Gilmore Festival Recap

Several months ago, Elias asked Steve and me if we could take him to the Gilmore Keyboard Festival in Kalamazoo, Michigan. If you're like me, you may be thinking, "There's a big piano festival in Kalamazoo?" Turns out, there is, every other year, and it's a big deal. In fact, it bills itself as America's most prestigious piano music festival.

Steve and I were totally up for going, especially since Sebastian is a student at Kalamazoo College, and it meant we could rope him into the adventure. So last weekend, the four of us attended four concerts over three days. It was an incredible display of talent, and it was great fun to immerse ourselves in music for the weekend.

Sebastian, Elias, Steve and me enjoying the Kalamazoo dining scene.

Elias in front of the special Gilmore crosswalk at the Chenery Auditorium in Kalamazoo.

The first concert we attended was actually in Grand Rapids, an hour's drive north of Kalamazoo, where we saw Polish pianist Rafal Blechacz perform with the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra. Blechacz was named a Gilmore Artist in 2014. He played Chopin's Piano Concert No. 1, Opus 11.

The second day, we attended an afternoon concert at the chapel at Sebastian's school. The soloist, Wei Luo, was a 2018 Gilmore Young Artist, and she was great fun to watch, as well as listen to, because her face was so expressive. She played seven classical pieces, including Chopin's Nocturne in C-sharp Minor.

Stetson Chapel, Kalamazoo College

That evening, we were originally supposed to hear Murray Perahia, but he had to cancel, and instead we heard Brazilian pianist Nelson Freire at the Chenery Auditorium. His playing was beautiful, as was the setting, the renovated auditorium of a former high school in Kalamazoo.

Chenery Auditorium, Kalamazoo

Our last concert experience was at the Dalton Center Recital Hall on the campus of Western Michigan University, which is adjacent to Kalamazoo College. The Russian pianist Danill Trifonov was supposed to perform, but at the last minute he had to cancel due to an ear infection that kept him from flying, so the Gilmore organizers got a replacement — Conrad Tao, a 2012 Gilmore Young Artist. Tao flew in from Helsinki, where he'd been performing, and he put on quite a show, despite the jet lag he must have felt. (He played while barefoot, which fascinated me — it wasn't just because he'd forgotten to pack his shoes!)

Dalton Center Recital Hall, Western Michigan University

I thought of my great-grandmother Islea many times during the performances. What would she have thought of a pianist not wearing shoes? How would she have evaluated their creative choices? 

I think it's fair to say the experience inspired all four of us, although Elias is the only one currently taking piano lessons. The 2018 Gilmore Keyboard Festival goes through May 12, so if you're in the area, it's not too late to join in the fun. Otherwise, mark your calendars for late April/early May 2020. We may see you there!