September 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/youth, group and other discounts may be offered.

SCOUTING REPORT

* In and around Richmond: The Richmond Symphony opens its 2013-14 Masterworks series with Steven Smith conducting an all-Beethoven program, featuring the “Eroica” Symphony (No. 3) and William Wolfram playing the Piano Concerto No. 4, Sept. 21-22 at Richmond Center Stage. . . . Erin R. Freeman conducts the opening Richmond Symphony Pops program, “Classical Mystery Tour – Music of The Beatles 50th Anniversary Concert,” Sept. 28 at Richmond CenterStage. . . . Lyric Opera Virginia opens its new season with “Viva Verdi,” a program of excerpts from favorite Verdi operas, Sept. 20-22 at venues in Richmond, Williamsburg and Virginia Beach. . . . Pianist Joyce Yang opens Virginia Commonwealth University’s Rennolds Chamber Concerts series, Sept. 28 at VCU’s Singleton Arts Center. . . . Pianist Alexander Paley returns for the 16th annual edition of his Richmond Music Festival, with Paley’s four-hands piano partner (and wife) Pei-Wen Chen, violinist Marie-André Chevrette and clarinetist Charles West, playing works by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Fauré, Bartók and others, Sept. 27-29 at First English Lutheran Church.

* Noteworthy elsewhere: The Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival, featuring the string quartet Brooklyn Rider and violinists Jennifer Koh and James Ehnes among its guest artists, runs from Sept. 8-22 at the University of Virginia, Paramount Theater and Live Arts Gibson Theater. . . . Washington National Opera stages Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde,” starring soprano Irene Theorin as Isolde (replacing Deborah Voigt, who withdrew from the production on short notice), Sept. 15-27 at the Kennedy Center Opera House (limited ticket availability). . . . Midori plays Brahms’ Violin Concerto with conductor JoAnn Falletta and the Virginia Symphony in the opening concerts of the orchestra’s season, Sept. 20 the Ferguson Arts Center in Newport News, Sept. 21 at Chrysler Hall in Norfolk, Sept. 22 at the Sandler Arts Center in Virginia Beach.
. . . John Adams’ Saxophone Concerto receives its U.S. premiere, by Tim McAllister, Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony, Sept. 21 at Strathmore in the Maryland suburbs of DC. . . . Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet joins Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony in a program of Gershwin, Bernstein and Ravel, Sept. 26 at Strathmore. . . . Virginia Opera opens its new season with its first-ever production of Verdi’s “Falstaff,” Sept. 27 and 29 at Norfolk’s Harrison Opera House (with more dates in October in Norfolk, Fairfax and Richmond). . . . Pianist Martin Jones, plays the U.S. premiere of Radford University-based composer Bruce Mahin’s “Paris Préludes,” alongside works of Stravinsky, Debussy and others, Sept. 29 at the University of Virginia’s Old Cabell Hall in Charlottesville.

Sept. 1 (3 p.m.)
Herter Hall, Garth Newel Music Center, Route 220, Bath County
Garth Newel Chamber Music Festival:
Enso Quartet

Teresa Ling, violin

Evelyn Grau, viola

Eric Gaenslen, cello

William Byrd: Fantasia for string quartet

Britten: String Quartet No. 2 in C major, Op. 36

Mendelssohn: Octet for strings

$22

(540) 839-5018

www.garthnewel.org

 

Sept. 1 (6 p.m.)

Chesapeake City Park, 900 Greenbrier Road
Virginia Symphony
conductor TBA
“Symphony Under the Stars”
program TBA
free
(757) 892-6366
www.virginiasymphony.org

Sept. 1 (8 p.m.)
West Lawn of U.S. Capitol, Washington
National Symphony Orchestra
Steven Reineke conducting
Time for Three
“Labor Day Capitol Concert”
music by Rossini, John Williams, Leroy Anderson, Mark Isham, others
free
(800) 444-1324
www.kennedy-center.org

Sept. 7 (7:30 p.m.)
Town Point Park, Norfolk
Virginia Opera singers TBA
members of Virginia Symphony
Adam Turner conducting
“Opera in the Park”
works by Bizet, Wagner, Gershwin, others
free
(866) 673-7282
www.vaopera.org

Sept. 8 (3 p.m.)
Old Cabell Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival:
Timothy Summers, violin
Rebecca Albers, viola
Raphael Bell, cello
Gloria Chien, piano
Matthew Gold, percussion
Lou Harrison: “Ductia”
Frederic Rzewski: “Whangdoodles”
Annie Gosfield: “Uphill Slides and Knockdown Dives”
Brahms: Piano Quartet No. 2 in A major, Op. 26
$18-$25
(434) 295-5395
www.cvillechambermusic.org

Sept. 9 (8 p.m.)
Chandler Recital Hall, Diehn Arts Center, Old Dominion University, Norfolk
Andrew Pelletier, French horn
program TBA
$10-$15
(757) 683-5305
www.oduartstix.com

Sept. 12 (7:30 p.m.)
31st Street Stage, Virginia Beach
Virginia Symphony
conductor TBA
“VSOcean – Summer’s End Spectacular”
program TBA
free
(757) 892-6366
www.virginiasymphony.org

Sept. 12 (8 p.m.)
Paramount Theater, 125 E. Main St., Charlottesville
Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival:
James Ehnes, Aki Saulière & Timothy Summers, violins
Rebecca Albers, viola
Raphael Bell, cello
Joseph Conyers, double-bass
Carol McGonnell, clarinet
Ieva Jokubaviciute & Mimi Solomon, piano
Beethoven: Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 1, No. 3
John Harbison: Variations for clarinet, violin and piano
Dvořák: String Quintet No. 2 in G major, Op. 77
$18-$25
(434) 295-5395
www.cvillechambermusic.org

Sept. 13 (12:30 p.m.)
Paramount Theater, 125 E. Main St., Charlottesville
Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival:
James Ehnes & Timothy Summers, violins
Rebecca Albers, viola
Raphael Bell, cello
Joseph Conyers, double-bass
Angela Kelly, flute
Carol McGonnell, clarinet
Ieva Jokubaviciute & Mimi Solomon, piano
Matthew Gold, percussion
Doug Schneider, narrator
Saint-Saëns: “Carnival of the Animals” (with Ogden Nash verses)
Ravel: “Mother Goose”
free
(434) 295-5395
www.cvillechambermusic.org

Sept. 14 (6 p.m.)
Heritage Amphitheater, Pocahontas State Park, Chesterfield County
Richmond Symphony
Erin R. Freeman conducting
pops program TBA
free
rain date: 6 p.m. Sept. 15
(804) 788-4717
www.richmondsymphony.com

Sept. 14 (8:30 p.m.)
Live Arts Gibson Theater, 123 E. Water St., Charlottesville
Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival:
Brooklyn Rider
James Ehnes & Timothy Summers, violins
Raphael Bell, cello
Matthew Gold, percussion
Evan Ziporyn: “Qi” for string quartet
other works TBA
$12
(434) 295-5395
www.cvillechambermusic.org

Sept. 15 (4 p.m.)
Vlahcevic Concert Hall, Singleton Arts Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Park Avenue at Harrison Street, Richmond
VCU Guitar Series:
Brazilian Guitars
program TBA
$15
(804) 828-6776
www.vcumusic.org

Sept. 15 (3 p.m.)
Paramount Theater, 125 E. Main St., Charlottesville
Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival:
Brooklyn Rider
James Ehnes & Aki Saulière, violins
Timothy Summers, viola
Raphael Bell, cello
Mozart: String Quartet in D minor, K. 421
Bartók: String Quartet No. 2
Mendelssohn: Octet
$18-$25
(434) 295-5395
www.cvillechambermusic.org

Sept. 15 (7 p.m.)
Center for the Arts, George Mason University, Fairfax
Jeffrey Siegel, piano
“Keyboard Conversations: Gershwin and Friends”
program TBA
$19-$38
(888) 945-2468 (Tickets.com)
www.cfa.gmu.edu

Sept. 15 (2 p.m.)
Sept. 18 (6 p.m.)
Sept. 21 (6 p.m.)
Sept. 24 (6 p.m.)
Sept. 27 (6 p.m.)
Kennedy Center Opera House, Washington
Washington National Opera
Philippe Auguin conducting
Wagner: “Tristan und Isolde”
Ian Storey/Clifton Forbis (Tristan)
Irene Theorin/Alwyn Mellor (Isolde)
Elizabeth Bishop (Bragäne)
James Rutherford (Kurwenal)
Wilhelm Schwinghammer (King Marke)
Neil Armfield, stage director
in German, English captions
$65-$320
(800) 444-1324
www.kennedy-center.org

