St. Louis classical calendar for the week of April 23, 2018

Erin Bode

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The Bach Society of St. Louis presents Bach and Jazz on Tuesday, April 24, at 6 pm. "One part Bach and one part jazz, shaken-not stirred. The ultimate composer's most familiar melodies presented in a unique jazz style! Featuring guitarist Steve Schenkel, pianist Kim Portnoy and vocalist Erin Bode. Presented by Centene Charitable Foundation as part of the 2018 St. Louis Bach Festival." The concert takes place at Jazz at the Bistro, 3536 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: bachsociety.org.

The Bach Society of St. Louis presents Bach's St. Matthew Passion on Saturday, April 28, at 2 pm. "Bach's St. Matthew Passion first moved audiences nearly three centuries ago in Liepzig, Germany. As the climax to our 2018 Bach Festival, experience the power and intimacy of this masterpiece through Bach's engaging account of the Gospel story. Guest soloists include: Steven Soph as the Evangelist, Stephen Morscheck as Jesus, soprano Mary Wilson, mezzo-soprano Kim Leeds, tenor Kyle Stegall and baritone Elijah Blaisdell. Presented in collaboration with Missouri Baptist University as part of the 2018 St. Louis Bach Festival, presented by Centene Charitable Foundation." The concert takes place at at the Pillsbury Chapel at Missouri Baptist University. For more information: bachsociety.org.

The Missouri Women's Chorus presents For All The Saints, "a concert featuring music by women saints, about women saints, and based on the texts of women saints," on Sunday, April 29, at 3 pm. The performance takes place at St. Gabriel the Archangel, 6303 Nottingham in St. Louis For more information: missouriwomenschorus.org.

Christian Tatzlaff

David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with violin soloist Christian Tetzlaff on Friday at 10:30 am and and Saturday at 8 pm, April 27 and 28. The program consists of the 2007 Violin Concerto by Jörg Widmann and Bruckner's Symphony No. 4, "Romantic." The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Seldon Concert Hall presents the Perseid Quartet on Tuesday, April 24, at 7:30 pm. "Formed in 2013, the St. Louis based Perseid String Quartet has already generated acclaim for its polished, energetic performances and engagement with audiences. Members of the quartet serve as faculty members at colleges and community music schools, and their collective performing experience includes positions in regional orchestras and opera productions, historically informed performances on Baroque instruments, and playing in a rock band." The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: thesheldon.org.

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents the Equinox Chamber Players on Tuesday, April 24, at 7:30 pm. "Of all standard chamber music ensembles, the woodwind quintet gives composers the richest variety of tonal color with which to experiment. The Equinox Chamber Players will showcase this palette in works by Mary Jane Leach, Phillip Bimstein, Justinian Tamasuza, Frank Bridge and Zachary Cairns that explore the sonic and rhythmic worlds of the Kaibab Plateau, Uganda, St. Louis and the physicality of sound itself. The finale of the program will add the rich woodiness of the marimba to the ensemble in an exciting work by Zachary Cairns featuring Equinox friend Jeffrey Barudin." The Touhill Center is on the campus of the University of Missouri at St. Louis. For more information: touhill.org.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a Guitar Gala on Wednesday, April 25 at 8 pm. The concert takes place in Graham Chapel on the Washington University campus in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a Wind Ensemble Concert on Thursday, April 26, at 7:30 pm. The event takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

Cortango

The Washington University Department of Music presents Celebrate Five Years of Cortango on Friday, April 27, at 7:30 pm. "Please join us for a very special evening to celebrate five years of Cortango. This show will share the story of Cortango from the very beginning until now, featuring the great dance and concert music of Tango, and with bonus selections by Joplin, Gershwin - and Prince! Cortango is a Tango, Classical and Jazz fusion concert and dance band featuring members of the Saint Louis Symphony. Founded and led by Cally Banham, a trained social Tango dancer, the band is named for her instrument, the 'Cor anglais', or 'English horn' - the atypical instrument in this otherwise orquesta tipica! Cortango's songbook comes entirely from original arrangements made by members of the ensemble, and by Argentine bandoneon player and Tango arranger, Julian Hasse." The event takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a concert by the Washington University Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, April 29, at 7 pm. The event includes music by Borodin and Glinka and takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of January 29, 2018

