Atlanta concert picks
SAT/1 @8:30pm
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
ASO and Turner Classic Movies present “Rodgers & Hammerstein At The Movies” with Selections from "The Sound of Music," "Oklahoma" and "Carousel" plus more classics from Broadway's dynamic duo. Robert Osborne hosts, Richard Kaufman conducts. $21-$59. Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, 404-733-4800, www.atlantasymphony.org
Atlanta concert picks
SAT/25 @ 8:00pm
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Guest conductor Hugh Wolff leads an all-Beethoven program. The concert includes “Leonore Overture No. 3” and “Symphony No. 7,” and features young Finnish pianist Juho Pohjonen in the “Piano Concerto No. 3.” $21-$59. Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, 404-733-4800, www.atlantasymphony.org
TUE/28 @ 8:00pm
FRANKLIN POND CHAMBER MUSIC
FPCM's faculty (all Atlanta Symphony members) plus 16 of Atlanta's brightest young classical musicians conclude this summer chamber music program in a performance of music for strings by Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Bartok and Gershwin. FREE. Peachtree Presbyetrian Church, 404-252-3479, www.franklinpond.org
Atlanta concert picks
SAT/18 @ 10:00am
SACRED HARP SINGING
Hugh McGraw leads this 6-hour open event where Sacred Harp singers from throughout the Southeast flock annually for traditional shape-note music and potluck luncheon, with emphasis on participation, curiosity and enthusiasm. Concludes at 4 p.m.. FREE. Spivey Hall, 404-297-8398, www.spiveyhall.org
Atlanta concert picks
SAT/11 @ 8:00pm
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Nine days before the 40th anniversary of humanity's first steps on the Moon, Mei-Ann Chen conducts Holst's “The Planets,” featuring high-resolution NASA space imagery, plus music from “Star Wars” and “2001: A Space Odyssey.” $21-$59, Verizon Amphitheatre, 404-733-4800, www.atlantasymphony.org
WED/15 @ 9:00pm
NATHANIEL BARTLETT
A five-octave acoustic marimba centers the dramatic musical world of percussionist/composer Bartlett, immersed within hi-def computer-generated sonic environments. Features first Atlanta performances of "Take Flight" by Wisconsin composer Allan Schindler and Bartlett's own "Sound/Space System.” $7. Eyedrum, 404-522-0655, www.eyedrum.org
Atlanta concert picks
SAT/4 @ 8:00pm
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA & U.S. ARMY CHORUS
Bridget Reischl leads the ASO in an All-American patriotic program for Independence Day, featuring the U.S. Army Chorus, based at Fort Myer, Virginia, one of the few professional all male choruses in the nation. $21-$59, Verizon Amphitheatre, 404-733-4800, www.atlantasymphony.org
Atlanta concert picks
SAT/27 @ 8:00pm
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Grant Llewellyn, conductor of the North Carolina Symphony, leads an all-Mozart program: the Overture to “The Marriage of Figaro,” “Symphony No. 41,” and “Piano Concerto in D minor” featuring brilliant Bosnian pianist Pedja Muzijevic. $21-$59. Verizon Amphitheatre, 404-733-4800, www.atlantasymphony.org
Atlanta concert picks
The Weekly Ear takes a week off, as essentially does Atlanta's classical music scene this week. Next week begins summer fare highlights and commentary.
Atlanta concert picks
THU/4, FRI/5 & SAT/6 @ 8:00pm
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Miguel Harth-Bedoya conducts this third program in a festival of South American music with a multi-media theme centered around the ancient Inca Empire, featuring Brazilian mezzo-soprano Luciana Souza. $18-$73. Symphony Hall, 404-733-5000, www.atlantasymphony.org
SUN/7 @ 3:30pm
ATLANTA COMMUNITY SYMPHONY ORCHSTRA
Juan Ramirez conducts the premiere of his own composition, "Down-East," inspired by writings of American musicologist George Pullen Jackson, a pioneer in the study of Southern “white spirituals”of regional “fa-so-la” singing. FREE. Congregation Shearith Israel, 404-873-1743, www.acsorch.org
Atlanta concert picks
SUN/24 @ 3:00pm
ROBERT HENRY
Artist-in-residence at Kennesaw State University, classical pianist Henry, noted for virtuosity and old-school tone, performs music of Mozart, Bach-Busoni, Faure, Vine, Sakamoto and Liszt. His new CD, “Nocturnes,” debuts this spring. $15 ($12 seniors/students). Callanwolde Arts Center, 404-872-5338 www.callanwolde.org
Atlanta concert picks
THU/7, FRI/8 & SAT/9 @ 8:00pm
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Canadian pianist Louis Lortie performs “Piano Concerto No. 4” of Ludwig van Beethoven. ASO frames the concerto performance with evocative music by Claude Debussy and Franz Liszt. Robert Spano conducts. $16-$73. Symphony Hall, 404-733-5000, www.atlantasymphony.org
FRI/8 @ 8:15pm
MAGDALENA KOZENA and KAREL KOSAREK
Luminous-voiced Czech mezzo-soprano Kozena and collaborative pianist Kosarek perform a bouquet of love songs by Henry Purcell in modern realizations by Benjamin Britten, and songs by Alban Berg, Robert Schumann and Henri Duparc. $60. Spivey Hall, 678-466-4200 www.spiveyhall.org
SAT/9 @ 8:15pm
JULIA FISCHER and MILANA CHERNYAVSKA
Classic FM Gramophone “2007 Artist of the Year,” 24-year-old German violinist Fischer and young Ukrainian-born pianist Chernyavska perform a tetrad of sonatas for violin and piano by Mozart, Beethoven, Prokofiev and Martinu. $45. Spivey Hall, 678-466-4200 www.spiveyhall.org
Atlanta concert picks
THU/30 @ 8:00 p.m.
