Thursday, May 7
Pianists Bill Charlap and Renee Rosnes bring their acclaimed two-piano collaboration to the 2026 Gilmore Piano Festival. Two of today’s leading jazz pianists, Charlap and Rosnes have performed together in this setting since the release of their 2010 Blue Note album Double Portrait, a collection of duets exploring their shared musical influences. DownBeat praised the recording, noting that “the counterpoint and compatibility are so perfectly balanced” that the album is “a prize.” On stage, the husband-and-wife duo offer interpretations of jazz standards, selections from the Great American Songbook, Broadway favorites, and original compositions shaped by their longstanding musical partnership.
BILL CHARLAP & RENEE ROSNES | Thursday, May 7, 5 & 8 pm | Get 5 pm Tickets | | Get 8 pm Tickets | Concert Info
Friday, May 8
The following day, Rosnes returns to the Festival stage with the acclaimed quintet ARTEMIS, featuring Renee Rosnes, piano and Fender Rhodes; Ingrid Jensen, trumpet; Nicole Glover, tenor saxophone; Noriko Ueda, bass; and Allison Miller, drums. Equally celebrated by audiences and critics, ARTEMIS brings together five distinctive musical voices to create a dynamic and collaborative ensemble sound. Originally assembled by pianist and musical director Renee Rosnes, the group is notable for both the accomplishments of its individual members and its multi-national, intergenerational lineup.
At The Gilmore, ARTEMIS will perform selections from their three Blue Note releases, featuring a vibrant mix of original compositions by the band’s members alongside Rosnes’s arrangements of works by Wayne Shorter, Burt Bacharach, and others.
ARTEMIS | Friday, May 8, 7:30 pm | Get Tickets | Concert Info
Saturday, May 9
The final Saturday of the Festival, NEA Jazz Master Chucho Valdés returns to the 2026 Gilmore Piano Festival with his Royal Quartet. A winner of multiple GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY Awards, Valdés has defined Afro-Cuban jazz for more than six decades as a pianist, composer, and bandleader. He has also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Recording Academy and was inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Joined by a new generation of Afro-Cuban jazz virtuosos, Valdés presents a program that draws from Cuban folk traditions, American blues, and the music of Chick Corea and Mozart, brought together through his signature rhythmic vitality and expressive style.
CHUCHO VALDÉS ROYAL QUARTET | Saturday, May 9, 7:30 pm | Get Tickets | Concert Info
Sunday, May 10
The 2026 Gilmore Piano Festival concludes with a performance created exclusively for this year’s Festival, uniting Sullivan Fortner with GRAMMY Award–winning vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant (voice) and acclaimed trumpeter and composer Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet). Joined by Tyrone Allen (bass) and Kayvon Gordon (drums), the ensemble will explore new musical terrain where improvisation and storytelling meet in a collaborative finale.
FINALE: SULLIVAN FORTNER TRIO FEATURING CÉCILE MCLORIN SALVANT & AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE | Sunday, May 10, 4 pm | Get Tickets | Concert Info
JAZZ AT BELL’S
This year, the Cyrus Chestnut Trio is the only artist appearing at Bell’s, with two chances to catch their performance on Saturday, May 2.
Raised in a musical family deeply involved in the church, Chestnut’s early exposure to gospel music continues to shape his expressive style and connection with audiences. His playing blends gospel, classical training, and straight-ahead jazz into a sound that is both technically refined and deeply rooted in tradition.
Chestnut’s original compositions form the heart of his latest album, Rhythm, Melody, and Harmony, where he demonstrates his signature balance of rhythmic precision, emotive expression, and improvisational command.
CYRUS CHESTNUT TRIO | Saturday, May 2, 4 & 7 pm | Get 4 pm Tickets | Get 7 pm Tickets | Concert Info
Low Ticket Alert: Seated tickets sold out for both performances, standing room tickets remain. Waiting list available.
JAZZ AT NOON / JAZZ IN BATTLE CREEK
Festival audiences can also experience jazz in a more casual midday setting through the Jazz at Noon series, featuring a mix of 2026 Bell Young Artists and internationally recognized performers in Kalamazoo and Battle Creek.
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Esteban Castro Trio May 5 and May 6
2026 Bell Young Artist Esteban Castro, who began playing piano at age four and later became the youngest-ever First Prize winner at the Montreux Jazz Festival Solo Piano Competition, performs with his trio in both Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. -
Tyler Bullock Trio May 5 and May 6
Also appearing at both noon locations, 2026 Bell Young Artist Tyler Bullock, current pianist for the Roy Hargrove Big Band, brings original trio works that reflect both the jazz tradition and his contemporary perspective. -
Nicole Zuraitis May 7
GRAMMY Award–winning vocalist, pianist, songwriter, and arranger Nicole Zuraitis appears at Jazz at Noon and returns for an evening performance on May 8 in Battle Creek. -
Yes! Trio May 8
Featuring pianist Aaron Goldberg, bassist Omer Avital, and drummer Ali Jackson, Yes! Trio performs at Jazz at Noon following their May 7 evening concert in Battle Creek.