Festival for Creative Pianists

11/02/2026

We are excited to announce that applications for our 2027 and 2028 Pianist in Residence positions are now open!

Designed to foster dynamic, mutually beneficial relationships, this residency emphasizes professional partnerships with pianists dedicated to new music advocacy and education. Selected pianists—one for each festival year—will deliver a solo recital, lead an educational workshop, and commission and premiere a new work in partnership with the Festival for Creative Pianists and its publishing imprint, Abundant Silence.

Each PIR will receive a $1,000 stipend, a $250 voucher for solo piano digital editions in the Abundant Silence catalog, and covered travel and lodging to participate in the in-person festival in Vermont in August.

We look forward to receiving a wide array of applications from inspiring pianists across the country!

https://www.festivalforcreativepianists.org/pianist-in-residence

09/17/2026

This summer, we were so fortunate to experience two incredible performances by Alexa Stier! We are thrilled to share the live performance videos from the Waterbury Concert. Enjoy how Alexa's masterful artistry and a different venue highlight distinct dimensions of each piece. Be sure to check out the Headline Concert videos on the Abundant Silence YouTube channel as well and enjoy both!

Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

08/27/2026

2026 Abundant Silence Composition Contest!

Exciting Announcement: 2026 Abundant Silence Composition Contest!

Festival for Creative Pianists and Abundant Silence welcome composers to submit their piano works to our annual Composition Contest! We received over 300 submissions for our 2025 contest, and are excited for another year.

Selected composers will have their works performed by our Pianist in Residence during our annual in-person festival program, and will be offered a composer member publishing agreement with Abundant Silence.
*Composers on the Abundant Silence roster retain all rights to their work.

Deadline: October 15th, 2026 (11:59pm ET)

Results will be announced by December 20th, 2026

Application Fee: $10

We look forward to receiving many exciting piano works!

https://www.festivalforcreativepianists.org/composition-contest

08/19/2026

A heartfelt thank you to all the brilliant artists, teaching artists, sponsors & partners, who made this year’s festival so extraordinary! 🌟

Pianist in Residence:
Alexa Stier

Featured Artists:
Luke Rackers
Siena Rose
Alana Phinney
Michael Close

Featured Abundant Silence Composers:
Ayumi Okada
Ivan Božičević
Nathan Hall
Ethan Jankowski
Chia-Yu Hsu
Wynn-Anne Rossi
Brady Wolff

Teaching Artists:
Luke Rackers
Alexa Stier
Martha Hill Duncan
Wynn-Anne Rossi
Siena Rose

Sponsors & Partners:
Montpelier Performing Arts Hub
Capitol Grounds Cafe
Monteverdi Music School
Montpelier Alive
Three Penny Taproom
The Mad Taco
Naive Melody Instruments
TURNmusic

And to our incredible students, teachers, and audience members—thank you for your dedication, music, and energy all week long! See you next year! 🎹✨

To view highlights, daily recaps, and concert video clips from the festival, visit our instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/festivalforcreativepianists/

07/30/2026

A special invitation from Alexa Stier, our Pianist in Residence, for her upcoming Festival Headline Concert!

With the festival right around the corner next week, we can't wait to share an evening highlighting compelling new piano music and Alexa’s extraordinary artistry.

Event Details:

Date & Time: Friday, August 7, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET
Location: Montpelier Performing Arts Hub, Gary Library, 35 College St, Montpelier, VT 05602, USA

If you haven't secured your spot yet, sliding scale tickets are available now at the link below and will also be available at the door. (Reminder: Admission is included for all festival pass holders!)

https://givebutter.com/alexa-stier-festival-headline-concert-7re1ci

07/27/2026

Want to share your music on stage? 🎶

Everyone is welcome to sign up for our Community Piano Recital on August 8th at the Montpelier Performing Arts Hub.

It’s available as a standalone pass, so you can participate in just the performance without taking on the whole festival (though we'd love to have you for both!). Click the link below to reserve your spot!

https://www.festivalforcreativepianists.org/inperson-festival

07/26/2026

Location is no longer a barrier! 🎶

After an incredible in-person comeback last year, we’re excited to integrate our virtual options for 2026! We’ve cultivated an amazing online learning community, and now you can join our festival from anywhere in the world. Click the link below to learn more and secure your spot today!

https://www.festivalforcreativepianists.org/inperson-festival

07/25/2026

One of our festival's core missions is to provide opportunities for creative pianists of all ages and skill levels—which is why we proudly offer the Adult Learner Pass! 🎹✨

If you're looking to learn from world-class teaching artists within a supportive, inspiring community, you're in the right place. Click the link to learn more and enroll today!

https://www.festivalforcreativepianists.org/inperson-festival

07/04/2025

There's still time to enroll in our in-person Festival for Creative Pianists in Montpelier, VT from August 6th - 10th!! Learn more and enroll today at

Festival Enrollment Thanks for your interest in joining us for the Festival for Creative Pianists in person program from August 6th - 10th in Montpelier, VT. Please complete the form below to apply. Once we receive your enrollment request, we’ll be in touch to discuss your eligibility and next ste...

03/31/2025

Join composers from the Abundant Silence roster as they share performance recordings and insights into their creative work and process. The theme for this event is Inspired by Nature, (check out Nathan Hall's Exploring Nature at the Piano learning activity in our online community). Following the presentation of each piece (introduction by composer and video recording), the composers will engage in a discussion about the ways they integration nature into their music composition, and answer your questions about the creative process!

Composers and pieces will include:

Nathan Hall, The Garden the Sea
Martha Hill Duncan, Spirals in the Sky
Julian Fueyo, Zafiro

RSVP here:

Welcome to the Festival for Creative Pianists online community! Through this online community, piano enthusiasts, students, and teachers can engage and share creative work, learning from each other in an engaging, welcoming, and support environment. We offer a number of different events, activities,...