Community Calendar

Since breaking out on America's Got Talent and Penn & Teller: Fool Us, viral sensation Piff the Magic Dragon has captured the nation's heart with his unforgettable television appearances, Las Vegas residency, national sold-out tours and an absolute devotion to snacks.

A masterful blend of stand-up comedy and jaw-dropping magic, delivered with his signature dry British wit, Piff, alongside his co-star Mr Piffles, the World's First Magic Performing Chihuahua™, have headlined the iconic

Flamingo Hotel and Casino, entertaining over 500,000 guests since 2015. Though Mr Piffles recently passed away after more than 5,000 memorable performances, his legacy continues with Mr Piffles II, a scientifically cloned and equally magical successor who has seamlessly joined Piff on stage. The pair recently celebrated an extension of their residency with a new three-year deal, solidifying Piff's place as one of Vegas's premier acts.

In May 2024, Piff was honored as Magician of the Year by the Academy of Magical Arts, also known as The Magic Castle, joining previous recipients such as Penn & Teller, David Blaine and Siegfried & Roy.

Previously, Piff was named one of Variety's Top Ten Comics to Watch, crowned champion of TBS' Tournament Of Laughs, and made history as the first performer to win Best Comedian, Best Magician and Best Headliner at the Best Of Las Vegas Awards. In addition to his accolades, Piff has performed at legendary venues including Radio City Music Hall, Sydney Opera House, and even the London Zoo.

Dabin Ryu, piano
Matt Penmen, bass
Johnathan Blake, drums

Award-winning jazz pianist and composer Dabin Ryu brings a distinctive voice shaped by her roots in Seoul and her career in New York City. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Manhattan School of Music, and The Juilliard School, Ryu has performed with acclaimed artists including David Virelles, Randy Brecker, Anat Cohen, and Billy Harper.

Winner of the 15th UNISA International Piano Competition and the 2025 Jazz Gallery Residency Commission, Ryu has earned praise for performances that combine “fierce chops and control” with crisp, authoritative ideas. The NYC Jazz Record has called her “a force,” citing her bright energy, deep awareness of jazz history, and extraordinary command at the piano.

Ryu balances an active performing career with teaching as an associate professor at Berklee College of Music, continuing to shape the next generation of jazz musicians while pursuing her own work as a compelling artist “to keenly watch.”

Dabin Ryu, piano
Matt Penmen, bass
Johnathan Blake, drums

Award-winning jazz pianist and composer Dabin Ryu brings a distinctive voice shaped by her roots in Seoul and her career in New York City. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Manhattan School of Music, and The Juilliard School, Ryu has performed with acclaimed artists including David Virelles, Randy Brecker, Anat Cohen, and Billy Harper.

Winner of the 15th UNISA International Piano Competition and the 2025 Jazz Gallery Residency Commission, Ryu has earned praise for performances that combine “fierce chops and control” with crisp, authoritative ideas. The NYC Jazz Record has called her “a force,” citing her bright energy, deep awareness of jazz history, and extraordinary command at the piano.

Ryu balances an active performing career with teaching as an associate professor at Berklee College of Music, continuing to shape the next generation of jazz musicians while pursuing her own work as a compelling artist “to keenly watch.”

Praised for performances of remarkable depth and poise, Aristo Sham is one of the most exciting young pianists on today’s international stage. Winner of the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Sham has appeared with the London Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and other leading ensembles, collaborating with conductors including Simon Rattle and Marin Alsop. Critics have praised his performances as “noble” and “thorough, strong, and brilliant,” recognizing both his musical insight and commanding technique.

Sham first drew international attention as a young artist when he was featured in the 2009 Channel 4 documentary “The World’s Greatest Musical Prodigies”. Since then, he has performed for royalty and dignitaries, including King Charles and the Queen of Belgium. In 2024, he recorded and hosted the complete solo piano music of Brahms for RTHK Radio 4, Classical Radio in Hong Kong.

A graduate of Harvard University, New England Conservatory, and The Juilliard School, Sham brings exceptional artistry and maturity to every performance.

