September 2009 calendar

Classical performances in and around Richmond, with selected events elsewhere in Virginia and the Washington area. Program information, provided by presenters, is updated as details become available. Adult single-ticket prices are listed; senior, student, group and other discounts may be offered.

SCOUTING REPORT

* In and around Richmond: The newly renovated Carpenter Theatre of Richmond CenterStage opens with a gala variety show, including performances by the Richmond Symphony and singers from the Virginia Opera, on Sept. 12; and the symphony, with music-director candidate Alastair Willis conducting and the Symphony Chorus singing Orff’s "Carmina Burana," opens its Masterworks season on Sept. 26-27. . . . Pianist Alexander Paley returns for the 12th year of his Richmond music festival, featuring Rachmaninoff’s 24 preludes and rarely heard music by Czerny, Rimsky-Korsakov and Arensky, Sept. 25-27 at First English Lutheran Church.

* New and/or different: The Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival, Sept. 6-20 at the University of Virginia and Paramount Theater, features contemporary pieces by John Harbison, Steve Mackey and Chen Yi alongside more standard chamber fare. . . . eighth blackbird launches the 2009-10 classical season at the University of Richmond’s Modlin Arts Center on Sept. 16 with "SPAM," a program of rock-influenced contemporary chamber works by Mayke Nas, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Marc Mellits and Bent Sørensen. . . . Also at UR, pianists Joanne Kong and Paul Hanson play Messiaen’s epic "Visions de l’Amen," along with music of Stravinsky and Ravel, on Sept. 20. . . Violinists Zachary De Pue and Nicholas Kendall and double-bassist Ranaan Meyer play Jennifer Higdon’s "Concerto 4-3" with Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony, Sept. 26 at Strathmore in the Washington suburbs. . . . . Indian classical vocalist Vatsala Mehra performs on Sept. 27 at the Kennedy Center in Washington. . . . The Australian Chamber Orchestra presents a musical world tour, including evocations of the Middle East by composer and oud player Joseph Tawadros, Sept. 30 at the Kennedy Center.

* Star turn: Pianist Evgeny Kissin plays Chopin with Iván Fischer and Washington’s National Symphony in its season-opening concert, Sept. 26 at the Kennedy Center.

* Bargain of the month: Alexander Paley’s three concerts of piano and chamber works, Sept. 25-27. (Free)

* My picks: eighth blackbird’s "SPAM," Sept. 16, and the two-piano program by Joanne Kong and Paul Hanson, Sept. 20, both at the University of Richmond. . . . The Richmond Symphony’s Masterworks opener, Sept. 26-27 at the Carpenter Theatre. . . . Alexander Paley and Pei-Wen Chen playing Rimsky-Korsakov’s rarely heard Suite from "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya," along with Paley, clarinetist Charles West, violinist Kathy Judd and cellist Tom Shaw playing chamber works by Brahms and Chopin, Sept. 27 at First English Lutheran Church in Richmond.


Sept. 6 (3 p.m.)
Old Cabell Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival:
Soovin Kim & Jesse Mills, violins
Timothy Summers, violin & viola
Nicholas Cords, viola
Raphael Bell, cello
Anthony Manzo, double-bass
Julia Gallego, flute
Benjamin Hochman, piano
Ysaÿe: "Caprice d’après l’etude en forme de Valse de Saint-Saëns"
Mendelssohn: Piano Sextet in D major, Op. 110
John Harbison: "Six American Painters"
Bach: "Brandenburg" Concerto No. 5
$16-$22
(434) 295-5395
www.cvillechambermusic.org

Sept. 6 (8 p.m.)
West Lawn, U.S. Capitol, Washington
National Symphony Orchestra
Emil de Cou conducting
Labor Day Concert
Free
(800) 444-1324
www.kennedy-center.org

Sept. 8 (8 p.m.)
Vlahcevic Concert Hall, Singleton Arts Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Park Avenue at Harrison Street, Richmond
Bryan Hooten, trombone
Program TBA
Free
(804) 828-6776
www.vcu.edu/arts/music/dept/events/index.html

