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Jazz
in 2026 Festival Volunteer Opportunities
Opening Night: Sullivan Fortner Solo Game
Volunteer Needs:
10 Usher/Greeter/Scanners
TBD Transportation
Description:
The evening will begin with a celebratory dinner honoring Larry J. Bell at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, followed by a rare and captivating solo performance by 2026 Larry J. Bell Artist Award Recipient Sullivan Fortner. Fresh off receiving the inaugural Bell Artist Award, Fortner revisits the spirit of his Grammy-nominated album Solo Game — a kaleidoscopic journey across acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, Hammond B-3 organ, and other keyboards. Blending jazz, gospel, and modern improvisation, Fortner moves fluidly between soulful lyricism and bold harmonic exploration, revealing why he’s regarded as one of today’s most imaginative and expressive voices in jazz.
Cyrus Chestnut Trio (4pm)
Volunteer Needs:
2 Usher/Greeter/Scanners
TBD Transportation
Description:
A gifted and innovative jazz pianist, Cyrus Chestnut possesses a soulful style that fuses gospel, classical music, and straight-ahead jazz. With two musical parents who were involved in the church, it was only natural that gospel music would become a major influence on Chestnut’s musical development, showing him not only how to be a better player but also how to connect with audiences. His original compositions are the heart of his latest album, Rhythm, Melody, and Harmony, on which he demonstrates his signature blend of rhythmic precision, emotive expression, and improvisational mastery.
Cyrus Chestnut Trio (7pm)
Volunteer Needs:
2 Usher/Greeter/Scanners
TBD Transportation
Description:
A gifted and innovative jazz pianist, Cyrus Chestnut possesses a soulful style that fuses gospel, classical music, and straight-ahead jazz. With two musical parents who were involved in the church, it was only natural that gospel music would become a major influence on Chestnut’s musical development, showing him not only how to be a better player but also how to connect with audiences. His original compositions are the heart of his latest album, Rhythm, Melody, and Harmony, on which he demonstrates his signature blend of rhythmic precision, emotive expression, and improvisational mastery.
Brad Mehldau & Kirill Gerstein in Dialogue
Volunteer Needs:
6 Usher/Greeter/Scanners
3 Reception
1 Information Station
TBD Transportation
Description:
Grammy Award–winning pianist and composer Brad Mehldau has long bridged musical worlds, shaping modern jazz with performances that blend intellect, emotion, and structure. 2010 Gilmore Artist Kirill Gerstein, equally at home in classical and jazz traditions, is celebrated for his dynamic artistry and curiosity, connecting diverse musical voices with insight and imagination. Their collaboration grew from a shared fascination with the space between composition and improvisation.
As Gerstein recalls: “I felt an immediate, visceral pull to his musical language… Our friendship has deepened, as have our shared explorations of the porous border between written and improvised music.”
Mehldau shares: “He is a virtuoso with an astoundingly large and varied repertoire, but he is much more than that.… Kirill and I have been exploring ways to combine written music and improvisation, and the program we put together will reflect that.”
2026 Bell Young Artist Esteban Castro Trio CIVIC
Volunteer Needs:
10 Usher/Greeter/Scanners
2 Information Station
TBD Transportation
Description
2026 Bell Young Artist Esteban Castro began playing piano at age 4 and at 13, became the youngest-ever First Prize Winner at the Montreux Jazz Piano Solo Competition. Castro is already an in-demand bandleader and side musician. At The Gilmore, Castro’s trio will perform a mix of standards as well as original, award-winning compositions.
2026 Bell Young Artist Tyler Bullock Trio Battle Creek
Volunteer Needs:
2 Usher/Greeter/Scanners
TBD Transportation
Description
2026 Bell Young Artist Tyler Bullock is the regular pianist for the Roy Hargrove Big Band, and with collaborations with Samara Joy, Sean Jones, and Dee Dee Bridgewater already under his belt, Bullock is one of the most promising pianists of his generation. His original compositions for his trio and other configurations combine the lineage of jazz with his own fresh perspective.
Kandace Springs (5pm)
Volunteer Needs:
10 Usher/Greeter/Scanners
2 Information Station
TBD Transportation
Description:
Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, jazz pianist and singer Kandace Springs’s natural gifts for lyricism and soulfulness have propelled her to some of the world’s biggest stages. She has performed alongside Prince, Sting and Jack White, Norah Jones, Roy Hargrove, and more, and has released acclaimed albums of acoustic-based jazz. Her Gilmore set will include arrangements from her latest recording, Lady in Satin, a loving tribute to Billie Holiday and her 1958 record of the same name, with Springs on both keys and vocals, joined by her all-female trio.
Kandace Springs (8pm)
Volunteer Needs:
10 Usher/Greeter/Scanners
2 Information Station
TBD Transportation
Description:
Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, jazz pianist and singer Kandace Springs’s natural gifts for lyricism and soulfulness have propelled her to some of the world’s biggest stages. She has performed alongside Prince, Sting and Jack White, Norah Jones, Roy Hargrove, and more, and has released acclaimed albums of acoustic-based jazz. Her Gilmore set will include arrangements from her latest recording, Lady in Satin, a loving tribute to Billie Holiday and her 1958 record of the same name, with Springs on both keys and vocals, joined by her all-female trio.