Sept. 16 (7:30 p.m.)
Chandler Recital Hall, Diehn Arts Center, Old Dominion University, Norfolk
Norfolk Chamber Consort
Telemann: “Tafelmusik,” Part 1 (excerpts)
Thierry de May: “Musique de Table” (1987)
Telemann: Concerto for recorder, flute and strings
Telemann: trio sonatas, cantatas TBA
$9-$22
(757) 852-9072
www.ncconsort.org

Sept. 19 (8 p.m.)
Paramount Theater, 125 E. Main St., Charlottesville
Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival:
Timothy Summers, violin & viola
Raphael Bell, cello
Sooyun Kim, flute
Igor Begelman, clarinet
Benjamin Hochman, piano
Kiera Duffy, soprano
John Harbison: Chaconne
Busoni: “Albumblatt” in E minor for flute and piano
Schoenberg: “Pierrot Lunaire”
songs TBA by Kurt Weill, Cole Porter 
$18-$25
(434) 295-5395
www.cvillechambermusic.org

Sept. 19 (7 p.m.)
Sept. 20 (8 p.m.)
Sept. 21 (8 p.m.)
Sept. 22 (3 p.m.)
Kennedy Center Concert Hall, Washington
National Symphony Orchestra Pops
Steven Reineke conducting
Cirque de la Symphonie
program TBA
$20-$85
(800) 444-1324
www.kennedy-center.org

Sept. 20 (7:30 p.m.)
Bon Air Presbyterian Church, 9201 W. Hugunot Road, Richmond
Dongho Lee, organ
program TBA
donation requested
(804) 272-7514

Sept. 20 (8 p.m.)
Oates Theater, Collegiate School, North Moorefield Road, Richmond
Sept. 21 (8 p.m.)
Kimball Theatre, Merchants Square, Williamsburg
Sept. 22 (5 p.m.)
Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, 2200 Parkls Ave., Virginia Beach
Lyric Opera Virginia
Joseph Walsh directing
“Viva Verdi”
excerpts from “Macbeth,” “La forza del destino,” “A Masked Ball,” “Il Trovatore,” “Rigoletto,” “Falstaff”
Mary Ann Stewart, John Pickle, Grant Youngblood, Bekah Davis, Sarah Kate Watson & Elizabeth Hogue, singers
Stephanie Vlahos, stage director
$37
(757) 446-6666
www.lyricoperavirginia.org

Sept. 20 (8 p.m.)
Ferguson Arts Center, Christopher Newport University, Newport News
Sept. 21 (8 p.m.)
Chrysler Hall, 201 Brambleton Ave., Norfolk
Sept. 22 (2:30 p.m.)
Sandler Arts Center, 201 S. Market St., Virginia Beach
Virginia Symphony
JoAnn Falletta conducting
Kabalevsky: “Colas Breugnon” Overture
Prokofiev: “Romeo and Juliet” (excerpts)
Brahms: Violin Concerto
Midori, violin
$22-$105
(757) 892-6366
www.virginiasymphony.org

Sept. 21 (8 p.m.)
Sept. 22 (3 p.m.)
Carpenter Theatre, Richmond CenterStage, Sixth and Grace streets
Richmond Symphony
Steven Smith conducting
Beethoven: “Fidelio” Overture
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4
William Wolfram, piano
Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”)
$10-$76
(800) 514-3849 (ETIX)
www.richmondsymphony.com

Sept. 21 (8 p.m.)
Center for the Arts, George Mason University, Fairfax
Fairfax Symphony Orchestra
Christopher Zimmerman conducting
Copland: “Music for the Theatre”
Copland: Clarinet Concerto
Ricardo Morales, clarinet
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7
$25-$60
(888) 945-2468 (Tickets.com)
www.cfa.gmu.edu

Sept. 21 (8 p.m.)
Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Marin Alsop conducting
Rimsky-Korsakov: “Scheherazade”
John Adams: Saxophone Concerto (U.S. premiere)
Tim McAllister, saxophone
Tchaikovsky: “1812” Overture
U.S. Navy Band & Sea Chanters Chorus
$41-$104
(877) 276-1444 (Baltimore Symphony box office)
www.strathmore.org