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Eliot Unitarian Chapel presents a Friends of Music concert on Sunday, February 4, at 3 pm. The program features guitarist W. Mark Akin and lyric soprano Brittany Graham, accompanied by pianist Nathan Coleman. The concert takes place at Eliot Unitarian Chapel is at 100 South Argonne in Kirkwood. For more information: fomcstl.org.

David Robertson conducts at the Pulitzer

The Pulitzer Arts Foundation presents members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 30 and 31, at 7:30 p.m. The performance consists of chamber works by George Crumb, Toro Takemitsu, and Kaija Saariaho, and takes place in the newly renovated space at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, 3716 Washington. For more information: pulitzerarts.org.

Music Director Designate Stéphane Dèneve conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and duo pianists Christina and Michelle Naughton on Friday at 10:30 am and Saturday at 8 pm, February 2 and 3. The all-French program includes Poulenc's Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra as well as music by Ravel and Guillaume Connesson. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Wind Symphony

The St. Louis Wind Symphony peforms on Sunday, February 4, at 2 pm. The performance takes place in the Keating Theatre at the Viragh Center on the Chaminade College Preparatry School campus in Ladue. For more information: stlwindsym.org.

Monday and Tuesday at 7:30 pm, January29 and 30, The Sheldon Ballroom presents Mozart's Magic. "For Mozart's 262nd birthday, enjoy a piano quartet, music for English horn and strings and a Divertimento that will have you dancing in the aisles." The Sheldon is on Washington in Grand Center. For more information: sheldonconcerthall.org.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of May 15, 2017

The Bach Society of St. Louis presents Coffee With Bach on Wednesday, May 17, at 10 a.m. "Enjoy coffee and doughnuts before a morning presentation of The Coffee Cantata, Bach's mini-opera, and other favorite arias and duets from classical and musical theatre repertoire." The performance takes place at the Sheldon Concert Hall on Washington in Grand Center. For more information: bachsociety.org.

The Bach Society at St. Stanislaus Church

The Bach Society of St. Louis presents Bach's Christmas Oratorio on Sunday, May 21, at 1:30 p.m. “As the grand finale to our Bach Festival 2017, the Chorus and Orchestra present Bach's rarely heard Christmas Oratorio, a collection of six cantatas for the feast days of the Christmas season. Soprano Sherezade Panthaki, one of today's leading Baroque soloists, will be joined by Australian contralto Eleanor Greenwood, tenor Kyle Stegall, and bass-baritone Stephen Morscheck. Concert is preceded by a FREE lecture by Bach Specialist, David Gordon, entitled Christmas in Leipzig. The six magnificent cantatas stretch the limits of the performers and create a magical and unforgettable musical landscape. In a pre-concert talk, David Gordon describes the work's fascinating origins, and its first performance in 1734.” The performance takes place at First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, 100 East Adams Ave. For more information: www.bachsociety.org.

The St. Louis Academy for Guitar presents guitarist Tyler Rhodes, along with the Bella Corda chamber ensemble, on Friday, May 20 at 7:15 p.m. The free concert takes place at St. Thomas Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, 3980 S. Lindbergh Blvd. in Sappington, MO. For more information: stlguitar.com.

The St. Louis Civic Orchestra collaborates with The Brothers Lazaroff rock band for a blending of symphonic and popular music on Thursday, May 18 at 6:30 p.m. The groups will play of The Brothers Lazaroff compositions, fully orchestrated for symphony by Sam Golden, and each group will also perform its own set as well. The free performance takes place at the Chesterfield Amphitheater, 631 Veteran's Place Dr. in Chesterfield, MO. For more information: stlco.org.

