Festivals

Carmel Bach Festival
Jul 14-Aug. 4 in Carmel and Pebble Beach; tickets run $20-$80; 831.624.2046. www.bachfestival.org
The festival, headed by Bruno Weil, marks its 70th anniversary with St. Matthew Passion as the centerpiece. This tribute to the prolific composer (with plenty of nods to his rivals, contemporaries, influences and successors) runs for three weeks at four venues: The Sunset Center, All Saint's Church and Carmel Mission in Carmel and the Church in the Forest in Pebble Beach. The concerts take place daily, and programs repeat each week. This year, look for the "Rivalry of 1707 Composers," with early works by Back, Handel and Scarlatti (Jul 19 and 26 and Aug 2 at 8pm at the Sunset Theater).

Music@Menlo
Jul 22-Aug 10 at the Menlo School in Atherton, St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Palo Alto and Menlo Park Presbyterian Church; see www.musicatmenlo.org for ticket information.
Artistic directors David Finckel and Wu Han look for links between classical eras and national cultures; this year's festival has the theme "Bridging the Ages." Among the varied mashups planned: "Homage," a program connecting Schnittke, Ravel, Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky and "Death and Transfiguration," with selections about the ultimate questions of mortality by Rachmaninov, Adolphe, Schubert and Bach.

Midsummer Mozart
Jul 19-29 at Mission Santa Clara, St. Joseph Cathedral Basilica in San Jose, Herbst Theatre in San Francisco, First Congregational Church in Berkeley and the Gundlach Bundschu Winery in Sonoma; $30-$60; 415.627.9141
Artistic director George Cleve rides herd on the festival orchestra as it rambles around Northern California, from Sonoma to San Jose. The local concerts, at St. Joseph Cathedral Basilica, feature Mozartiana by pianist Janina Fialkowski and bassoonist Rufus Olivier (Jul 19 at 7:30pm) and soprano Elspeth Franks and the Cantabile Chorale on Jul 26 at 7:30pm at Mission Santa Clara.

Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music
Jul 30-Aug 12 at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium and Mission San Juan Bautista; tickets go on sale Jun 15, call 831.420.5260 for details.
The festival continues its search for modern classics with a splash of U.S., West Coast and world premieres, including James MacMillan's Stomp (With Fate and Elvira), David Heath's Colourful World and John Corigliano's My Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan. The finale concert at the Mission San Juan Bautista features two world debuts: Kenneth Fuchs' United Artists and Kevin Puts' Symphony no. 4, plus the West Coast premiere of Aaron Jay Kernis' Valentines. Marin Alsop conducts.

Concerts

Aurora Singers
Jun 1 at 7pm; Unitarian Universalist Church; 505 E. Charleston Road, Palo Alto; $7/$9. 650.210.9210.
"An American Collage," a program of favorite songs in advance of European tour.

California Youth Symphony
May 20 at 2:30pm; San Mateo Performing Arts Center, 650 N. Delaware St, San Mateo; $6-$12; 650.325.6666
Leo Eylar conducts the symphony in a program of Shostakovich, Bartók and Adams (The Chairman Dances). Violinist Zenas Hsu, winner of the CYS Young Artist competition performs Shostakovich's Violin Concerto no. 1.

Chanticleer
May 19 at 8pm; St. Joseph Cathedral Basilica, San Jose; call for ticket info; 415.252.8589.
The male vocal chorus presents the West Coast premiere of And on Earth, Peace: A Chanticleer Mass, a work in five moments by a quintet of young composers.

The Choral Project
Jun 8-9 at 8pm; Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1550 Meridian Ave, San Jose; $18-$25; www.choralproject.org.
The company winds up its season with a tribute to local composer Kirke Mechem.

Del Sol String Quartet
May 31 at 7pm; Le Petit Trianon, 72 N. Fifth St, San Jose; $7-$20. 415.374.0074.
The quartet's spring season concentrates on women composers with a performance of works by Kui Dong, Linda Catlin Smith, Ruth Crawford and others—plus a world premiere by Mark Fish, a local composer inspired by Crawford's life.