Sept. 22 (3 p.m.)
Paramount Theater, 125 E. Main St., Charlottesville
Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival:
Jennifer Koh, violin
Timothy Summers, viola
Raphael Bell, cello
Benjamin Hochman, piano
J.S. Bach: Sonata No. 1 in G minor, BWV 1001, for solo violin
Beethoven: Piano Sonata in A flat major, Op. 110
Mozart: Piano Quartet in E flat major, K. 493
$18-$25
(434) 295-5395
www.cvillechambermusic.org

Sept. 23 (7 p.m.)
Vlahcevic Concert Hall, Singleton Arts Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Park Avenue at Harrison Street, Richmond
Tabatha Easley, flute
Laura White, piano
Kenneth Wood, tenor
other performers TBA
Victor Agudelo: “Hexaedro” for flute and piano (U.S. premiere)
Jan Bach: Duet for flute and French horn
3 Irish folk songs
other works TBA
$7
(804) 828-6776
www.vcumusic.org

Sept. 25 (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
Saint-Saëns: “Morceau de Concert," Op. 94
Patrick Smith, French horn
Ronald LoPresti: “Elegy for a Young American”
other works TBA
ticket price TBA
(804) 828-6776
www.vcumusic.org

Sept. 26 (8 p.m.)
Kennedy Center Concert Hall, Washington
National Symphony Orchestra Pops
Vince Mendoza conducting
Wayne Shorter Quartet
Esperanza Spalding, bass & vocals
“Wayne Shorter 80th Birthday Celebration”
$20-$85
(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
Gershwin: “Cuban” Overture
Bernstein: Symphony No. 2 (“The Age of Anxiety”)
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G major
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano
Ravel: “Daphnis et Chloé” Suite No. 2
$31-$94
(877) 276-1444 (Baltimore Symphony box office)
www.strathmore.org

Sept. 27 (7:30 p.m.)
Camp Concert Hall, Modlin Arts Center, University of Richmond
UR faculty and student performers TBA
“Family Weekend Concert”
program TBA
free
(804) 289-8980
www.modlin.richmond.edu

Sept. 27 (8 p.m.)
First English Lutheran Church, Monument Avenue at Lombardy Street (Stuart Circle), Richmond
Alexander Paley Music Festival:
Alexander Paley, piano
Tchaikovsky: “Grand Sonata” in G major, Op. 37
Rachmaninoff: 13 preludes, Op. 32
donation requested
(804) 355-9185
www.paleyfestival.info

Sept. 27 (8 p.m.)
Sept. 29 (2:30 p.m.)
Harrison Opera House, 160 E. Virginia Beach Boulevard, Norfolk
Virginia Opera
Joseph Rescigno conducting
Verdi: “Falstaff”
Stephen Powell (Falstaff)
Weston Hurt (Ford)
Elizabeth Caballero (Alice Ford)
Amanda Opuszynski (Nannetta)
Courtney Miller (Meg Page)
Ann McMahon Quintero (Mistress Quickly)
Aaron Blake (Fenton)
Ryan Connelly (Dr. Caius)
Jeffrey Halili (Bardolfo)
Jeffrey Tucker (Pistola)
Stephen Lawless, stage director
in Italian, English captions
$29-$114
(866) 673-7282
www.vaopera.org

Sept. 27 (8 p.m.)
Old Cabell Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
Sept. 28 (3:30 p.m.)
Monticello High School, 1000 Independence Way, Charlottesville
Charlottesville & University Symphony Orchestra
Kate Tamarkin conducting
Wagner: “Rienzi” Overture
Saint-Saëns: Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor
Daniel Sender, violin
Schubert: Symphony No. 8 (“Unfinished”)
Suppé: “Die schöne Galathée” Overture
$10-$40
(434) 924-3376
www.cvillesymphony.org

Sept. 27 (7 p.m.)
St. Francis Catholic  Church, 125 N. Augusta St., Staunton
Staunton Music Festival:
Carsten Schmidt, harpsichord
Jason Stell, lecturer
“Source and Style in Bach's Suites”
$20
(540) 569-0267
www.stauntonmusicfestival.com