Sept. 10 (8 p.m.)
Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Charlottesville
Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival:
Jesse Mills, violin
Timothy Summers, violin & viola
Amadi Azkiwe, viola
Raphael Bell, cello
Julia Gallego, flute
Igor Begelman, clarinet
Rieko Aizawa & Benjamin Hochman, pianos
Mozart: Trio, K. 498, for clarinet, viola and piano ("Kegelstatt")
Steve Mackey: "Micro-Concerto" for percussion and small ensemble
Henry Cowell: "Set of Five" for violin, piano and percussion
Mozart-Czerny: Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466
$16-$22
(434) 295-5395
www.cvillechambermusic.org

Sept. 11 (8 p.m.)
Ferguson Arts Center, Christopher Newport University, Newport News
Sept. 12 (8 p.m.)
Chrysler Hall, 201 Brambleton Ave., Norfolk
Sept. 13 (2:30 p.m.)
Sandler Arts Center, 201 Market St., Virginia Beach
Virginia Symphony
JoAnn Falletta conducting
Smith: "The Star Spangled Banner"
Ward: "America the Beautiful"
Stravinsky: "Fireworks"
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 ("Emperor")
Benedetto Lupo, piano
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5
$25-$85
(757) 892-6366
www.virginiasymphony.org

Sept. 12 (8 p.m.)
Carpenter Theatre, Richmond CenterStage, Sixth and Grace streets
CenterStage Opening Gala
Richmond Symphony
Erin Freeman conducting
Virginia Opera members
Richmond Jazz Society’s Generations of Jazz
Richmond Ballet members
Theatre IV-Barksdale members
Richmond Shakespeare members
African American Repertory Theatre
Elegba Folklore Society
SPARC (School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community)
Program TBA
$35-$100
(804) 343-0144
www.richmondcenterstage.com

Sept. 12 (8 p.m.)
Center for the Arts, George Mason University, Fairfax
Fairfax Symphony Orchestra
Christopher Zimmerman conducting
Bernstein: Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story"
Elgar: Introduction and Allegro for strings
Stravinsky: "Le sacre du printemps" ("The Rite of Spring")
$35-$55
(888) 945-2468 (Tickets.com)
www.gmu.edu/cfa/calendar

Sept. 12 (7 p.m.)
Sept. 13 (2 p.m.)
Sept. 14 (7 p.m.)
Sept. 15 (7:30 p.m.)
Sept. 16 (7:30 p.m.)
Sept. 19 (7 p.m.)
Sept. 20 (2 p.m.)
Kennedy Center Opera House, Washington
Washington National Opera
Michele Mariotti & Joseph Mechavich conducting
Rossini: "The Barber of Seville"
Simone Alberghini & Marco Caria (Figaro)
Lawrence Brownlee & Juan Francisco Gatell (Count Almaviva)
Silvia Tro Santafé & Ketevan Kemoklidze (Rosina)
Donata DiStefano & Valeriano Lanchas (Bartolo)
Eric Owens & Grigory Soloviov (Don Basilio)
David Gately, stage direction
in Italian, English captions
$25-$275
(800) 876-7372
www.dc-opera.org

Sept. 13 (3 p.m.)
Old Cabell Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival:
Axel Strauss & Timothy Summers, violins
Amadi Azikwe & Jessica Thompson, violas
Raphael Bell & Raman Ramakrishnan, cellos
Mendelssohn: String Quintet in B flat major, Op. 87
Chen Yi: "The Sound of Five" for string quintet
Beethoven: Sonata in A major, Op. 47 ("Kreutzer") (string quintet arrangement)
$16-$22
(434) 295-5395
www.cvillechambermusic.org

Sept. 16 (7:30 p.m.)
Camp Concert Hall, Modlin Arts Center, University of Richmond
eighth blackbird
Mayke Nas: "Twelve Hands"
Mark-Anthony Turnage: "Grazioso!"
Marc Mellits: "Spam"
Bent Sørensen: "Deserted Churchyard"
$20-$38
(804) 289-8980
www.modlin.richmond.edu

Sept. 17 (8 p.m.)
Old Cabell Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival:
Carrie Stevens, mezzo-soprano
Mark Gothoni & Timothy Summers, violins
Melissa Reardon & Emile Cantor, violas
Raman Ramakrishnan & Laurentiu Sbarcea, cellos
Byron Schenkman, harpsichord
Telemann: Sextet in G minor
Dowland: songs TBA
Bach: Cantata 54 ("Widerstehe doch der Sunde")
Brahms: String Sextet in B flat major, Op. 18
$16-$22
(434) 295-5395
www.cvillechambermusic.org

