St. Louis classical calendar for the week of January 16, 2017

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The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis presents organist Dr. Horst Buchholz on Sunday, January 22, at 2:30 p.m. "Buchholz studied organ and sacred music in his native Germany at the Berlin College of Church Music and graduated with degrees and diplomas in Church Music and Music Pedagogy from the University of Arts in Berlin. His organ teachers have included Heinz Lohmann, Peter Wackwitz, and Rudolf Heinemann. Among his conducting teachers were Martin Behrmann, Uwe Gronostay, and Erich Bergel. After receiving his teaching certificate in Music Theory and Composition from the University of Arts in Berlin in 1989, Dr. Buchholz continued his post-graduate studies in the United States, where he received his Doctor of Music degree in conducting from the Indiana University School of Music." The performance takes place at the cathedral at 4431 Lindell. For more information: www.cathedralconcerts.org.

Iva Bittová

New Music Circle presents vocalist/violinist Iva Bittová and percussionist Hamid Drake, on Friday, January 20, at 8 p.m. "Vocalist/violinist Iva Bittová (Czech Republic) is internationally known for her unique music, which draws on influences from her native Moravia and her lineage in the rich traditions of Slovakia and the Roma people. Her ability to bring those influences together with such modern inspirations as Meredith Monk's wordless vocal pieces and free improvisation, creates music that feels both ancient and new, simultaneously surprising and familiar. Bittová is a storyteller who rarely uses actual language to convey the emotions of her stories. While either singing wordlessly or using an implied language of her own, she crafts intimate, engrossing narratives, ultimately creating her own truly personal style of folk music. Hamid Drake is an American jazz drummer and percussionist, living in Chicago, but spending a great deal of his time touring worldwide. Drake is widely regarded as one of the great percussionists in jazz and improvised music, with a uniquely poetic approach to drumming. The performance takes place at Joe's Café, 6014 Kingsbury. For more information: newmusiccircle.org.

The St. Louis Low Brass Collective presents Ninth Annual Low Brass Gala Concert on Tuesday, January 17, starting at 7 p.m. "Performers include faculty members from McKendree University, SIUE, SWIC, UMSL, Washington University and Webster University and The Trombones of the St. Louis Symphony" The event takes place at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: www.stllbc.org.

Pianist Till Fellner
Photo: Gabriela Brandenstein

Andrey Boreyko conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and piano soloist Till Fellner on Friday at 10:30 a.m. and Saturday at 8 p.m., January 20 and 21 "Shostakovich's Symphony No. 15 is full of musical references from his own works, plus an unexpected quote from William Tell Overture in the opening. Just to be sure you don't miss it, this piece is paired with Rossini's unforgettable Overture. And pianist Till Fellner makes his STL Symphony debut performing Beethoven's delightful Piano Concerto No. 2, full of contrast and drama." The concert takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Symphony presents PROJECT Trio in The New Adventures of Peter and the Wolf on Sunday at 3 p.m., January 22. "Through the power of music and masterful storytelling, this lively version of Prokofiev's classic Peter and the Wolf will deliver a powerful message inspiring confidence in kids of all ages." The concert takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Washington University Department of Music presents the Chamber Music Society of St. Louis in concert on Tuesday, January 17, at 7:30 p.m. The program includes music by Mozart, Schubert, Francaix, Haydn, and Beethoven. The performance takes place in the Goldberg Formal Lounge in the Danforth University Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, music.wustl.edu.

The Sakura Cello Quintet

The Washington University Department of Music presents the Sakura Cello Quintet on Sunday, January 22, at 1 p.m. " Experience a rich and colorful sound world like no other. A unique and versatile cello quintet, hailed as "brilliant" and "superb" by Mark Swed in the Los Angeles Times, SAKURA presents an engaging and eclectic program of music spanning five centuries in dazzling arrangements, opening new vistas of beauty and expression by showcasing the great warmth and scope offered by the sound of five cellos. Repertoire includes a set of Renaissance a cappella works ranging from the vulgar to the sublime, four of Debussy's evocative piano preludes, songs by Rachmaninoff and Schubert, selections from Leonard Bernstein's enduring West Side Story, and others." The performance takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a concert by violinist Silvian Iticovici and pianist Nina Ferrignoon Sunday, January 22, at 7 p.m. The program consists of the Sonata in G minor, "Devil's Trill Sonata" by Giuseppe Tartini; the Sonata for Violin and Piano by Philip Glass; and the Violin Sonata No. 3, Op. 108 by Johannes Brahms. The performance takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu.