Jon Nakamatsu 
Thursday, April 23, 2026 
7:00 PM 
Trinity Presbyterian Church, Trinity Hall 

Renowned for his elegance, intensity, and dynamic artistry, American pianist Jon Nakamatsu gained international prominence as the 1997 Gold Medalist of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, the only American to earn that distinction since 1981. In the decades since, he has performed with over 150 orchestras worldwide, including those of Berlin, Boston, Milan, Tokyo, and San Francisco, and appeared in leading venues from Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center to the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing.  

Equally active in chamber music and education, Nakamatsu tours regularly with clarinetist Jon Manasse as the Manasse/Nakamatsu Duo and co-directs the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival. He has held residencies at leading institutions including the Chautauqua Institution and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. A Stanford graduate with degrees in German Studies and education, Nakamatsu’s path, shaped outside the traditional conservatory system, reflects both remarkable individuality and a deep commitment to artistic excellence. 

“Jon Nakamatsu plays with the calm assurance that comes from having both solid technique and a gentle, introspective, interpretive spirit.” – The New York Times