St. Louis classical calendar for the week of Febuary 2, 2015

Todd Wilson

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The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis presents organist Todd Wilson in concert on Sunday, February 8, at 2:30 p.m.  "Regarded across America and around the world as one of today’s finest concert organists, Todd Wilson is head of the Organ Department at The Cleveland Institute of Music, and Director of Music and Worship at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Cleveland, Ohio. In addition, he is Curator of the E.M. Skinner pipe organ at Severance Hall (home of The Cleveland Orchestra), and House Organist for the newly-restored Aeolian organ at the Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio."  The Cathedral is at 4431 Lindell in the Central West End.  For more information: cathedralconcerts.org.

The Chamber Project St. Louis presents Roots, featuring works by Noon, McLoskey, Hartley, and Beethoven on Sunday, February 8, at 3:00 PM.  "Music takes inspiration from many sources and may stray far from tradition, but there is always a link to the past." The performance takes place at the Jefferson College Fine Arts Theater, 1000 Viking Drive in Hillsboro, MO.  For more information: www.chamberprojectstl.org

The Five Browns
Photo: Andrew Southam

McKendree College presents a The Five Browns in concert on Wednesday, February 4, at 7:30 PM.  "Ryan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra and Desirae Brown were the first family of five siblings accepted simultaneously to New York’s Juilliard School. Whether performing individually or together in various combinations from duo to complex five-piano arrangements, The 5 Browns reveal a deep connection to the intent of their material, bringing a fresh energy to classical music. Their first wave of critical attention came in February 2002, when People magazine dubbed them the “Fab Five” and they were featured on “Oprah” and “60 Minutes.” Three of their CDs went to No. 1 on Billboard Magazine’s Classical Album Chart. " The concert takes place in the Hettenhausen Center for the Arts on the college campus in Lebanon, IL.  For more information: thehett.com.

Stéphane Denève conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with piano soloist Jean-Yves Thibaudet on Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m., February 7 and 8.  "Dvořák’s pastoral and exuberant Eighth Symphony shimmers like a bright dream of nature and draws its inspiration from the Bohemian folk music that Dvořák loved. Composer James MacMillan’s music combines a modern idiom with both Catholicism and Scottish nationalism. His Piano Concerto, The Mysteries of Light, attempts to revive the ancient practice of writing music based on the structure of the Rosary." The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center.  For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents the a cappella vocal group Cantus on Friday, February 6, at 8 p.m.  "This choral ensemble is known around the world for its trademark warmth and engaging performances of music ranging from the Renaissance to the 21st century. The Washington Post hails the group’s sound as having both “exalting finesse” and “expressive power” and refers to their music-making as “spontaneous grace.”"  The Touhill Performing Arts Center in located on the University of Missouri at St. Louis campus.  For more information: touhill.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents the Nylönïcä Guitar Trio on Thursday, February 5, at 8 p.m.  "Nylönïcä Guitar Trio performers solos, trios, and few duets by Bellinati, Bogdanovic, Aguado, Bach, Ginastera, and more." The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood.   For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Synergies

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents classical the ensemble Synergies on Friday, February 6, at 8 p.m.  "Synergies makes its Tavern debut with a program of music by Couperin, Debussy, and Faure. Synergies is Jennifer Adams-flute, Alison Rolf-violin, Christine Banks-viola, Marcia Mann-cello, and featured guest pianists David Erwin and Diana Umali. On the program are Quatrieme Concert by Francois Couperin, Syrinx by Claude Debussy and Piano Quartet, No. 1 by Gabriel Faure."  The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood.   For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents the Duo Noire guitar duo on Saturday, February 7, at 6 p.m.  "Duo Noire performs “Beyond Ferguson” composed by Thomas Flippin. Duo Noire is comprised of classical guitarists Thomas Flippin and Christopher Mallett. Formed while both were attending the Yale School of Music as the first African American guitarists in the university’s history, Duo Noire has been hailed as a “virtuosic pair” and has gone on to perform across the U.S. at prestigious venues such as the Norfolk Music Festival, the 92nd Street Y, the Times Center, and for the St. Louis Guitar Society as Artists-in-Residence. “‘Beyond Ferguson’ does not offer any agenda, blame, or solution to the issues in Ferguson. Rather, it aims to document many of the sentiments that have arisen but are hard to express in words. As such, the piece begins with a melody from Michael Brown’s own music, to give him a chance to speak directly. And the piece comes to an inconclusive end, waiting to be resolved.” – Thomas Flippin."  The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood.   For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents tenor Nathan Ruggles, mezzo Stephanie Ruggles, and pianist Robert Valentine in a voice recital titled "Tell Me the Truth About Love" on Saturday, February 7, at 8 p.m.  "Stephanie and Nathan will perform songs by Bizet, Britten, Bernstein, Wagner, Sondheim and more!" The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood.   For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Eliot Quartet

Washington University presents the Eliot Quartet in a program of piano trios by Beethoven, Bruch, and Mendelssohn on Friday, February 6, at 8 p.m. "Violin and cello converse in low, hushed tones. The piano responds gently, mournfully, but grows increasingly emphatic. Brief pauses become tense outbursts and wrenching stops. Pianist Carl Czerny, a student of Ludwig van Beethoven, once wrote that his teacher’s Piano Trio in D major, opus 70, no. 1 (1808), reminded him of the ghost of Hamlet’s father. He was not far wrong. There is evidence that Beethoven may have intended the piece for an opera based on Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.”"  The performance takes place in Holmes Lounge on the Washington University campus.  For more information: news.wustl.edu.