Sept. 19 (6 p.m.)
Pocahontas State Park, Chesterfield County
Richmond Symphony
Erin Freeman conducting
Pops program TBA
(Rain date: 6 p.m. Sept. 20)
Free
(800) 927-2787
www.richmondsymphony.com

Sept. 19 (8 p.m.)
University of Virginia Amphitheater, Charlottesville
Charlottesville & University Symphony Orchestra
Kate Tamarkin conducting
"Symphony Under the Stars"
Program TBA
Free
(434) 924-3376
http://artsandsciences.virginia.edu/music/performance/events/index.html

Sept. 20 (3 p.m.)
Camp Concert Hall, Modlin Arts Center, University of Richmond
Joanne Kong & Paul Hanson, pianos
Stravinsky: Concerto for two solo pianos
Ravel: "Mother Goose" Suite
Messiaen: "Visions de l’Amen"
Free
(804) 289-8980
www.modlin.richmond.edu

Sept. 20 (4 p.m.)
Vlahcevic Concert Hall, Singleton Arts Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Park Avenue at Harrison Street, Richmond
VCU Guitar Series:
Potomac Guitar Quartet
Program TBA
$10
(804) 828-6776
www.vcu.edu/arts/music/dept/events/index.html

Sept. 20 (3 p.m.)
Old Cabell Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival:
Orpheus String Quartet
Mark Gothoni & Timothy Summers, violins
Emile Cantor, viola
Laurentiu Sbarcea, cello
Schubert: "Quartettsatz" in C minor
Bartók: String Quartet No. 6
Beethoven: String Quartet in C sharp minor, Op. 131
$16-$22
(434) 295-5395
www.cvillechambermusic.org

Sept. 20 (7 p.m.)
Center for the Arts, George Mason University, Fairfax
Jeffrey Siegel, piano
"Keyboard Conversations: Chopin for Lovers!"
$19-$38
(888) 945-2468 (Tickets.com)
www.gmu.edu/cfa/calendar

Sept. 24 (8 p.m.)
St. Bede Catholic Church, 3686 Ironbound Road, Williamsburg
Sept. 26 (8 p.m.)
Regent University Theater, 1000 Regent University Drive, Virginia Beach
Virginia Symphony
JoAnn Falleta conducting
Fauré: "Pelléas et Mélisande" Suite
Richard Strauss: Oboe Concerto
Sherie Aguirre, oboe
Jack Gallagher: Berceuse
Beethoven: Symphony No. 8
$26-$46
(757) 892-6366
www.virginiasymphony.org

Sept. 25 (8 p.m.)
First English Lutheran Church, Monument Avenue at Stuart Circle, Richmond
Alexander Paley Festival:
Czerny: "Brilliant Grand Sonata" in C minor, Op. 10, for piano four-hands
Alexander Paley & Pei-Wen Chen, piano
Rachmaninoff: 24 preludes
Alexander Paley, piano
Free
(804) 355-9185
www.paleyfestival.info

Sept. 26 (8 p.m.)
Sept. 27 (3 p.m.)
Carpenter Theatre, Richmond CenterStage, Sixth and Grace streets
Richmond Symphony
Alastair Willis conducting
Saint-Saëns: Bacchanale from "Samson et Delila"
Brahms: "Variations on a Theme by Haydn"
Orff: "Carmina Burana"
Anya Matanovic, soprano
Marcus Shelton, tenor
Richard Zeller, baritone
Richmond Symphony Chorus
Erin Freeman directing
$17-$72
(800) 927-2787 (Ticketmaster)
www.richmondsymphony.com

Sept. 26 (8 p.m.)
First English Lutheran Church, Monument Avenue at Stuart Circle, Richmond
Alexander Paley Festival:
Hindemith: Sonata for piano four-hands (1938)
Alexander Paley & Pei-Wen Chen, piano
Mendelssohn: Sonata for clarinet and piano
Charles West, clarinet
Alexander Paley, piano
Arensky: Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 32
Kathy Judd, violin
Tom Shaw, cello
Alexander Paley, piano
Moszkowski: "Two Spanish Dances," Op. 65
Dvořák: Two Slavonic dances
Grieg: "Norwegian Dance," Op. 35, No. 2
Brahms: Two Hungarian dances
Ivo Kaltchev & José Ramos Santana, piano
Rachmaninoff: "Trio elegique"
Kathy Judd, violin
Tom Shaw, cello
Alexander Paley, piano
Free
(804) 355-9185
www.paleyfestival.info

