Kaufman Music Center Presents: Jonathan Biss, piano

Some things can’t be said—they have to be played. In Words Fail, pianist Jonathan Biss takes the stage at the Kaufman Music Center on Tuesday, May 12 at 7:30 PM for a deeply introspective program that explores music’s unique ability to speak beyond language. Hailed for his “impeccable taste and formidable technique” (The New Yorker), Biss moves seamlessly from the intimate lyricism of Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words to the searching, fragmentary worlds of Janáček and Kurtág, where silence and sound carry equal weight.

The evening builds toward the emotional core of Schumann’s Fantasie in C Major—a sweeping, deeply personal masterpiece that blurs the line between passion and introspection. Along the way, works by Amy Beth Kirsten and Schumann’s haunting Ghost Variations add layers of mystery and vulnerability. With Groupmuse Nights Out discounted tickets, this is a rare chance to experience a pianist of exceptional depth in a program that lingers in the spaces where words fall away and music takes over. 🎹✨

Children 10+ are welcomed.

What's the music?

Jonathan Biss Piano