Form And Freedom: A Journey Through Keys
Pianist Jiajun (David) Lai presents an hour-long recital that places Mozart’s Classical clarity alongside Chopin’s Romantic intensity. Mozart’s Sonata in B-flat Major, K. 333, and Chopin’s complete Twenty-Four Preludes, Op. 28, lead listeners through shifting keys, colors, and emotions, contrasting formal structure with expressive freedom.
Blind from birth, Lai began piano lessons at age four in Hangzhou, China. He studied at Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he completed a Doctor of Music in piano performance in May 2026. His competition honors include first-place finishes in the Jacobs School Mozart Concerto Competition and the Brevard Music Festival Piano Solo Competition, as well as second place and the Audience Favorite Award at the 2020 Boulder Bach Festival World Bach Competition. His performances have included appearances with orchestras and broadcasts through WQXR and Performance Today’s Young Artist in Residence program. As a performer and educator, he works to broaden access to music instruction.
When: Friday, August 21, 2026.
Showtimes: The page describes the program as an hour-long recital but does not provide a specific start time. Visitors should check the Kennedy Center website on the day of the performance for updates.
Program: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Sonata in B-flat Major, K. 333, is paired with Frédéric Chopin’s Twenty-Four Preludes, Op. 28.
Performer: Jiajun (David) Lai, piano.
Run time: Approximately one hour.
Tickets: No ticket or registration is required for this Millennium Stage performance at the REACH. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Venue: The REACH at the Kennedy Center.
Accessibility: Lai is an advocate for accessible music education and seeks to remove barriers for music learners. The event page does not list additional performance-specific accessibility arrangements.
On-site information: Concessions and beverages are available for purchase. During non-event times, guests may bring a picnic to the REACH’s outdoor spaces; coolers must be 16 quarts or smaller, and personal chairs may be no higher than 36 inches. Pets are permitted outdoors when leashed, while service animals are permitted inside and outside. Event details and artists are subject to change without prior notice.