The St. Louis Wind Symphony presents a program of music by Spears, Grainger, Reed, Persichetti, Holst and Vaughan Williams, on Sunday, May 21, at 3 PM. The performance takes place at Christ Church Cathedral downtown. For more information: stlwindsym.org

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of March 6, 2017

The American Chamber Chorale

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The American Chamber Chorale and the Salem St. Louis Chamber Orchestra present Not One Sparrow, a concert of music by Vivaldi, Vaughn Williams, and John Rutter, on Saturday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. "The American Chamber Chorale and the Salem St. Louis Chamber Orchestra present this concert under the direction of Stephen Morton. John Rutter's beautiful Requiem is an emotionally moving centerpiece for this concert. Also on the program are works by Byrd and Gretchaninov. The Salem-St. Louis Chamber Orchestra will present Vivaldi's Spring and Vaughan Williams' incredible Lark Ascending. A special treat in this concert will be icon music educator Mr. Dello Thedford leading his Gospel Symphonic Choir and the Chorale in music from the African-American tradition. The program will close with a rousing rendition of Amazing Grace as the American Chamber Chorale, the Gospel Symphonic Choir and Chamber Orchestra join forces. There is no admission charge to this beautiful concert - no ticket required. Come, listen with your heart and share the beauty of music!" The concert takes place at Salem United Methodist Churh, 1200 S. Lindbergh. For more information: americanchamberchorale.com.

The American Chamber Chorale and the Salem St. Louis Chamber Orchestra present Not One Sparrow, a concert of music by Vivaldi, Vaughn Williams, and John Rutter, on Sunday, March 12, at 3 p.m. "The American Chamber Chorale and the Salem St. Louis Chamber Orchestra present this concert under the direction of Stephen Morton. John Rutter's beautiful Requiem is an emotionally moving centerpiece for this concert. Also on the program are works by Byrd and Gretchaninov. The Salem-St. Louis Chamber Orchestra will present Vivaldi's Spring and Vaughan Williams' incredible Lark Ascending. A special treat in this concert will be icon music educator Mr. Dello Thedford leading his Gospel Symphonic Choir and the Chorale in music from the African-American tradition. The program will close with a rousing rendition of Amazing Grace as the American Chamber Chorale, the Gospel Symphonic Choir and Chamber Orchestra join forces. There is no admission charge to this beautiful concert - no ticket required. Come, listen with your heart and share the beauty of music!" The concert takes place at the North Side Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 9001 Lucas and Hunt Road.. For more information: americanchamberchorale.com.

The Bach Society at St. Stanislaus

The Bach Society of St. Louis presents Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil on Sunday, March 12 at 8 PM at St. Stanslaus Polish Church, 1413 N. 20th St. "Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil, also called the Vespers, is some of the most divine a cappella music ever written. The text includes several Psalms plus the Gloria in excelsis, Ave Maria, Magnificat, and Nunc dimittis. Rachmaninoff chose to express his personal religious faith by writing this quiet, reflective and deeply moving work that has become a haunting cornerstone of the choral repertoire." For more information: www.bachsociety.org.

The Chamber Project St. Louis presents Speak on Friday, March 10 at 8 PM. "Speak: From Syria to Harlem, this program combines the spoken word and chamber music. In the first work on this program, we jump into the nights of Harlem where African-American composer, Valerie Coleman, brings the words of Langston Hughes to life with electric rhythms influenced by jazz. Also influenced by Jazz, Stravinsky's trio arrangement of his legendary A Soldier's Tale warns of making deals with the devil. With Syrian-American Kareem Roustom's telling of an Arabic folk tale set to music, we hear the influences of traditional sounds of Lebanon, Palestine and Syria woven into a sweeping story of love, loss and faith." The concert takes place at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: www.chamberprojectstl.org.