Sept. 26 (8 p.m.)
Old Cabell Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
Sept. 27 (3:30 p.m.)
Monticello High School, 1400 Independence Way, Charlottesville
Charlottesville & University Symphony Orchestra
Kate Tamarkin conducting
Verdi: "Nabucco" Overture
Abinoni: Adagio for strings
Nino Rota: Bassoon Concerto
Elizabeth Roberts, bassoon
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 ("Italian")
(434) 924-3376
www.cvillesymphony.org

Sept. 26 (7:30 p.m.)
Terrace Theater, Kennedy Center, Washington
Cedric Tiberghien, piano
Chopin: Four ballades
Ravel: "Gaspard de la nuit"
Debussy: "Masques"
Debussy: "D’un cahier d’esquisses"
Debussy: "L’Isle joyeuse"
$40
(202) 785-9727 (Washington Performing Arts Society)
www.wpas.org

Sept. 26 (7 p.m.)
Kennedy Center Concert Hall, Washington
National Symphony Orchestra
Iván Fischer conducting
Glinka: "Russlan and Ludmilla" Overture
Kodály: "Dances of Galánta"
Sarasate: "Zigeunerweisen"
József Lendvay Jr., violin
Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2
Evgeny Kissin, piano
Richard Strauss: "Dance of the Seven Veils" from "Salome"
Johann Strauss II: "On the Beautiful Blue Danube"
$25-$125
(800) 444-1324
www.kennedy-center.org

Sept. 26 (8 p.m.)
Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Marin Alsop conducting
Brahms: Hungarian dances Nos. 1, 3, 10
Jennifer Higdon: "Concerto 4-3"
Zachary De Pue & Nicholas Kendall, violins
Ranaan Meyer, double-bass
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4
$25-$80
(877) 276-1444 (Baltimore Symphony box office)
www.strathmore.org

Sept. 27 (3:30 p.m.)
First English Lutheran Church, Monument Avenue at Stuart Circle, Richmond
Alexander Paley Festival:
Brahms: Clarinet Trio
Charles West, clarinet
Tom Shaw, cello
Alexander Paley, piano
Chopin: Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 8
Kathy Judd, violin
Tom Shaw, cello
Alexander Paley, piano
Rimsky-Korsakov: Suite from "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya"
Alexander Paley & Pei-Wen Chen, piano
Free
(804) 355-9185
www.paleyfestival.info

Sept. 27 (7:30 p.m.)
Terrace Theater, Kennedy Center, Washington
Vatsala Mehra, Indian classical vocalist
"An Evening of Ghazals, Sufi and Geet"
$40-$60
(800) 444-1324
www.kennedy-center.org

Sept. 29 (7:30 p.m.)
Terrace Theater, Kennedy Center, Washington
Australian Chamber Orchestra
Richard Tognetti conducting
Handel: Concerto Grosso in B flat major, Op. 6, No. 7
Carl Vine: "Smith’s Alchemy"
Elgar: Introduction and Allegro for strings
Ravel-Tognetti: Kaddish
Ravel-Tognetti: "The Eternal Enigma"
Paganini-Tognetti: Caprice No. 5
Bartók: Divertimento for strings
$45
(800) 444-1324
www.kennedy-center.org

Sept. 30 (7 p.m.)
Vlahcevic Concert Hall, Singleton Arts Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Park Avenue at Harrison Street, Richmond
VCU Symphonic Wind Ensemble
Terry Austin directing
Program TBA
$5
(804) 828-6776
www.vcu.edu/arts/music/dept/events/index.html

Sept. 30 (7:30 p.m.)
Terrace Theater, Kennedy Center, Washington
Australian Chamber Orchestra
Richard Tognetti conducting
Robert Saxton: "Birthday Piece for Richard Rodney Bennett"
Anon. (Bolivia): "Sonata Chiquitanas XVIII" (movements 1-2)
Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 7
Trad. Sephardic: "Yo era niña de casa alta"
Shostakovich: Prelude and Scherzo, Op. 11, for string octet
Ruth Crawford Seeger: Andante for strings
Pink Floyd: "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" (parts 1-5)
Joseph Tawadros: "Rose," "Dahab," other works TBA
Joseph Tawadros, oud
James Tawadros, percussion
$45
(800) 444-1324
www.kennedy-center.org