Program
L.v. BEETHOVEN
Sonata No. 13 in E-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 1
S. RACHMANINOFF
Six Moments Musicaux, Op. 16
F. CHOPIN
4 Impromptus
L.v. Beethoven
Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2, (“Moonlight Sonata")

Dan Tyminski was six years old when his parents began taking him to fiddle contests, square dances, and bluegrass festivals across New England. For a young musician who would later become one of the biggest names in modern-day bluegrass, those early experiences were life changing. "Watching live music always spoke to me much louder than sitting in front of my record player," he remembers. "I loved it. Wherever music was being played, I wanted to go watch. Years later, I still feel that way."

“They nearly always come back,” said Béla Fleck. “All the people that leave bluegrass. I had a strong feeling that I’d be coming back as well.” Fleck’s album My Bluegrass Heart, was released on Renew Records in 2021 and is the return the 15-time Grammy winner is talking about – the third chapter in a decades-spanning trilogy which, by his counting, started with 1988’s Drive and continued with The Bluegrass Sessions, released eleven years later. Over the long and lauded course of his unique creative run, Fleck – the world’s premier banjo virtuoso and a celebrated musical adventurer – has both dug deep into his instrument’s complex global history and unlocked the breadth of its possibilities. My Bluegrass Heart is a homecoming in sound, to be sure.

Pianist Tom Borrow has earned international attention since his breakthrough performance with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in 2019, when, with just 36 hours’ notice, he stepped in for Khatia Buniatishvili in a 12-concert tour performing Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G. Born in Tel Aviv and a protégé of Murray Perahia, Borrow has since appeared with leading orchestras around the world, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, and NHK Symphony Orchestra, while giving recitals at renowned venues and festivals such as the BBC Proms, Wigmore Hall, and the Concertgebouw.

Praised for playing that is “both light and powerful,” Borrow combines technical brilliance with remarkable musical insight, making every performance both compelling and memorable.

Program
W.A MOZART
Sonata No. 8 in A Minor, K. 310
F. LISZT
Réminiscences de Don Juan, S. 418
Sonata in B Minor, S. 178

Pianist Caelan Cardello brings imagination, lyricism, and deep musical connection to every performance. Praised by Bill Charlap for playing that is “an extension of his soul,” Cardello has performed with celebrated artists including Christian McBride, Jimmy Cobb, and Randy Brecker.

This performance marks a return to Kalamazoo for Cardello, who previously appeared at Sounds of the Zoo in 2023. A finalist in both the 2026/27 American Piano Awards and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition, he is equally at home leading his own trio or collaborating with fellow artists. Among his notable collaborations is Rufus Reid Presents Caelan Cardello, a duo album with NEA Jazz Master Rufus Reid that grew from an impromptu showroom performance and was released in 2023.

A graduate of The Juilliard School, Cardello blends a strong foundation in both jazz and classical music with performances marked by spontaneity and expressive storytelling.

Pianist Caelan Cardello brings imagination, lyricism, and deep musical connection to every performance. Praised by Bill Charlap for playing that is “an extension of his soul,” Cardello has performed with celebrated artists including Christian McBride, Jimmy Cobb, and Randy Brecker.

This performance marks a return to Kalamazoo for Cardello, who previously appeared at Sounds of the Zoo in 2023. A finalist in both the 2026/27 American Piano Awards and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition, he is equally at home leading his own trio or collaborating with fellow artists. Among his notable collaborations is Rufus Reid Presents Caelan Cardello, a duo album with NEA Jazz Master Rufus Reid that grew from an impromptu showroom performance and was released in 2023.

A graduate of The Juilliard School, Cardello blends a strong foundation in both jazz and classical music with performances marked by spontaneity and expressive storytelling.

Aoife O'Donovan and Chris Thile present Wassail! An Evening of Carols and Merriment.

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Celebrate the season with GRAMMY Award–winning artists Aoife O'Donovan and Chris Thile as they illuminate treasured holiday songs with spellbinding harmonies and joyful musicality. Featuring newly written (and never before released) original songs, fresh arrangements of beloved classics, lively stories and good cheer in abundance, Wassail! is a warm invitation to gather, sing, and revel in the glow of the holidays.

Mandolinist Chris Thile is a MacArthur Fellow and founding member of Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek. Aoife O’Donovan is a vocalist, guitarist, and founding member of I’m With Her and Crooked Still.