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Violinist Itzhak Perlman makes his conducting debut with the ASO, leading "Symphony No. 3" by Franz Schubert and "Symphony No. 4" by Johannes Brahms, and soloing in the "Violin Concerto in A Major" by J.S. Bach. Repeats SAT/2 @ 8:00 p.m., SUN/3 @ 3:00 p.m. $21-$78, Symphony Hall, 404-733-5000, www.atlantasymphony.org
FRI/1 @ 8:00pm & SUN/3 @ 3:00pm
ATLANTA OPERA
Richard Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman." The story a ghost ship and its captain, doomed to sail the oceans forever unless he can be redeemed by a true love. Stage direction by Tomer Zvulun; conducted by Arthur Fagen. $25-$130. Cobb Energy Centre, 404-881-8885 www.atlantaopera.org
NEW TRINITY BAROQUE
Swedish tenor Leif Aruhn-Solen is NTB's guest in a “historically informed” performance of trio sonatas, suites, and arias commemorating the 250th anniversary of the death of German-English Baroque composer George Frideric Handel. $29-$39; students $9. 8:00 p.m., St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, 404-547-5775, www.newtrinitybaroque.org
TUE/5 @ 7:30pm
ATLANTA SINGERS
Since 1976, this 18-voice choral ensemble has been a consistent mainstay of Atlanta's choral music scene, performing repertoire from Renaissance masters to notable living composers of our time. David Morrow conducts. FREE, Holy Innovents' Episcopal Church, 404-931-8230, www.atlantasingers.org
Atlanta concert picks
THU/23 & FRI/24 @ 8:00pm
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Donald Runnicles leads the ASO in Gustav Mahler's vast and tragic “Symphony No. 6,” featuring a very large post-Romantic orchestra that includes a sledgehammer. (“Strike any key when ready.”) $16-$73, Symphony Hall, 404-733-5000, www.atlantasymphony.org
FRI/24 @ 7:30pm
MOREHOUSE COLLEGE GLEE CLUB
The mighty, mighty men of Morehouse are one of Atlanta's most distinguished choral ensembles and musical ambassadors of goodwill. Program features classical compositions, African choral woks, and American spirituals, led by Dr. David Morrow. $10; $5 seniors/students, All Saints' Episcopal Church, 404-881-0835, www.allsaintsatlanta.org
SAT/25 @ 8:15pm
ATLANTA CHAMBER PLAYERS
Rescheduled after being snowed out on March 1, ACP plays the graceful, witty “Serenade in D major” by Ludwig van Beethoven, a flashy “Trio” by Francis Poulenc, and the heroic “Piano Quintet” by Erich Korngold. $25. Spivey Hall, 678-466-4200 www.spiveyhall.org
SAT/25 @ 8:00pm & TUE/28 @ 7:30pm
ATLANTA OPERA
Richard Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman." The story a ghost ship and its captain, doomed to sail the oceans forever unless he can be redeemed by a true love. Stage direction by Tomer Zvulun; conducted by Arthur Fagen. Additional performances on May 1 & 3. $25-$130. Cobb Energy Centre, 404-881-8885 www.atlantaopera.org
Atlanta concert picks
FRI/17 & SAT/18 @ 8:15pm
CHANTICLEER
This prodigious 12-member men's vocal ensemble from San Francisco is a national treasure. They offer Atlanta two entirely different programs on consecutive nights: “Wondrous Free” on FRI/17 and “Divine Tapestry “ on SAT/18. $50 each concert, Spivey Hall, 678-466-4200 www.spiveyhall.org
SAT/18 @ 7:30pm
"TRANSFORMATIONS"
Conrad Susa's 1973 chamber opera Transformations is based on poetry of the same name by Anne Sexton, in which she transformed fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm into adult modes which plumb plausible if disturbing social and psychological elements hidden deep within the originals. Vincent Murphy, stage director; Daniel Solberg, music director; Robert J. Ambrose, conductor. $10. Students free w/ ID, Kopleff Recital Hall, 404-413-5901 www.music.gsu.edu
TUE/21 @ 8:00pm
BENT FREQUENCY
"Georgia In My Ear" features music by Georgia composers Nickitas Demos, Mark Gresham, Lewis Nielson and Joel Puckett, and composer Vivienne Olive from Atlanta's sister city, Nuremberg, Germany. FREE, Kopleff Recital Hall, 404-413-5901 www.music.gsu.edu