El Camino Youth Symphony
May 19 at 8pm; Cubberley Theater, 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto; $5-$10; www.ecys.org.
The Sinfonietta Spring Dance Concert, conducted by Camilla Kolchinsky, features Beethoven's Symphony no. 4, plus selections by Mozart, Bruch and Glinka. The guest artists are clarinetist Jeremy Hsia and violinist Sunli Kim. Also Season Finale—Featuring the ECYS Percussion Ensemble and soloists Jennifer Choi, cello, and David Woo, clarinet. Jun 3 at 2:30pm at California Theatre. "Symphony Bon Voyage"—A preview of the symphony's touring program. At Spangenberg Theatre, Gunn High School, Palo Alto. Jun 23-24 at 7:30pm.

Era Lifschitz
May 24 at 8pm; Le Petit Trianon Theatre: 72 N. Fifth St, San Jose; $20-$30. 650.964.6838.
Pianist performs Bach's Well-Tempered Klavier.

Gavilan College
May 19 at 7:30pm, 5055 Santa Teresa Blvd, Gilroy. www.gavilan.edu.
Pianist Andreas Werz performs works by Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms.

Hewlett Packard Symphony Orchestra
May 18 at 7pm, Foothill Presbyterian Church, 5301 McKee Road, San Jose; San Jose; see www.hpsymphony.org for details.
As part of the Foothill Music Series, the orchestra performs Beethoven's Piano Concerto no. 3, First Movement, Sibelius' Symphony no 2, Finale, works by Herb Gellis and Michael Mogensen, plus selections from the soundtrack to The Chronicles of Narnia.

International Russian Music Piano Competition
Jun 8-17; all day; California Theatre, 345 S. First St, San Jose.
Some concerts will also be held at Le Petit Trianon. See www.russianmusiccompetition.com for details.

Le Siqing
Jun 10 at 3:30pm; California Theatre, 345 S. First St, San Jose; $20-$60; 650.259.2100.
A concert by the star violinist, presented by Nan Hai.

Mission Chamber Orchestra
Jun 10 at 3pm; Five Wounds Portuguese National Church, 1375 E. Santa Clara St, San Jose; $5-$15; 408.236.3350
For a concert titled "Music of Portugal," Mission Chamber Orchestra welcomes violinist Pip Clarke; she will perform Freitas Branco's Violin Concerto. The rest of the program features Sousa's Carvalho's L'Eumene Overture and Braga Santos' Symphony no. 2.

Montalvo Arts Center
5400 Montalvo Road, Saratoga; $30-$40; 408.961.5858.
Before the summer pops and jazz shows, Montalvo Arts presents perennially avant gardist the Kronos Quartet on May 18 at 8pm at the Carriage House Theatre, and a session with music expert Robert Greenberg on the piano sonatas of Beethoven on May 20 at 2pm at the Carriage House.

New Century Chamber Orchestra
Jun 8 at 8pm; St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 600 Colorado Ave, Palo Alto; $28-$42; 415.392.4400.
Guest concertmaster Cho-Liang leads a program of Mozart (Serenata Notturna), Elgar (Serenade) and more Mozart (Symphony no. 29) and performs as lead violinist on Gordon Chin's Formosa Seasons.

Ohlone Wind Orchestra
May 20, 1:30-4:30pm; Smith Center, Ohlone College, 43600 Mission Blvd, Fremont; 510.659.6031; $5/$10; 650.327.3214.
The orchestra presents selections by Gershwin, Revueltas, Holsinger and Wanek.

Opera San José
May 18-19 at 7pm; Napredak Hall, 770 Montague Expwy, San Jose; $100 per person includes buffet dinner; 408.427.4450
A fundraiser called "A Night at the Opera" features music from the movies and dinner. Also, the Irene Dalis Vocal Competition takes place Jun 1 at 7pm; California Theatre, 345 S. First St, San Jose; 408.437.4450 for details.

Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra
Jun 3 at 3pm; Dinkelspiel Auditorium, Stanford University; $6-$12; 650.856.8348.
With Rufus Olivier on bassoon and Jia Jie Lu on cello. Program includes the premiere of Geoffrey Pope's Spires Unceasing.

Palo Alto Philharmonic
May 20 at 3pm; Cubberley, 4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto; $5-$10; www.paphil.org.
This family concert features first movements of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto no. 6 and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto no. 2.

Peninsula Pops
Jun 3 at 3pm; Spangenberg Theater, 780 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto; $10-$20. 650.856.8432.
A family concert called "Movie Music Madness," with film-score selections.

The Peninsula Symphony
May 18 at 8pm; Fox Theatre, 2215 Broadway St, Redwood City; May 19 at 8pm; Flint Center, 211250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino; $28-$33; 650;941.5292.
The symphony invites pianist Christopher O'Riley to perform Schumann's Piano Concerto in A Minor and organist Alison Luedecke for Saint-Saëns' Symphony no. 3.

Rainbow Women's Chorus
May 19 at 8pm; Los Altos High School, 201 Almond Ave, Los Altos; and May 20 at 3pm; Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1550 Meridian Ave, San Jose; $15/$18; www.rainbowwomen.org.
A concert devoted to peace.

Redwood Symphony
Jun 10 at 3pm at the Bayside Performing Arts Center, 2025 Kehoe Ave, San Mateo Redwood City; $10-$20; 650.366.6872.
For "Celebration," the symphony presents Copland's Symphony no. 3, Bartók's Rhapsody no. 2 (with violinist Heather Katz) and Dvorák's Carnival Overture. (The symphony also presents a Pops Concert on Jul 21 at 8pm at Cañada College.)

San Francisco Chamber Orchestra
May 19 at 8pm; St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 600 Colorado Ave, Palo Alto; free; 415.248.1640.
In "Crossroads: Music From the African Diaspora," the orchestra serves up two world premieres: Valerie Coleman's Concertina, with William Chapman Nyaho on piano, and Wayne Wallace's Cuban Variations.

San Francisco Symphony
Jun 17 at 2pm; Flint Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino; $31-$57; 415.864.6000.
The symphony, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, performs an all-Prokofiev program: Suite from The Love for Three Oranges, Piano Concert no. 3 (with Yefim Bronfman) and Suite from Romeo and Juliet.

San Jose Chamber Music Society
May 18 at 8pm; Le Petit Trianon, 72 N. Fifth St, San Jose; $21-$36; 408.386,5111.
Guest artists the Cypress Quartet present their annual "Call & Response" concert with the premiere of Daniel Asia latest piece, Quartet no. 3.

San Jose Chamber Orchestra
May 20 at 7pm; Le Petit Trianon, 72 N. Fifth St, San Jose; $30-$45; 408.295.4416.
The season ends with Judith Shatin's Stringing the Bow, local composer Craig Bohmler's new piece Concerto for Harp, with harpist Dan Levitan and Brahms' Quartet in A Minor.

San Jose Symphonic Choir
Jun 1 at 8pm; St. Joseph Cathedral Basilica, 80 S. Market St, San Jose; $25; 408.995.3318.
The 110-member choir performs Brahms' Ein Deutches Requiem. (The choir also appears May 19-21 with the Monterey Symphony in Salinas and Carmel; call 831.624.8511 for details.)

San Jose Wind Symphony
May 20 at 3pm; McAfee Center, 20300 Herriman Ave, Saratoga; $15-$17; 408.927.7597.
Clarinetist Janet Averett soloist joints the symphony for a program of selections by Holst, Debussy and Liszt. Also, Jul 4 at 1:30pm; Los Gatos High School Lawn, Edward C. Harris conducts "This Land Is My Land."

