Acclaimed pianist returns for second recital in Marshall Weinberg Classical Music Season
The 92nd Street Y, New York will host internationally renowned pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard for a highly anticipated recital on April 15, 2026, as part of its Marshall Weinberg Classical Music Season. The performance, set for 7:30 p.m. on the David Geffen Stage at Kaufmann Concert Hall, marks Aimard’s second appearance at the venue this season.
Tickets for the event start at $45, with streaming access available for $25, reflecting a continued hybrid approach to live performance accessibility.
A cornerstone work of the classical repertoire
Aimard will perform Book II of Johann Sebastian Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier, widely regarded as one of the most significant works in keyboard literature. The program underscores both the enduring appeal of Bach’s compositions and Aimard’s reputation as a leading interpreter of complex classical works.
In his second 92NY recital of the season, Pierre-Laurent Aimard performs Book II of Johann Sebastian Bach’s towering The Well-Tempered Clavier. A renowned interpreter of a wide classical music repertoire, Aimard’s immersion in contemporary music and ongoing exploration of the ideas of composers including Boulez, Messiaen, Ligeti, and others informs his own ideas about Bach and what he brings to his music. Audiences will hear one of the most revered pianists of our time perform one of the greatest keyboard works of all time.
The program is listed simply as:
J.S. Bach The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II
Aimard’s interpretive approach draws heavily on his engagement with modern composers such as Pierre Boulez, Olivier Messiaen, and György Ligeti, offering audiences a perspective that bridges historical and contemporary musical thought.
Global touring schedule and recent recordings
The April recital comes amid a busy international schedule for Aimard, who continues to perform across major global venues. This season also marks his participation in celebrations for the centenary of composer György Kurtág, a longtime collaborator.
This season, Aimard celebrates the 100th birthday of longtime friend and collaborator György Kurtág with recitals at the Budapest Music Center, Philharmonie Luxembourg, and as part of his residency with Madrid’s Centro Nacional de Difusión Musical. J.S. Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II, is also a season mainstay, following the October release of Aimard’s recording, 11 years after the success of his Book I release. Scheduled performances include Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, London’s Southbank Centre, Konzerthaus Dortmund, Stockholm Konzerthaus, Seattle’s Benaroya Hall, Chamber Music Detroit, and the Boston Celebrity Series. Aimard’s recital schedule includes performances at the Louvre, in Taipei, Beijing, and Shanghai. He makes solo appearances with the New York Philharmonic, Berlin and Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestras, Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, NDR Radiophilharmonie, Concerto Budapest Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Hamburg, Barcelona, São Paulo State, and Singapore symphony orchestras.
In addition to live performances, Aimard has maintained a steady recording output. His 2025 release, Kurtág: Játékok, continues a series of collaborations with the Pentatone label, following recent recordings spanning composers from Franz Schubert to Ludwig van Beethoven and Béla Bartók.
Collaborative work and artistic leadership
Aimard is also recognized for his collaborations with contemporary composers and chamber musicians. He has premiered numerous works, including recent performances of DIVISIONS by George Benjamin.
Aimard has enjoyed close collaborations with leading composers and given many notable premieres, most recently DIVISONS for piano four hands by George Benjamin, which he repeated in the 2025/26 season at 92NY, the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., and London’s Wigmore Hall. He also continues his associations with regular chamber music partners, most notably Isabelle Faust, Jörg Widmann and Jean-Guihen Queyras, touring with Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time.
Beyond performance, Aimard has held several influential artistic roles, including serving as artistic director of the Aldeburgh Festival from 2009 to 2016. His broader contributions to music education and digital innovation include the relaunch of Explore the Score in collaboration with the Klavier-Festival Ruhr.
Institutional profile and cultural impact
The 92nd Street Y, New York (92NY) is a world-class center for the arts and innovation, a convener of ideas, and an incubator for creativity. 92NY offers extensive classes, courses and events online including live concerts, talks and master classes; fitness classes for all ages; 250+ art classes, and parenting workshops for new moms and dads. The 92nd Street Y, New York is transforming the way people share ideas and translate them into action all over the world. All of 92NY’s programming is built on a foundation of Jewish values, including the capacity of civil dialogue to change minds; the potential of education and the arts to change lives; and a commitment to welcoming and serving people of all ages, races, religions, and ethnicities.
Industry recognition
“A brilliant musician and an extraordinary visionary” (The Wall Street Journal), Pierre-Laurent Aimard is widely acclaimed as an authority on music of our time while also recognized for shedding fresh light on music of the past.
Aimard’s honours include the International Ernst von Siemens Music Prize and Denmark’s Leonie Sonning Music Prize, underscoring his influence across both contemporary and classical repertoires.