Gilmore Keyboard Festival
About
Gilmore International Keyboard Festival is internationally recognized as North America’s finest piano music festival. Now in its 23rd year, nearly 100 events showcase some of the most notable and accomplished pianists and keyboardists in the world alongside artists just emerging on the international stage.
From classical to jazz, orchestra concerts to solo recitals, and chamber music to musical theater, the Festival continually achieves acclaim for presenting performances of the highest artistic caliber.
This 13-part radio series from WFMT focuses on classical music at the 2014 Gilmore Festival, featuring artists such as Richard Goode, Emmanuel Ax, Peter Serkin, and Gilmore Artist Kirill Gerstein as well as rising stars Vanessa Perez, Christian Sands and Gilmore Young Artists Conrad Tao and George Li. Exclusive interviews, at-the-piano demonstrations, and on-site recordings give a behind-the-scenes look at the artists’ approach to their craft as well as exactly what it takes to put on one of the world’s most magnificent music festivals.
The first Gilmore International Keyboard Festival took place in 1991. The Festival spanned nine days and encompassed 46 musical events, including a Music Critics Institute. The Gilmore Keyboard Festival is set throughout West Michigan, with the main stage Festival events occurring in Kalamazoo, a city just inland from Michigan’s beautiful west coast.
Now, every two years, The Gilmore presents two-plus weeks of superb piano performances – nearly 100 events. The Gilmore Keyboard Festival has become a leading American festival known the world over for celebrating the joy and power of keyboard music in concerts, lectures, master classes and films.
Host - Joan Kjaer
Joan Kjaer has enjoyed a long career as a producer and host of classical music and arts programming on Iowa public radio stations. She currently serves as deputy director of Iowa Public Radio and manager of Iowa City stations WSUI and KSUI but still finds time to produce and host the IPR arts and humanities series she created in 2000, “Know the Score.” Kjaer recently appeared as host of the WFMT series “The Glory of the Harp.”
Time
Saturday, 10 am -11 am