Brad Mehldau with Kirill Gerstein

Classical music and jazz collide as two of today’s most prolific and compelling pianists join forces to create a unique program featuring jazz exploration, classical romanticism, and pop allure.

Grammy Award–winning pianist and composer Brad Mehldau has long bridged musical worlds, shaping modern jazz with performances that blend intellect, emotion, and structure. 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.”