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Discover the 2025 Lancaster International Piano & Chamber Music Festival
The festival returns to F&M College for 10 days of concerts and more from July 18–28.
Victor Rosenbaum returns to the 2025 festival
The Lancaster International Piano & Chamber Music Festival (LIPF), is returning for its 14th year of world-class concerts and immersive music education. Held annually in the heart of Lancaster City, this year’s 10-day festival will take place from July 18–28 on the campus of Franklin & Marshall College, bringing together a vibrant community of international musicians, students, and audiences.
Founded in 2012 by Dr. Xun Pan, the Festival was created to connect people through classical music performances and instruction. Since its launch, LIPF has welcomed more than 600 students and 125 guest artists from over 37 countries, fostering both musical excellence and a strong sense of community.
“The goal of the festival is to provide something for everyone by combining an intensive educational program with an outstanding concert series presented by world-class musicians,” says Dr. Pan, who also serves as the festival’s Artistic Co-Director and Chief Operating Officer.
An Immersive Musical Experience
Returning for a third consecutive year to the Barshinger Center for Musical Arts at Franklin & Marshall, the 2025 festival promises 10 days of masterclasses, private coaching, workshops, chamber music rehearsals, and public concerts. LIPF’s educational programming will once again feature renowned artists-in-residence including:
- Alexander Kobrin (Van Cliburn Gold Medalist)
- Wael Farouk
- John Perry
- Milena Mollova
- William Yang
- Victor Rosenbaum
Chamber music will remain a cornerstone of the festival, with daily group coaching and masterclasses led by faculty members including Simon Maurer, James Jin, Heejin Chang, Hsin-Yi Wu, Chia-Yi Tseng, Julian Langford, and the American String Quartet. Participants will also have the opportunity to perform in recitals at Barshinger Hall, showcasing their progress throughout the program.
“If you teach music, you inspire people,” says Simon Maurer, Chair of the LIPF Chamber Music Faculty. “And when you inspire people, then you unite people. We hope to be inspiring every day.”
In addition to music instruction, students will engage in solfège classes, cultural excursions to institutions—like the Curtis Institute, Steinway Piano Factory, and Kennedy Center—and outreach performances in hospitals and retirement communities across Lancaster County.
Public Concerts
The 2025 LIPF will feature 10 nights of public concerts by festival artists, beginning on July 18. Each concert starts at 7PM and is preceded by a pre-concert lecture at 6:15PM, except for the July 26 performance, which begins at 3PM. Highlights of the schedule include:
- July 18: William Yang
- July 19: Duo Althea, 2024 Chamber Music Competition Winner
- July 20: LIPF Faculty Chamber Music Concert – Complete Brahms Piano Quartets
- July 21: Celebrating Milena Mollova
- July 23: Wael Farouk
- July 24: American String Quartet, Alexander Kobrin & Christopher Shih
- July 25: Alexander Kobrin
- July 26: Special collaborative concert with Lancaster Symphony Orchestra
- July 27: Festival participant recitals
The centerpiece of this year’s series is a new collaboration between LIPF and the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra (LSO). On July 26, under the baton of Musical Director Michael Butterman, the LSO will join guest pianists Dr. Xun Pan and Dr. Wael Farouk in an afternoon performance that promises to be a highlight of the season.
“We’re thrilled to partner with LIPF this summer,” said Guy McIntosh, Executive Director of the LSO. “When organizations come together, the result is something bigger, bolder, and more inspiring than any one group could achieve alone.”
Tickets are available at LancasterPianoFest.com
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