THIRD THURSDAYS – TRACTOR, FEATURING ERIC SIMONS

SILKROAD UP CLOSE: KAORU WATANABE, KINAN AZMEH, AND MAEVE GILCHRIST

Traversing the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, Silkroad presents a brand new trio seamlessly blending three disparate narratives of language and sound. Three internationally acclaimed, genre-bending artists who each have been credited with reshaping the landscape of their respective instruments through their unique improvisational styles and compositional voices. 

Hailing from Damascus, Syria, Kinan Azmeh has been taking the international music scene by storm with his unique blending of Eastern and Western styles, bombastic improvisation and large-scale compositions for orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic and the Seattle Symphony. 

Acclaimed composer and instrumentalist Kaoru Watanabe‘s work is grounded in traditional Japanese music while imbued with contemporary jazz, improvisation, and experimental music elements, working with such figures as Laurie Anderson, Jason Moran and André 3000. 

Scottish harper and composer Maeve Gilchrist has been credited with bringing the Celtic harp to new levels of visibility through her unique improvisational and textural approach to the instrument and her collaborations with artists such as from Arooj Aftab, Yo-Yo Ma, The Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Esperanza Spalding. 

Through this unique collaboration, hear three very different voices in conversation with one another as they find the sweet spots of stylistic intersection, dramatic contrast and virtuosity, forging an entirely new aesthetic that feels as organic as can be.

NEXT / NOW: A CLIVE DAVIS INSTITUTE SHOWCASE

Next / Now brings a cohort of emerging artists from NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music to Guild Hall for an evening of original performance, hosted by JD Samson and Jeff Peretz. The program reflects a new generation working at the intersection of sound, storytelling, and technology.

Spanning genres and approaches—from intimate songwriting to experimental production—the evening highlights work that is both immediate and in development, offering a rare glimpse into process as much as performance.

 Artists to be announced.

FREESTYLE+ LIVE

From the team behind the Tony Award–winning Freestyle Love SupremeFreestyle+ takes live performance into uncharted territory—where hip-hop, improv, dance, and theater collide in the moment of creation.

Built on the pulse of the cipher, Freestyle+ brings together boundary-pushing artists to create, remix, and respond in real time. Beats drop, bodies move, stories unfold—nothing is pre-planned, and everything is possible. Each performance is a living, breathing exchange shaped by the artists, the space, and the energy in the room.

From tightly held grooves to explosive bursts of spontaneity, Freestyle+ Live is a front-row seat to creativity in motion—immediate, unpredictable, and alive.

Performers to be announced.

G.E. SMITH’S PORTRAITS: SAMANTHA FISH

Join us for a night of extraordinary music and storytelling with G.E. Smith and special guest Samantha Fish as part of the 2026 G.E. Smith’s PORTRAITS series.

The evening brings together G.E. Smith—the masterful guitarist and bandleader known for his work with Bob Dylan, Hall & Oates, and Saturday Night Live—with Samantha Fish, the Grammy-nominated artist and multiple Blues Music Award winner celebrated for her electrifying guitar work, powerhouse vocals, and genre-blending sound rooted in blues, rock, and soul.

Together, they will share an engaging blend of songs, spontaneous performances, and stories from their remarkable careers.

PORTRAITS, created by Taylor Barton & G.E. Smith, is an intimate concert series featuring in-depth musical conversations that reveal the influences, artistry, and experiences behind today’s most compelling performers.

THIRD THURSDAYS – FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL, FEATURING BRAD PENUEL

Third Thursdays at Guild Hall are a vibrant celebration of art, music, and community. Enjoy live music in the Minikes garden curated by Carlos Lama during extended gallery hours, offering the perfect backdrop to visit the exhibitions on view at a relaxed pace. Concessions, including wine, beer, cocktails, and light refreshments will be available for purchase from Louise & Howie’s Coffee Cart. Whether you come for the music, the art, the social vibe, or all of the above, Third Thursdays offers a welcoming way to spend warm nights on the East End with family and friends.

Advance reservations are available, but are not required.

THIRD THURSDAYS – WOOD DOGG, FEATURING WOODY BOLEY

Third Thursdays at Guild Hall are a vibrant celebration of art, music, and community. Enjoy live music in the Minikes garden curated by Carlos Lama during extended gallery hours, offering the perfect backdrop to visit the exhibitions on view at a relaxed pace. Concessions, including wine, beer, cocktails, and light refreshments will be available for purchase from Louise & Howie’s Coffee Cart. Whether you come for the music, the art, the social vibe, or all of the above, Third Thursdays offers a welcoming way to spend warm nights on the East End with family and friends.

Advance reservations are available, but are not required.

THIRD THURSDAYS – WHATEVER LOLA WANTS

Third Thursdays at Guild Hall are a vibrant celebration of art, music, and community. Enjoy live music in the Minikes garden curated by Carlos Lama during extended gallery hours, offering the perfect backdrop to visit the exhibitions on view at a relaxed pace. Concessions, including wine, beer, cocktails, and light refreshments will be available for purchase from Louise & Howie’s Coffee Cart. Whether you come for the music, the art, the social vibe, or all of the above, Third Thursdays offers a welcoming way to spend warm nights on the East End with family and friends.

Advance reservations are available, but are not required.

THIRD THURSDAYS – TRACTOR, FEATURING ERIC SIMONS

Third Thursdays at Guild Hall are a vibrant celebration of art, music, and community. Enjoy live music in the Minikes garden curated by Carlos Lama during extended gallery hours, offering the perfect backdrop to visit the exhibitions on view at a relaxed pace. Concessions, including wine, beer, cocktails, and light refreshments will be available for purchase from Louise & Howie’s Coffee Cart. Whether you come for the music, the art, the social vibe, or all of the above, Third Thursdays offers a welcoming way to spend warm nights on the East End with family and friends.

Advance reservations are available, but are not required.

THIRD THURSDAYS – JAKE LEAR & THE KINGS

Third Thursdays at Guild Hall are a vibrant celebration of art, music, and community. Enjoy live music in the Minikes garden curated by Carlos Lama during extended gallery hours, offering the perfect backdrop to visit the exhibitions on view at a relaxed pace. Concessions, including wine, beer, cocktails, and light refreshments will be available for purchase from Louise & Howie’s Coffee Cart. Whether you come for the music, the art, the social vibe, or all of the above, Third Thursdays offers a welcoming way to spend warm nights on the East End with family and friends.

Advance reservations are available, but are not required.

ADAM TENDLER: INHERITANCES

“You will be moved, profoundly and intensely.” — The New York Times

“The biggest emotional gut punch I got from a concert all year.” — The Washington Post

After his father’s unexpected death, pianist Adam Tendler received his inheritance as a literal wad of cash in a parking lot—an encounter that became the catalyst for an ambitious commissioning project. Inviting a wide-ranging group of composers and sound artists, Tendler asked each to respond to the idea of “inheritance,” resulting in a deeply personal yet universally resonant body of new piano works.

Woven into a single intimate program, these pieces explore lineage, memory, loss, and place, forming a meditation on how we confront the past while shaping the future. Featuring commissions by Devonté Hynes, Laurie Anderson, Missy Mazzoli, Nico Muhly, inti figgis-vizueta, and others, the program reflects a striking diversity of voices and perspectives.

Produced by Liquid Music, this project earned a 2026 GRAMMY® nomination for Best Classical Instrumental Solo and has been featured on “CBS Sunday Morning.”