Atlanta concert picks
FRI/10 @ noon
KAREN BENTLEY POLLICK w/ VEGA STRING QUARTET
Currently best known as the violinist in Paul Dresher's Electro-Acoustic Band, Birmingham violinist/violist Karen Bentley Pollick joins Vega Quartet for more standard classical fare: the “Viola Quintet in F major” by Felix Mendelssohn. FREE, Michael C. Carlos Museum, 404-727-5050 www.arts.emory.edu
TUE/14 @ 7:30pm
GSU PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
This innovative program includes the Atlanta premiere of Paul Lansky's “Threads” for metal instruments, drums, and “found objects” (flower pots, glass bottles, etc), and Thierry de Mey's “Musique de Tables,” a trio for amplified table. FREE. 7:30 p.m., Rialto Center for the Arts, 404-413-5901, www.music.gsu.edu
Atlanta concert picks
THU/2, FRI/3 @ SAT/4 @ 8:00pm
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
World-premiere of “Symphony” by Christopher Theofanidis, “Second Essay for Orchestra” by Samuel Barber, and a divergent personal reinterpretation of George Gershwin's “Concerto in F” by jazz pianist Marcus Roberts. $16-$73, Symphony Hall, 404-733-5000. www.atlantasymphony.org
Atlanta concert picks
THU/26 & SAT/27 @ 8:00pm
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Guest conductor Gilbert Varga, son of famous Hungarian violinist Tibor Varga, makes his ASO debut. Greek violin virtuoso Leonidas Kavakos is soloist. Music of Kodaly, Sibelius, and Brahms. $16-$73, Symphony Hall, 404-733-5000. www.atlantasymphony.org
SUN/29 @ 3:00pm
ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC
This world-renowned 22-piece “period instrument” group performs all six of the Brandenburg Concertos by J.S. Bach, led from the harpsichordist by Richard Egarr, as the first of Spivey's 2009 Spring Bach Festival concerts. $60, Spivey Hall, 678-466-4200 www.spiveyhall.org 
WED/1 @ 7:30pm
JENNY LIN
Atlanta composer Jason Freeman's “Piano Etudes” are among the adventurous modern repertoire performed by pianist Lin, a charismatic performer with spectacular keyboard technique. Music by Unsuk Chin, Dai Fujikura, György Ligeti, Gabriela Ortiz and more. FREE, Spivey Hall, 678-466-4200 www.spiveyhall.org
Atlanta concert picks
FRI/20 @ 8:00pm
LESS IS MORE (MORE OR LESS)
Percussionist Stuart Gerber headlines this concert of front-edge music and performance art, featuring premieres of new percussion works by Mark Gresham and Jennifer Mitchell (also performing as DJ), electronic music by Darren Nelsen with video by Al Matthews, plus works by John Luther Adams, Alexandre Babel, Giorgio Battestelli, Frederic Rzewski, Stuart Saunders Smith and Christian Wolff. $10 at the door / $5 students with student ID. Eyedrum, 404-522-0655, www.eyedrum.org
FRI/20 @ 8:00pm
LIONHEART & VEGA STRING QUARTET
One of America's leading vocal chamber music ensembles, Lionheart joins forces with Atlanta's own Vega Quartet to perform "John the Revelator: Mass for the 21st Century" by downtown Manhattan composer Phil Kline. The program also features two premieres: Richard Prior's string quartet intimations of immortality and John Anthony Lennon's Still the Fire for saxophone, cello, and piano. $48. Emerson Hall, Schwartz Center, 404-727-5050, arts.emory.edu
SAT/21 @ 8:00pm
RADCLIFFE CHORAL SOCIETY & SPELMAN COLLEGE GLEE CLUB
Sisters in music, the 65-voice group from Radcliffe Institute at Harvard University, one of the leading collegiate women's choirs in the nation, joins forces with their musical compatriots from Atlanta's own esteemed Spelman College. FREE. 8:00 p.m., Sisters Chapel, Spelman College, 404-681-3643. www.spelman.edu
SUN/22 @ 3:00pm
ATLANTA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA
Established as the first “period instrument” orchestra in the southeast in 1997, ABO offers a program of Baroque-era music and dance, featuring baroque dancer Paige Whitely-Bauguess and guest violinist/director Julie Andrijeski. $25. Moore Chapel, Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, 770-537-3974 www.atlantabaroque.org
WED/25 @ 7:30pm
ANDRÉS DÍAZ
Born in Santiago, Chile and raised in Atlanta, violoncellist Diaz won the the Naumburg International Cello Competition in 1987, subsequently earning a reputation for his intense, charismatic performances. Elizabeth Pridgen is collaborative pianist. FREE. Kopleff Recital Hall, 404-413-5901, www.music.gsu.edu
Atlanta concert picks
THU/12, FRI/13 @ SAT/14 @ 8:00pm
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
His 2002 international debut at Stuttgart Opera launched his career like a rocket, now guest conductor Nicola Luisotti is now tagged to be music director of San Francisco Opera. Music by Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev and Beethoven. $16-$73. Symphony Hall, 404-733-5000, www.atlantasymphony.org
SUN/15 @ 3:00pm
U.S. ARMY GROUND FORCES BAND
Based at Ft. McPherson, this 58-member concert band is one of the best in the armed forces. This show emulates concerts of John Philip Sousa's legendary band, playing band music popular in Sousa's day. FREE. 3:00 p.m., Ferst Center, 404-894-9600, www.ferstcenter.org
TUE/17 @ 8:15pm
UZEE BROWN, JR.
& DAVID F. OLIVER
Chairman of the Music Department at Morehouse College, baritone Brown has long been a pillar of Atlanta's African-American classical music community. Oliver is best known as organist for Morehouse's King International Chapel. FREE. First Presbyterian Church of Marietta, 770-427-0293. www.fpcmarietta.org
Atlanta concert picks
THU/5, FRI/6 & SAT/7 @ 8:00pm
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA & CHORUS
Jennifer Higdon's “The Singing Rooms” and Alvin Singleton's “Praisemaker” are the new music highlights in a program that includes Scriabin's “Poem of Ecstasy” and Wagner's “Prelude and Liebestod.” Jennifer Koh is violin soloist, Robert Spano conducts. $16-$73. Symphony Hall, 404-733-5000, www.atlantasymphony.org
SAT/7 @ 3:00pm
NEW TRINITY BAROQUE
French Baroque music for voice, period instruments and organ, from the era of Louis XIV. Features works by François Couperin, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, and Guillaume-Gabriel Nivers. NTB is noted for their “historically informed” performances. $29-$39. St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church 404-547-5775, www.newtrinitybaroque.org
Atlanta concert picks
THU/26 & SAT/28 @ 8:00pm
ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA & CHAMBER CHORUS
Haydn's "The Creation" in a concert staging, with set design by Anne Patterson, and projection design by Adam Larsen. Vocal soloists are soprano Janice Chandler Eteme, tenor Thomas Cooley, and bass-baritone Derrick Parker. Robert Spano conducts. $16-$73. Symphony Hall, 404-733-5000, www.atlantasymphony.org
SUN/1 @ 3:00pm
JENNIFER LARMORE
Marietta native and operatic mezzo-soprano Larmore, who shared in a 2007 Grammy for “Best Opera Recording,” returns home for a recital. Larmore is noted for her insightful performances and colorful, flexible voice. $40. Bailey Center, Kennesaw State University, 770-423-6650, www.kennesaw.edu/arts/events/
SUN/1 @ 3:00pm
ATLANTA CHAMBER PLAYERS
Program features the graceful, witty “Serenade in D major” for flute, violin and viola by Ludwig van Beethoven, Francis Poulenc's francophilically flashy “Trio” for oboe, bassoon and piano, and poetically heroic “Piano Quintet” by Erich Korngold. $25. Spivey Hall, 678-466-4200. www.spiveyhall.org
TUE/3 @ 8:00pm
GUANARI QUARTET
Founded in 1964, this venerable string quartet comprised of violinists Arnold Steinhardt and John Dalley, violist Michael Tree, and cellist Peter Wiley retires at the end of this season, making this their farewell Atlanta performance. $52. Emerson Hall, Schwartz Center, 404-727-5050, arts.emory.edu
