Pianist

Keyboards

Glass has written more than 30 operas, 14 symphonies, 13 concertos, numerous soundtracks to films, nine string quartets, a growing body of work for solo piano and organ, and collaborated with artists ranging from Twyla Tharp to Allen Ginsberg, Leonard Cohen and David Bowie. He describes himself as a composer of “music with repetitive structures” and says that “If I’m to be remembered for anything, it will probably be for the piano music, because people can play it.”

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The Complete Philip Glass Piano Etudes

University of Michigan

St. Louis–born vocalist, composer, and educator Alicia Olatuja is celebrated for her rich fusion of jazz, gospel, classical, R&B, and Afropop. Classically trained as a mezzo-soprano, Olatuja earned degrees from the University of Missouri and Manhattan School of Music, debuting at Carnegie Hall and Opera Memphis. She gained national attention singing at President Obama’s 2013 Inauguration and later collaborated with artists like Christian McBride, Gregory Porter, Billy Childs, and Dianne Reeves. A dedicated educator and certified life coach, Olatuja founded the Vocal Breakthrough Academy, and her live performances showcase her dynamic artistry and global musical vision. This is her SMF debut.

NOON30: Alicia Olatuja & Christian Sands

Trustees' Garden

Christian Sands — Steinway Artist and five-time Grammy Nominee — is an emerging jazz force. His abundant piano technique perfectly matches his conception, accomplishing a much deeper musical goal: a fresh look at the entire language of jazz. Whether it’s stride, swing, bebop, progressive, fusion, Brazilian or Afro-Cuban, Sands develops the past while providing unusual and stimulating vehicles for the present… and for the future. He expresses himself through an extensive vocabulary of patterns, textures and structures, all the while maintaining a strong sense of understatement, sensitivity, taste and swing. 

Christian Sands Trio

Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

More than jazz’s renaissance man, vocalist Kurt Elling is a rising tide of creativity, elevating the jazz scene writ large with a steady flow of projects, recordings and endeavors. This 2025-26 Season performance will focus on the timeless songs from his recent EP Wildflowers Vol. 2, joined in duo by virtuoso pianist Christian Sands.

Wildflowers: Kurt Elling

SFJAZZ Center

Kurt Elling is undeniably among the most incredible and influential jazz vocalists of our time. His 2024 Wildflowers recording projects featuring performances with solo piano—first with Sullivan Fortner and then with Joey Calderazzo—were impromptu and near-instantaneous sessions. Those recordings bring Elling’s expressiveness to the fore beautifully. A third Wildflowers volume is in the offing, and Elling headlines Club Hancher for a concert featuring Christian Sands on piano in support of the release of the third volume of Wildflowers.

Kurt Elling with Christian Sands

University of Iowa

Christian Sands, Grammy-nominated pianist and hometown favorite, brings his trio for a night of dynamic jazz — reimagining classics with his signature warmth and finesse.

Christian Sands

Yale University

The piano etudes by Philip Glass are modern classics. 20 pieces, sometimes meditative, sometimes rhythmic, sometimes romantic. Music that is not complicated and yet difficult to play. The famous US composer has inspired artists from almost every genre. Now ten renowned pianists from all over the world will perform the 20 etudes in the Elbphilharmonie Grand Hall – something that has never been done before in this form in Germany. A spectacular evening and an entertaining journey into the beguiling world of Philip Glass are guaranteed.

The Complete Piano Etudes by Philip Glass

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

Trinidad-born trumpeter, composer, and storyteller Etienne Charles embarks on a captivating musical journey that explores the rich history and culture of the Gullah Geechee people, drawing parallels to his Caribbean heritage. Joined by the masterly percussion of Quentin Baxter, a Charleston native and Festival favorite, Charles weaves a mesmerizing sonic tapestry. The varied compositional textures and pulsating rhythms evoke a trance-like state, inviting listeners to explore the deep connections between Afro-Caribbean, Gullah, and American jazz traditions.

Etienne Charles Gullah Roots with Special Guest Quentin Baxter

College of Charleston Cistern Yard

Christian Sands, pianist, composer and band leader, is one of the new protagonists of the contemporary jazz scene. “A jazz star of the future,” Wynton Marsalis defined him in unsuspecting times. His musical culture allows us to maintain strong ties with our roots; at the same time, Sands is a forward-leaning artist. 

