St. Louis classical calendar for the week of May 4, 2015

Michelle Cann

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African Musical Arts presents Epic Piano Duel, a fundraiser featuring dinner, a concert, silent auction and dessert reception, on Saturday, May 9. The dinner will begin at 6:00 p.m. followed by the concert at 7:30 p.m. The "Epic Piano Duel" will feature pianists Peter Henderson, St. Louis-based pianist with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and Michelle Cann, a dynamic piano prodigy featured on the NPR program, "From the Top." Funds raised at the benefit will fund a new project, the African Performing Arts Exchange, one of only five innovative projects who were announced as winners of the Regional Arts Commission's Innovation Fund last November. The event takes place at the Parkway UCC Auditorium, 2841 N. Ballas Road. For more information: www.africarts.org.

The Chamber Project St. Louis presents Vernacular, featuring works by Tower, Beaser, Ozgen, Allison, and Schubert on Thursday, May 7, at 7:00 PM. The performance takes place at Tavern of Fine Arts, 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: www.chamberprojectstl.org

The Maryville Symphony Orchestra presents Youthful Brilliance, a concert of music written by Schubert, Mendelssohn, and John Rutter when the composers were in the late teen and early 20s, on Sunday, May 10, at 3 p.m. The featured works are Mendelssohn's "Hebridies Overture," Rutter's "Suite for Strings," and Schubert's "Symphony No. 3." The concert takes place at the Maryville University Auditorium, 650 Maryville University Drive. For more information: maryvillesymphony.com.

Lucrecia Garcia

David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, soprano Lucrecia Garcia, and an international roster of soloists in a complete concert performance of Verdi's Aida, including special lighting and video design by S. Katy Tucker. Performances are Thursday and Saturday at 8 p.m., May 7 and 9. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in Fanfare for the Common Man, the last of this season's Whitaker Foundation "Music You Know" programs of popular classics. The concert features music by Copland, Elgar, Bizet, Liszt, Vaughan Williams, and Charles Ives and takes place on Friday, May 8, at 8 p.m. The concert take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents a Music and Cuisine Pairing Concert with the Illume Ensemble on Monday, May 4 at 7 PM. "We've cooked up another MUSIC and CUISINE PAIRING CONCERT with our friends the ILLUMINE ENSEMBLE featuring a fabulous menu of spring flavors, served up with equally tasty tunes." 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 a senior recital by Jason Cohn (violin and viola) accompanied by Vera Parkin on the piano, on Tuesday, May 5 at 6 PM. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Merry Keller

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents Merry Keller: Wade in the Water, on Tuesday, May 5 at 8 PM. "Wade in the Water is a program of arias, contemporary and classical art songs, gospel, spirituals, standards, and even a little pop sung by local artist, Merry Keller. There's something for everyone, all connected by the images and the metaphor of water. Martha Shaffer will be at the piano and Merry will be joined by Susan Kissinger for two duets and several feature numbers of her own." 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 contemporary chamber ensemble Alarm Will Sound on Saturday, May 9 at 8 PM. "Members of Alarm Will Sound perform small ensemble works with students from Music Today! (of the Community Music School of Webster University ). The students work with AWS over the year on contemporary repertoire. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Arianna String Quartet

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents The Arianna String Quartet in Bold New World on Friday, May 8, at 8 PM. "Daring to boldly send the traditions of Western classical music in new directions, these three quartets continue to resonate as eternal masterpieces and achievements of the human spirit. JOSEPH HAYDN: Quartet in F minor, Op.20 No.5; BÉLA BARTK: String Quartet No. 5; LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN: Quartet in A minor, Op.132." The Touhill Performing Arts Center in on the University of Missouri at St. Louis campus. For more information: touhill.org.

UMSL Fine Arts and Communication presents a University Chorus concert on Tuesday, May 5 at 7:30 PM at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri at St. Louis campus. "Join the University Chorus for this annual concert and an evening of traditional and contemporary choral music. This concert is in the Lee Theater." For more information: touhill.org.

Union Avenue Christian Church presents The Missouri Women's Chorus in So Many Angels! The Works of Gwyneth Walker on Sunday, May 10, at 3 p.m. "The concert honors the work of Dr. Gwyneth Walker, internationally acclaimed composer of music and features the world premiere of her song cycle "Gospel Songs for Women's Chorus and String Quartet." Dr. Walker will host the concert, introducing the pieces as they are presented, and be the guest of honor at a public reception following the concert." Union Avenue Christian Church is at 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information: www.missouriwomenschorus.org.

Washington University's Danforth University Chamber Music Series presents Seth Carlin, fortepiano and Pablo Mahave-Veglia, cello. in concert on Monday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m. The program consists of the "Grande Sonate" by Hélène Riese Liebmann, and the "Sonata No. 3," Op. 69 in A Major and "7 Variations on 'Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen'," by Beethoven. The concert takes place at the Danforth University Center, 1 Brookings Drive on the Washington University campus. For more information: music.wustl.edu.