San Jose Youth Symphony
Jun 2 at 7pm; California Theatre, 345 S. First St, San Jose; $5-$15. Also Jun 16 at 2:30pm; Campbell Heritage Theatre, 1 W. Campbell Ave, Campbell; see www.sjys.org for ticket info.
For its season-ender on Jun 2, the symphony's Philharmonic Orchestra, directed by Yair Samet, performs works by Gershwin, Bernstein and Tchaikovsky. On Jun 16, the orchestra perform a Bon Voyage Concert and Gala (before heading to Europe) with the same program.

Schola Cantorum
Jun 9 at 8pm; Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View; also Jun 10 at 4pm; Congregational Community Church, 1112 S. Bernardo Ave, Sunnyvale; call for ticket info; 650.254.1700.
For a program titled "Songs of Humanity," Schola Cantorum performs Rutter's Requiem, Randall Thompson's Frostiana and Corigliano's Fern Hill.

Silicon Valley Symphony
May 19 at 8pm; Presbyterian Church of Los Gatos, 16575 Shannon Road, Los Gatos; $15/$20; 408.873.9000.
The "World Premiere Horn Concerto" program features a new commissioned work by Lee Actor, plus Schubert's Unfinished Symphony and Hayden's Military Symphony.

Sing America
May 20 at 5pm; First Congregational Church of Palo Alto, 1985 Louis Road, Palo Alto; $5/$10; 650.856.6662.
The Congregational Oratorio Society Chorus, with help from the Oxford Street Brass, performs patriotic tunes by Ives, Copland, Cohan and others. Gregory Wait conducts; an ice cream social takes place afterward.

South Bay Guitar Society
May 19 at 8pm; Le Petit Trianon, 72 N. Fifth St, San Jose; $15-$25; 408.292.0704.
A solo concert of classical, jazz and Brazilian sounds by Aliéksey Vianna.

Stanford Symphony Orchestra
May 19 at 8pm; Dinkelspiel Auditorium, 471 Lagunita Dr, Stanford; $5-$10 at the door. Also Jul 21 at 8pm at Dinkelspiel.
The spring concert features works by Brahms and Delius as well as Stanford composer Jonathan Berger's Jiyah for violin and orchestra. The summer concert on Jul 21 encompasses Elgar, Barber and Dvorák.

Sunset Concerts
May 19 at 8pm; St. Luke's Church, 20 University Ave, Los Gatos; $10-$20; 408.254.4560.
The series highlights works by Robert and Clara Schumann and Brahms, with pianist Gendolyn Mok, violinist William Barbini, violist Elizabeth Prior Runnicles and cellist Thalia Moore.

West Bay Opera
May 25-27, Jun 1-3; Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto; $25/$50; 650.424.9999.
The company presents Franz Lehár's The Merry Widow.

The Winchester Orchestra
May 18 at 7:30pm at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 81 N. Second St, San Jose; and May 20 at 7pm at West Valley College Theater, 14000 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga; $7-$18; 408.269.1905.
Music director Henry Mollicone, knowing that rank has its privileges, offers one of his own works—Kathy's White Knight—plus selections by Liszt and Gershwin. The guest soloist is pianist Louise Costigan-Kerns.

Dance

Forever Tango
May 27 at 7pm; Flint Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino; $26-$46; 408.998.8497
A dance extravaganza complete with "dramatic vignettes" is presented by Luis Bravo.

Los Gatos Ballet Theater
May 19 at 1 and 7:30pm; Campbell Heritage Theatre, 1 W. Campbell Ave, Campbell; call 408.399.7977 or see www.lgballettheater.org for ticket info.
An original work called Gypsy Caravan will be performed by the company with guest dancer Maximo Califano of Ballet San Jose.

Shri Krupa Dance Company
Jun 3 at 2pm; Historica Hoover Theater, 1635 Park Ave, San Jose; $13-$15. 510.393.3066.
A Bharatanatyam-style dance performance with Nitya Venkateswaran.

Smuin Ballet
May 30-Jun 1 at 8pm, Jun 2 at 2 and 8pm and Jun 3 at 2pm; Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View; $40-$55; 650.903.6000.
The troupe performs Carmina Burana, along with two world premiere dances.

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