Sept. 28 (8 p.m.)
First English Lutheran Church, Monument Avenue at Lombardy Street (Stuart Circle), Richmond
Alexander Paley Music Festival:
Alexander Paley & Pei-Wen Chen, piano
Marie-André Chevrette, violin
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 9 (piano four-hands arr.)
Prokofiev: Violin Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 80
Stravinsky: “Le sacre du printemps” (“The Rite of Spring”) (four-hands piano arr.)
donation requested
(804) 355-9185
www.paleyfestival.info

Sept. 28 (8 p.m.)
Vlahcevic Concert Hall, Singleton Arts Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Park Avenue at Harrison Street, Richmond
Rennolds Chamber Concerts:
Joyce Yang, piano
Scarlatti: Sonata in D major
Scarlatti: Sonata in A minor
Currier: “Scarlatti Cadences” (1997)
Currier: “Brainstorm” (1994)
Debussy: 4 preludes
Bartók: “Out of Doors” Suite
Rachmaninoff-Wild: “Dreams,” Op. 38, No. 5
Rachmaninoff-Wild: “The Little Island,” Op. 14, No. 2
Rachmaninoff-Wild: Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14
Rachmaninoff: Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 36
  $34
(Yang in master class, 10 a.m.-noon Sept. 29)
(804) 828-6776
www.vcumusic.org

Sept. 28 (8 p.m.)
Carpenter Theatre, Richmond CenterStage, Sixth and Grace streets
Richmond Symphony Pops
Erin R. Freeman conducting
“Classical Mystery Tour – Music of The Beatles 50th Anniversary Tour”
$10-$76
(800) 514-3849 (ETIX)
www.richmondsymphony.com

Sept. 28 (7 p.m.)
Old Cabell Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
University Singers
UVa Chamber Singers
Virginia Glee Club
Virginia Women’s Chorus
“UVa Choral Showcase”
works by Handel, Morten Lauridsen, Eric Whitacre, Forrest Pierce, others
$10
(434) 924-3376
www.music.virginia.edu

Sept. 28 (8 p.m.)
Sept. 29 (3 p.m.)
Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD
National Philharmonic
Piotr Gajewski conducting
Beethoven: Violin Concerto
Soovin Kim, violin
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5
$28-$84
(301) 581-5100
www.strathmore.org

Sept. 29 (3:30 p.m.)
First English Lutheran Church, Monument Avenue at Lombardy Street (Stuart Circle), Richmond
Alexander Paley Music Festival:
Alexander Paley & Pei-Wen Chen, piano
Marie-André Chevrette, violin
Charles West, clarinet
Charles Villiers Stanford: Clarinet Sonata, Op. 129
Fauré: Violin Sonata No. 1 in A major, Op. 13
Bartók: “Contrasts” for violin, clarinet and piano
donation requested
(804) 355-9185
www.paleyfestival.info

Sept. 29 (8 p.m.)
Old Cabell Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
Martin Jones, piano
Bruce Mahin: “Paris Préludes” (U.S. premiere)
works TBA by Stravinsky, Debussy, Barber, Richard Rodney Bennett
free
(Jones in master class, 10 a.m. Sept. 30)
(434) 924-3376
www.music.virginia.edu

Sept. 29 (4 p.m.)
St. Francis Catholic Church, 125 N. Augusta St., Staunton
Staunton Music Festival:
Carsten Schmidt, harpsichord
J.S. Bach: “English Suites” in A major, G minor, D minor
J.S. Bach: fantasias in A minor, D minor, A minor
$20
(540) 569-0267
www.stauntonmusicfestival.com

Sept. 29 (7 p.m.)
Kennedy Center Concert Hall, Washington
National Symphony Orchestra
Christoph Eschenbach conducting
Tchaikovsky: “Romeo and Juliet” Fantasy-Overture
Tchaikovsky: “Rococo Variations”
Yo-Yo Ma, cello
Bizet: “Carmen” Suite No. 2
Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 (“Organ”) (finale)
Cameron Carpenter, organ
$50-$250 (waiting list)
(800) 444-1324
www.kennedy-center.org

Sept. 30 (8 p.m.)
St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1000 Bolling Ave., Norfolk
Feldman Chamber Music Series:
Shanghai Quartet
Haydn: Quartet in D minor, Op. 76, No. 2 (“Quinten”)
Verdi: String Quartet
Britten: String Quartet, Op. 36, No. 2
$10-$25
(757) 552-1630
www.feldmanchambermusic.org