New Comma Baroque presents Telemannia-Somewhere in Time: Telemann's 'Lost' 12 Fantasias for Solo Viol on Sunday, March 12, at 2:00 p.m. "Located in 2014 by Thomas Fritzsch, a copy of Telemann's self-published 1735 fantasias for viola da gamba survived near Hanover at Ledenburg Palace in the collection of Eleonore von Münster (née von Grothaus, 1734-1794). Dedicated to musical subscriber Mr. Pierre Chaunell (1703-1789) and published in a period when the viol was already out of fashion in Europe, Telemann's unique fantasias encompass a plethora of forms - both old and new, inspired by the Polish and Moravian music of his early career, filled with techniques spanning fugal writing to elements of the rondo and concerto, straddling the High Baroque and the galant. As part of Early Music America's Early Music Month 2017, and Réseau Européen de Musique Ancienne/ European Early Music Network's European Day of Early Music 2017, join New Comma Baroque's Phillip Serna honoring the 250th anniversary of Telemann's death!" The performance takes place at the Mercy Conference and Retreat Center, 2039 North Geyer Road in Kirkwood. For more information: newcommabaroque.org

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents A Tribute to John McCormack, the "Irish Caruso" on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 7 and 8, at 10 a.m. 'The hauntingly beautiful music of the Emerald Isles is celebrated in this tribute program to famed Irish tenor, John McCormack. Vocalist Scott Kennebeck and accompanist John Walsh will perform favorites like "It's a Long Way to Tiperary," "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling," and of course, "Danny Boy."' The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: sheldonconcerthall.org.

Stéphane Denève

Stéphane Denève conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra along with piano soloist Steven Osborne in Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Richard Strauss's Alpine Symphony on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., March 10 and 11. The concert takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Sameer Patel conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra along with host Brian Owens and violinists Jessica Chang and Angie Smart in Symphonic Seasons on Sunday, March 12, at 3 p.m. "The STL Symphony rejoins forces with the Saint Louis Zoo to take you on a musical journey through the four seasons! Learn how your favorite animals navigate Winter, Summer, Spring and Fall at the Zoo. Featuring selections from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons." The concert takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Wind Symphony presents a program of music by American composer Holst, Vaughan Williams, and Sousa, on Sunday, March 12, at 3 PM. The performance takes place in the Viragh Center on the Chaminade School campus in on North Lindbergh in Ladue. For more information: stlwindsym.org.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of January 30, 2017

The Boston Camerata

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The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis presents organist The Boston Camerata in The Play of Daniel on Tuesday, January 31 at 8 p.m. "The Ludus Danielis, or Play of Daniel, is a powerful medieval mystery play composed eight centuries ago in Beauvais, France. The Boston Camerata's recent new production of The Play of Daniel, edited, staged and directed by Anne Azéma, renews and transforms this classic work of early music theater. It brings together music and movement, theater and liturgy, light and shadow, to retell the biblical story of the young prophet for today's audiences." The performance takes place at the cathedral at 4431 Lindell. For more information: www.cathedralconcerts.org.

Founder and Director Emeritus Dan Presgrave conducts The St. Louis Wind Symphony in a program of music by American composer Vincent Persichetti, along with works by Dennis Blair, Percy Grainger, and Clifton Williams, on Sunday, February 5, at 2 PM. The concert features Persichetti's Symphony No. 6 for Band, written for and premiered by the Washington University Chamber Band under the direction of Clark Mitze on April 16, 1956 at the Music Educators National Conference in St. Louis. The performance takes place in the Viragh Center on the Chaminade School campus in on North Lindbergh in Ladue. For more information: stlwindsym.org.

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents A Violin's Life featuring Frank Almondon Friday, February 3, at 8 PM. "When Frank Almond first began playing on the Lipi_ski back in 2008, there was a fair amount of speculation regarding its provenance and history. To most aficionados the violin had “disappeared” for a couple of decades, which was a bit unusual for a 1715 Stradivari. It also became obvious that a modern, technically advanced recording had never been made of this violin. On January 27, 2014, the “ex-Lipinski” Stradivari was stolen from Mr. Almond in an armed robbery after a concert. The violin was recovered nine days later, and the story continues to make headlines around the world." The Touhill Performing Arts Center in on the University of Missouri at St. Louis campus. For more information: touhill.org.

