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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 new wave of artists from NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music to Guild Hall for a night of original performance, hosted by Jeff Peretz. The program spotlights a generation pushing boundaries across sound, storytelling, and technology.

From stripped-back songwriting to genre-defying production and globally inspired musical traditions, the evening captures music in motion—fresh, in-progress, and happening right now. It’s a rare chance to experience artists at a pivotal moment, before what comes next.

Featuring Nora Conlon, an East End–based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose work blends folk and alternative rock with a focus on lyrical vulnerability and dynamic live performance; Sofia D’Angelo, a New York–based pop artist whose recent single “Time” topped a Billboard fan poll and signals a breakout solo moment; Halima, a queer artist, singer, songwriter, and producer whose sound draws from soul, electronic, alternative, and East African influences to create deeply personal and globally resonant music, earning her recognition as a singular voice and icon within queer music communities; and Ben Lapidus, a songwriter and musical comedian known for blending satire and sincerity across pop, punk, folk, and beyond. A viral favorite online, Lapidus gained national attention on America’s Got Talent with his unforgettable “Parmesan Cheese” performance and has continued to build a following through sharp songwriting and offbeat humor.

Rush Tickets: A limited number of $25 rush tickets will be on sale for this performance, starting 20 minutes before the program begins, in person only, subject to availability. Customers will be instructed to line up outside no earlier than 45 minutes before the start of the show in order to access rush tickets, which are max 2 per customer.

FREESTYLE+ LIVE

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

Built on the pulse of the cipher, Freestyle+ brings together celebrated artists Anthony “Two Touch” Veneziale, Aneesa “Young Nees” Folds, Manny “Packsawow” Houston, and Chris “Shockwave” Sullivan 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.

Tony Award-Winner, Anthony Veneziale, a founding member of Freestyle Love Supreme, joins forces with Broadway performer and improviser Aneesa Folds, world-champion beatboxer and musical innovator Manny Houston, and acclaimed human beatbox artist Chris Sullivan. Together, they transform audience suggestions into spontaneous performances that blur the boundaries between concert, theater, comedy, and community gathering.

From tightly held grooves to explosive bursts of spontaneity, Freestyle+ offers a front-row seat to creativity in motion—immediate, unpredictable, and alive. Every show is unique. Every moment is made in the room. And every audience helps shape what happens next.

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

Advance reservations are available, but are not required.

THIRD THURSDAYS – WHATEVER LOLA WANTS

DUE TO POOR AIR QUALITY, THIS PROGRAM WILL NOW BE HELD INDOORS IN OUR LOBBY.

Whatever Lola Wants is the East End’s very own youthful American Songbook and Jazz trio. They aim to unite the community through the power of music and by authentically resurfacing timeless tunes that speak to love & humanity.

The titular vocalist, Lola Lama, is a local actor, singer, and performer. With beginnings at Sag Harbor Elementary and Pierson, Lama recently earned a BFA in Drama from the New Studio on Broadway at NYU Tisch. She also received training at the Experimental Theatre Wing at NYU, Atlantic Acting School, and Interlochen Arts Academy. In addition to Whatever Lola Wants, Lama is the lead singer of the local multi-generational female-centric 80s Rock band, The Cherry Bombs.

On keys and additional vocals is 17-year-old NYC and East End-based singer/songwriter Matthew Brand. Starting piano lessons at only four years old, Brand is a true virtuoso, having just graduated from Mannes School of Music and kicking off a new chapter at NYU’s esteemed Clive Davis Institute. Matthew has composed, lyricized, produced, and recorded a pop-rock EP and other original singles. More accolades include writing a Piano Concerto that he premiered at Carnegie Hall, hosting an annual Charity Rock Concert at Horace Mann named “UrbanAid,” and music directing Voices for Change. When he’s not playing solo in Brooklyn, Matthew grooves alongside performers Lola Lama, Reilly Rose, and The Cherry Bombs.

Bassist Dylan Hewett is a fellow Pierson graduate and local musician with a Bachelor’s degree in Music from Gettysburg College. Hewett has experience playing with several East-End bands on both electric and upright bass. To name a few, the Lynn Blue Band, Wood Dog, and the Jack Marshall Trio. Last Summer, Dylan had the chance to play with legendary musician Ed Sheeran at Rosie’s Amagansett.

Advance reservations are available, but are not required.

THIRD THURSDAYS – TRACTOR, FEATURING ERIC SIMONS

Enjoy American roots music with Tractor, featuring Eric Simons, focusing on early blues, ragtime, country, R&B, and rock and roll.

Advance reservations are available, but are not required.

THIRD THURSDAYS – JAKE LEAR & THE KINGS

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.”