A home isn't just a building.

We all grew up in homes, yet no two are the same. A home isn't defined by money or size. It's not really about anything physical. The walls of a tiny shed can hold more love than a concrete mansion—or less.

So what is a home? Maybe music—not words—is the truest way to explore that feeling.

Bartók, in the U.S., writing truly Hungarian music.
Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, creating Tropicalia from exile in London.
The lullaby our mother sang before sleep.
The songs we sing to comfort our child in the dark.

Is home, perhaps, a sound?

This year, the Ilumina Festival takes "Home" as its theme. The festival will be a musical journey from indigenous cradle songs to the great masterpieces of classical tradition.

International stars will share the stage with rising talents from across South America. Many have traveled far to be in São Paulo, each bringing with them a piece of where they come from—a sound, a song, a word, a memory — to share with the audience.

Classical music is sometimes seen as exclusive —a fancy ivory tower open only to a chosen few. But at its heart, classical music is a home where everyone is welcome.

At Ilumina, we celebrate this, and we will leave the door open.

2026 Artists

In this edition, Ilumina welcomes celebrated artists who share the stage — and their knowledge — with rising talents from across Latin America.

Jennifer Stumm

Founder and Artistic Director of Ilumina

Violist, artistic director, and speaker Jennifer Stumm follows a boldly creative path, leading projects that combine musical passion with transformative social innovation. Known for the “opaline beauty” (The Washington Post) of her sound, Jennifer performs around the world as both a viola soloist and as Ilumina’s Artistic Director. She founded the Ilumina project in 2015 as a new vision for 21st century creativity, united with social activism and community-led artistry.

A committed speaker and writer, Jennifer lectures regularly at NASA on how the arts can drive innovation for a better world. Her viral TEDx talk on the viola and the blessings of being different, The Imperfect Instrument, was selected by TED editors as one of their all-time favorites and led to her solo debut with the Berlin Philharmonic.

Born in Atlanta, Jennifer grew up in a family of singers immersed in Appalachian tradition. She studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School, while also developing an interest in politics at the University of Pennsylvania. Jennifer Stumm is Professor of Viola at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna and performs on a 1589 Gasparo da Salò viola, generously on loan from a private trust.