Festivals
Carmel Bach Festival July 17–31 at the Sunset Theater, Carmel Mission and other venues in Carmel and Pebble Beach; $25–$125. 831.624.1521, www.bachfestival.org. Festival director Bruno Weil explores Bach’s works as well as pieces by the composers he influenced. Highlights include Bach’s St. Matthew Passion and a dinner/concert show at the Carmel Mission with a performance of Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610.
Music@Menlo July 23–Aug 14 at Menlo School in Atherton and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Palo Alto; $15–$70. 650.331.0202. www.musicatmenlo.org. The festival’s eighth season is themed as “Maps and Legends” and is designed to fulfill its metaphoric purpose by taking listeners on voyages of discovery. This allows for an intriguing pairing of Vivaldi’s beloved The Four Seasons with George Crumb’s Music for a Summer Evening (Makrokosmos III) for percussion and amplified pianos. Other concerts focus on English music after Purcell, Viennese composers, Paris in the 1920s and post–World War II pieces by Strauss, Shostakovich and Britten. The festival concludes with “Spanish Inspirations” and “Dvorák’s America,” which matches his Quintet for Two Violins, Two Violas and Cello (American) and String Quartet no. 12 with spirituals by Burleigh and songs by William Bolcom and Samuel Barber. Guest artists include the Jupiter String Quarter and the Miró String Quartet.
Midsummer Mozart July 15–25 at Mission Santa Clara, the California Theatre in San Jose, Gundlach Bundschu Winery in Sonoma and the First Congregational Church in Berkeley; $20–$65. 415.627.9141. Two programs are scheduled at various Bay Area locations. The first features Mozart’s Symphony no. 15 and Symphony no. 40, plus Piano Concerto no. 21 (with Audrey Vardanega) and Violin Concerto no. 4 (with Robin Hansen). The second includes two piano concertos (with guest artist Seymour Lipkin) and Two Concert Arias for Bass with Jeremy Galyon. George Cleve conducts. July 15, 8pm, Mission Santa Clara. July 22, 8pm, California Theatre, San Jose.
Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music Aug 1–15 at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium and Mission San Juan Bautista; $31–$46; tickets available in mid-June. 831.426.6966. Under the director of Marin Alsop, the festival continues to push the limits of modern classical music, with a special emphasis on having composers appear in person. Among the highlights: the world premiere of Michael Hersch’s Symphony no. 3 (a Cabrillo commission); a new work by London-born electro-acoustic composer Anna Clyne; the West Coast debut of Michael Shapiro’s Roller Coaster; and Philip Glass’ Cello Concerto with guest soloist Wendy Sutter.
Concerts
California Pops Orchestra May 22 at 7:30pm; Spangenberg Theater, 780 Arastradero Rd, Palo Alto; and May 23 at 3pm; Venture Christian Church, 16845 Hicks Rd, Los Gatos; $10–$30. 650.856.8432. Magical Broadway Moments with selections from favorite hit shows, with singers Stephanie Rhoades and Pierce Peter Brandt.
California Youth Symphony May 23 at 2:30pm; Flint Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino; $10/$15. 650.325.6666. The San Mateo concert features performances by winners of the Senior Soloist Competition: Michelle Huang, flute; Miles Shel, violin; and Michael Ten, cello.
Cantabile May 22 at 4pm; United Methodist Church, 1675 Winchester Blvd, Campbell; $15. 650.424.1410.A performance by the Advance Choirs.
Chanticleer June 4 at 8pm; St. Joseph’s Cathedral Basilica, 80 S. Market St, San Jose; $20–$44. 415.252.8589. The male chorus performs selections by Tye, Tallis, Byrd and others from the English songbooks of the 16th and 17th centuries.
The Choral Project June 5–6 at 8pm; Mission Santa Clara; $18/$25. 408.279.0161. The group finishes its season with “Light Out of Shadow,” a program of hopeful selections by William Albright, Stephen Paulus, Gorecki and even Bob Dylan.
International Russian Music Piano Competition June 4–13; all day; Le Petit Trianon, 72 N. Fifth St, San Jose. See www.russianmusiccompetition.com for details.
Mission Chamber Orchestra May 23 at 3pm; St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, San Jose; $7/$22. 408.236.3350. Contemporary music, including the world premieres of Mark Behm’s The World of Dew, Sondra Clark’s Two Scenes From New Orleans and John Beeman’s Serendipity. Also, June 13, 3pm, at Five Wounds Portuguese National Church, San Jose: An evening of classical music by Portuguese composers.
Music at the Mission May 22 at 8pm; Old Mission San Jose, 43300 Mission Blvd, Fremont; $23–$28.50. www.musicsouthbay.org. David Ogen Stiers narrates a program titled “Music and the Spoken Word,” with forays into both the comic and the tragic, including a new work by Bay Area composer Mark Fish, Winston of Churchill. Also, on May 21 at 7pm at Mission Coffee Roasting Co., 151 Washington Blvd., Fremont: A CD-release party for Ferdinand the Bull and Friends, a new classical CD for children. Tickets are $29 and include a copy of CD.
Ohlone Chamber Singers May 22 at 8pm; Jackson Theater, Smith Center, Ohlone College, 43600 Mission Blvd, Fremont; $10–$15. 510.659.6031. The program ranges from opera selections to “My Funny Valentine” and is a benefit for the Red Cross.
Opera San José May 22 at 7pm; California Theatre, 345 S. First St, San Jose; $50–$100; 408.427.4450. The fourth-annual Irene Dalis Vocal Competition rewards the 10 best singers with cash prizes. The finalists will be chosen from a three-day audition session in San Jose.
Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra June 5 at 8pm; Eagle Theatre, Los Altos High School, 201 Almond Ave, Los Altos; $15. www.pacomusic.org. Benjamin Simon conducts with guest marimba player Chris Froh. The selections are by American composers, both North and South, including a commissioned piece by Gabriel Smith. Also, Sinfonia Ensemble, conducted by Benjamin Simon, performs June 6 at 3pm at Cubberley Theatre, Palo Also.
Peninsula Symphony May 21 at 8pm; San Mateo Performing Arts Center, 600 N. Delaware St, San Mateo; and May 22 at 8pm; Flint Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino; $10/$35. 650.941.5291. A performance of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony; Nikki Chooi solos on Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto.
Ragazzi Boys chorus June 20 at 85m; St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Palo Alto. “The Singing Heart,” music inspired by the Bard plus a premiere by local composer Julia Simon.
Redwood Symphony June 12 at 8pm; Cañada College Main Theatre, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd, Redwood City; $10–$25. 650.366.6872. Mahler’s 10th.
San Francisco Symphony Flint Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino; $52–$71. 415.864.6000. Family Concert with Jamie Bernstein and Michael Tilson Thomas—June 5 at 3pm. Beethoven’s Violin concert with Hames Ehnes, plus Berg’s suite from the opera Lulu with soprano Erin Wall—June 13 at 2pm.
San Jose Chamber Orchestra May 31 at 7pm; Le Petit Trianon, 72 N. Fifth St, San Jose; $5. 408.295.4416. The orchestra is joined by young musicians for Vivaldi’s Spring and Summer concertos (with violinist David Do) and world premiere of Kerry Lewis’ Cruise Control.
San Jose Wind Symphony May 23 at 3pm; Campbell United Methodist Church, 1675 Winchester Blvd, Campbell; $5–$20. 408.927.7597. For “American Classics,” the symphony performs Vincent Persichetti’s Symphony no. 6 and selections by Del Tredici, Porter, Goldman and others.
San Jose Youth Symphony June 5 at 2:30pm; California Theatre, 345 S. First St, San Jose; $5–$15. 408.885.9220. For its season finale, the symphony performs Ellington’s The River and Shostakovich’s Jazz Suite no. 2.
Schola Cantorum May 23 at 4pm; Los Altos United Methodist Church, 655 Magdalena Ave, Los Altos; $12/$24; 650.254.1700. A whimsical concert called “Not for Children Only” with familiar tunes conducted by Gregory Wait.
Silicon Valley Symphony June 4 at 8pm; Foothill Presbyterian Church, 5301 McKee Rd, San Jose; also June 5 at 8pm at Presbyterian Church of Los Gatos, 16575 Shannon Rd; $15/$20. 408.873.9000. WIth opera arias and duets plus Sibelius’ Symphony no. 2.
Stanford Symphony Orchestra July 17 at 8pm; Dinkelspiel Auditorium, 471 Lagunita Dr, Stanford; $5–$10 at the door. The summer orchestra concert features Beethoven’s Symphony no. 5 and Rodrigo’s Concerto for Guitar with soloist Charles Ferguson.
Steinway Society of the Bay Area May 22 at 7:30pm; Le Petit Trianon, 72 N. Fifth St, San Jose; $25–$40. 408.286.2600. With young pianist Ning An, winner of the Tivoli International Piano Competition.
Sunset Concerts May 21 at 8pm; St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 20 University Ave, Los Gatos; $10/$25. 408.354.4560. The Laurel Ensemble performs Bernstein’s Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Beethoven’s Variations from Don Giovanni and Faure’s Piano Quartet no. 1.
Symphony Silicon Valley June 4 at 8pm and June 5 at 2:30pm; California Theatre, 345 S. First St, San Jose. $39–$75. 408.286.2600. Guest conductor Carolyn Kuan leads the symphony in Avner Dorman’s Spices, Perfumes, Toxin! and Mendelssohn’s Symphony no. 4. The guest soloists are percussion players Galen Lemmon and Steve Hearn.
Vivace Youth Chorus June 19 at 3pm; Foothill Presbyterian Church, 5301 McKee Rd, San Jose; www.vivaceyouthchorus.org. A send-off concert before the choir goes on tour to Oregon for the Pacific International Children’s Choir Festival.
Target Summer Pops July 24–31. SJSU Mall. Free. Produced by Symphony Silicon Valley. American All Stars, conducted by Peter Jaffe with pianist Jon Nakamatsu—July 24 at 7pm. “To the Rescue,” a family concert with ice cream social—July 25 at 5:30pm. Spanish Harlem Orchestra, NYC salsa—July 30 at 7pm. “Here’s to the Ladies,” with pianist Jon Weber performing hits from American songbook—July 31 at 7pm. Symphony Silicon Valley at Montalvo Arts Center—Aug 22 at 4pm.
West Bay Opera May 21 and 29 at 8pm, May 23 and 30 at 2pm; Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto; $15–$50. 650.424.9999. The company presents Verdi’s La Traviata.
Winchester Orchestra May 22 at 7:30pm; West Valley College Theater, Saratoga; May 23 at 7pm; Trinity Cathedral Second and St. John streets, San Jose; $7–$18. 408.866.5302. Henry Mollicone conducts Mendelssohn’s Symphony no. 2, with tenor Joseph Meyers and sopranos Krista Wigle and Mary Linduska plus the Masterworks Chorale.
