Pianofest in the Hamptons Announces Summer 2026 Season: A New Five-Week Immersion in Music Across the East End
Programming for Pianofest's 38th season features a new single-session format, with eleven exceptional young artists performing at three venues in Southampton, East Hampton, and Westhampton.
One of the East Coast's premier summer music festivals, Pianofest in the Hamptons returns this summer with a reimagined format for its 38th season: Pianofest will welcome a single group of eleven remarkable young pianists for a concentrated five-week residency, offering audiences across the Hamptons the chance to follow these emerging artists throughout the entire summer concert series.
The new format deepens the festival's signature immersive experience. Rather than hosting two separate sessions, Pianofest will bring its full class together for five weeks of intensive daily mentorship, collaborative performance, and weekly concerts at venues across Southampton, East Hampton, and Westhampton, from Monday, June 29 through Monday, July 27.
This season, audiences will get to know these artists over the course of the summer, hearing them grow and evolve week by week. The new format allows for a more intimate connection between performers and the Hamptons community that has supported Pianofest for nearly four decades.
2026 Concert Schedule
Southampton
Levitas Center for the Arts, Southampton Cultural CenterMondays at 5:30 PM: June 29 | July 6, 13, 20, 27
East Hampton
St. Luke's Episcopal ChurchWednesdays at 5:30 PM: July 1, 8, 15
Westhampton
Westhampton Beach Performing Arts CenterWednesday, July 22 at 6:00 PM
Ticketing and Subscriptions
Attend five Southampton concerts for just $180. Save 10% when purchasing the subscription rather than individual tickets online.
Single Tickets (Southampton and East Hampton): $35 at the door (cash, credit, or check) or online for $35 plus $5 convenience fee.
Westhampton: $26 by card online and at the box office, or $23 cash.
Students attend concerts in Southampton and East Hampton free of charge.
Distinguished Faculty
Paul Schenly, Director
Ursula Oppens
Pavel Nersessian
Jerome Lowenthal
Konstantin Soukhovetski
The 2026 Class
This summer's class of eleven pianists, selected by audition from conservatories and programs worldwide, includes: Forest Benson, Huiping Cai, Celine Chen, Kayden Kelly, Curtis Li, Elsie Lu, Richard Martin, Haolun Sun, Brianna Tang, Gloriana Wolf, Samantha Wuo.
A Legacy of Transformation
Pianofest alumni and past faculty continue to make their mark on the international stage. Recent milestones include:
Michelle Cann: 2023 and 2025 Grammy Award winner
Awadagin Pratt: 2024 Grammy Award winner
Jack Gao (Pianofest '23, '24): Winner of the 2023 Naumburg Award, 2025 Martha Argerich Prize (Hamburg), and 2026 Koussevitzky Award.
Angeline Ma (Pianofest '23): Winner of the 2026 Juilliard Concerto Competition, performing Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 in Alice Tully Hall
These achievements reflect the depth of artistic development that defines the Pianofest experience, a program built on the conviction that the most meaningful growth happens not through competition, but through community, mentorship, and collaborative performance.