Pianist and composer Kimball Gallagher returns to Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall with a program that reflects both his artistic journey and the international cultural initiatives of 88 International, the nonprofit he founded to empower young people through music.

Over the past decade, 88 International has worked in partnership with ministries of education across Africa. Early support from the German Federal Foreign Office helped transform a small pilot initiative into a scalable international program now active in Tunisia, Morocco, Senegal, and The Gambia, demonstrating how long-term cultural partnerships can create meaningful opportunities for youth creativity and leadership.

These collaborations have established student-led music clubs in public secondary schools, creating opportunities for thousands of young people to compose, perform, and organize musical initiatives in their communities.

The musical ideas behind this work also shape Gallagher’s artistic path as a performer. The program includes Claude Debussy’s Estampes, inspired by encounters with musical cultures beyond Europe, and the world premiere of Trois Études Africaines by composer Hwaen Ch’uqi, drawing on the rhythmic vitality and textures of African musical traditions. The concert also features the premiere of Lugalay, a Burmese lullaby reimagined for soprano, Burmese harp, and piano, as well as selections from Gallagher’s own Preludes inspired by places and individuals encountered during his global travels.

The evening concludes with Johannes Brahms’s Piano Sonata No. 3, a monumental work written when the composer was only twenty years old. Together, the program reflects the spirit of artistic exchange and international collaboration that lies at the heart of both Gallagher’s musical work and the broader mission of 88 International.

Date and Time: April 13, 2026, 7:30pm

Location: Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, 881 Seventh Avenue

More Information: https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2026/04/13/Kimball-Gallagher-Piano-0730PM