Joan Tower

The Washington University Department of Music presents on open rehearsal with composer Joan Tower and members of the St. Louis Symphony on Monday, January 30, at 2:30 p.m. The event 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.

Washington University presents Equal Play: Celebrating Women Composers on Monday, January 30, at 5:30 p.m. The concert features performances by members of the St. Louis Symphony and consists of Clara Schumann's Piano Trio in G minor, Amy Beach's Theme and Variations for Flute and String Quartet, and Joan Tower's Second String Forces for solo violin and Rising for flute and string quartet. The performance takes place in Holmes Lounge in Ridgley Hall on the Washington University campus. For more information: news.wustl.edu.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of November 7, 2016

The Chamber Project St. Louis

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The Chamber Project St. Louis presents Night Music on Sunday, November 13, at 7 PM. "Night Music: The idea of a lullaby permeates this program featuring the harp, string quartet, flute and clarinet. We will present another Pulitzer prize-winning composer, Caroline Shaw, along with works from Foote and Dohynani and Francaix that evoke the evening." The performance takes place at 1900 Park at 1900 Park Avenue in Lafayette Square. For more information: www.chamberprojectstl.org.

Eliot Unitarian Chapel presents a Friends of Music concert on Sunday, November 13, at 3 PM. The program features Samuel Barber's Excursion Op. 20, no. 3 and Ludwig van Beethoven's Sonata in C major, Op. 53 (“Waldstein”). The concert takes place at Eliot Unitarian Chapel is at 100 South Argonne in Kirkwood. For more information: fomcstl.org.

Jen Shyu
Photo: Steven Schreiber

New Music Circle presents Solo Rites: Seven Breaths, written and performed by Jen Shyu, on Friday, November 11, at 7:45 p.m. "Solo Rites: Seven Breaths, performed by Jen Shyu, is a musical drama and portrait of a woman living simultaneously in multiple cultures and “projecting her ancestry” through contemporary monologue - revealing a personal journey of loss and redemption made universal through the exploration of losses and complications of the modern world: loss of tradition, habitat, and public spaces. Sonic, visual, and visceral rites and reflections are discovered by pilgrimage through Taiwan, East Timor, Indonesia, Vietnam, and South Korea. The performance takes place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: newmusiccircle.org.

Leonard Slatkin

Leonard Slatkin conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with piano soloist Elizabeth Joy Roe in Barber's Piano Concerto, Copland's Billy the Kid Suite, Gershwin's Porgy and Bess: Symphonic Picture for Orchestra, and Slatkin's own composition Kinah. Performances are Friday at 10:30 a.m., Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m., November 11 - 13, at Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Wind Symphony performs its opening concert of the season on Sunday, November 13, at 3 PM. "The second concert of the regular season will be at the Keating Performing Arts Center, Kirkwood H.S., Kirkwood, MO. Our season theme, Festival of Composers, takes the audience to … Places. Bassoonist Dr. Jaqueline Wilson, South East Missouri State University, will be featured soloist - she also will be joined by the bassoonists of the Wind Symphony to form a bassoon quartet!" The performance takes place at Kirkwood High School Keating Theater, 801 West Essex in Kirkwood. For more information: stlwindsym.org.

The Women's Hope Chorale of St. Louis presents Requiem on Sunday, November 13, at 3 p.m. "Matsuura's Requiem is her outpouring of sorrow for those lost in Japan's 2011 earthquake. Evoking Duruflé and Fauré, but spoken from a woman's heart and conveyed through the tender voices of women and children, Requiem crosses cultural and gender-based di_erences to touch every heart." The performance takes place at First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, 100 E. Adams. For more information: womenshopechorale.org.