Teatro Morlacchi

In June 2023, Yo-Yo Ma played the final notes of Bach’s Cello Suites in Nairobi. They marked the end of a five-year, six-continent journey, a search for answers to the questions that have in many ways defined his career: What is culture’s role in society? How can culture help us imagine and build a better future?

Now, in a special program combining music and conversation, Yo-Yo will be joined by two friends he met along the way, Angélique Kidjo and Jeremy Dutcher, visionary artists whose generosity and perspective have guided him toward hope. Performing together for the first time, Ma, Kidjo, and Dutcher call on us to contemplate the great questions of life and art: What has brought us here? And where will we choose to go next?

An Evening with Yo-Yo Ma

Gaillard Center

Christian Sands — Steinway Artist and five-time Grammy nominee — is an emerging jazz force. His abundant piano technique perfectly matches his conception, accomplishing a much deeper musical goal: a fresh look at the entire language of jazz. Christian says, “My music is about teaching the way of jazz and keeping it alive.” Whether it’s stride, swing, bebop, progressive, fusion, Brazilian, or Afro-Cuban, Sands develops the past while providing unusual and stimulating vehicles for the present and future. He expresses himself through an extensive vocabulary of patterns, textures and structures. He also maintains a strong sense of understatement, sensitivity, taste, and swing — hallmarks of his style.

Dakota

Christian Sands Quartet, jazz

Clayton State University

Experience the magic of jazz at its finest with the Monterey Jazz Festival On Tour, featuring an ensemble of jazz luminaries including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kurt Elling, Lakecia Benjamin, Christian Sands, Yasushi Nakamura, and Clarence Penn. This special event is set to take place on Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 8:00 PM at The Music Center at Strathmore.

Celebrating its 65th anniversary, the Monterey Jazz Festival is one of the jazz world's most enduring and essential institutions. The tour brings together an unparalleled lineup of talent, with NEA Jazz Master, Grammy and Tony Award-winner Dee Dee Bridgewater and Grammy winner Kurt Elling leading the charge. Under the musical direction of five-time Grammy nominee Christian Sands, this ensemble promises an unforgettable evening of jazz excellence.

The performance will showcase the artistry of 2020’s DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star Alto Saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin, alongside the dynamic rhythm section of bassist Yasushi Nakamura and drummer Clarence Penn. This event is not just a concert but a celebration of jazz's rich history and its vibrant future.

Co-presented with Strathmore, the Monterey Jazz Festival On Tour is a highlight of Washington Performing Arts’s The World in Our City initiative, promoting cross-cultural understanding and cultural diplomacy. Don't miss this opportunity to savor the world-renowned sound of the Monterey Jazz Festival right here in the DMV.

Monterey Jazz Festival On Tour

The Music Center at Strathmore

One of the jazz world’s longest-running and most-iconic events, the Monterey Jazz Festival celebrates its 65th year with a must-hear once-in-a-lifetime ensemble. Featuring Tony- and Grammy Award-winning NEA Jazz Master vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater alongside Grammy Award-winning vocalist Kurt Elling and critically acclaimed rising-star saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin, this stellar band will be directed by visionary pianist Christian Sands and anchored by his longtime rhythm section, bassist Yasushi Nakamura and drummer Clarence Penn.

Walt Disney Concert Hall

For 65 years, the Monterey Jazz Festival has played host to the greatest names in jazz. Now hear a collection of outstanding jazz stars in one performance as the Monterey Jazz Festival goes on tour.

McCallum Theatre

The illustrious Monterey Jazz Festival once again sends six of its finest jazz ambassadors to Berkeley as part of its popular touring program. Multiple-Grammy-winning vocalists Dee Dee Bridgewater, among the “best-rounded and unique jazz vocalists singing today” (All About Jazz), and Kurt Elling, “the standout male jazz vocalist of our time” (The New York Times), scat, swoon, and soar as they bring swing standards, moody ballads, bop favorites, and Latin hits to life. The hard-swinging band is led by pianist Christian Sands, with rising-star saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin (Missy Elliott, Alicia Keys), and the well-oiled rhythm section of bassist Yasushi Nakamura (Wynton Marsalis, Hank Jones) and drummer Clarence Penn (Betty Carter, Maria Schneider).

Pianist, Keyboards

Christian Sands

Events

Past events

Apr 18, 2026

The Complete Philip Glass Piano Etudes · University Musical Society

Mar 26, 2026

NOON30: Alicia Olatuja & Christian Sands · Savannah Music Festival

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