Piano Festival by the River, a summer retreat for pianists, piano students, and piano teachers, will be held at St. Mary’s College of Maryland from July 6-9. Previously known as Piano Fest, this annual event offers four days of music, exploration, and community for pianists of a broad range of abilities, ages, and interests. Opportunities for this year’s participants include masterclasses, lessons, and performances.

Piano Festival by the River has become a much-anticipated annual event. This year’s festival will be led by pianists Beverly Babcock, Brian Ganz, and Eliza Garth. For more information, including specific daily scheduling, please visit www.smcm.edu/music/pianofestival2012.html or contact Eliza Garth, director of the festival, at ehgarth@smcm.edu.

The public is invited, free of charge, to the following performances during Piano Festival by the River, as well as daily masterclasses at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on July 7-8 and at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on July 9:

• Saturday, July 7: Beverly Babcock performs Bach, Beethoven, Debussy, Chopin at 7 p.m.
• Sunday, July 8: Eliza Garth, “Sound, Silence, Color: Celebrating the Debussy Sesquicentennial and the Cage Centennial” at 7 p.m.
• Monday, July 9: Brian Ganz, “The Poet Sings: On Poetry, Music, Alchemy and Chopin’s Miniatures” at 1 p.m.
• Monday, July 9: Participants’ recital at 5:30 p.m.

All performances take place in Auerbach Auditorium of St. Mary’s Hall on the St. Mary’s College of Maryland campus.