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Nicholas Hodges plays new music alongside 'Bernstein and Copland,' plus other can't-miss concerts

Fanfare is our curated weekly guide to classical music concerts in the Philadelphia area. Subscribe now to get Fanfare delivered to your inbox every Sunday. And if you have feedback or an upcoming event to share, let us know!


Spotlight: Bernstein and Copland - Friday through Sunday, Marian Anderson Hall

All the focus for this program is rightly on Aaron Copland’s iconic “Appalachian Spring” and Leonard Bernstein’s equally iconic and energized “Symphonic Dances” from West Side Story. However, it is the work of French-American composer Betsy Jolas that has me intrigued. Her “Lassus Ricercare” “recomposes” excerpts of the Renaissance composer Orlando di Lasso’s music and sounds fascinating. Her piano concerto “bTunes” will feature the fantastic British pianist Nicholas Hodges, who has made a specialty of working with contemporary composers. What an interesting juxtaposition of two 20th-century American heavyweights, with one of France’s most important contemporary composers who deserves to be better known and appreciated.

Oct. 18 at 2 p.m., Oct. 19 at 8 p.m., and Oct. 20 at 2 p.m., Marian Anderson Hall, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, 300 South Broad Street, $25-$195; tickets and information.

Courtesy of the artist

Coro Mundi - Sunday, St. Vincent de Paul Church

Vocal ensemble Coro Mundi returns to the Philadelphia area for the first time in three years, premiering works by young American composer Alex Berko. The centerpiece will be his Sacred Place, which he describes as “an impassioned prayer for the world we inhabit and share." The program will also include music by Palestrina, Edwin Fissinger, Marek Raczynski, and Moira Smiley.

Oct. 13 at 5 p.m., St. Vincent de Paul Church, 109 East Price Street, $25; tickets and information.

Sousa Band Concert Sunday, Miller Symphony Hall

The Allentown Band celebrates the 125 anniversary of the Miller Symphony Hall in Allentown. Known as the Lyric Theater at its founding in 1900, John Philip Sousa and the Sousa Band presented at least four concerts in those early years. The Allentown Band recreates one of those performances featuring John Philip Sousa IV, the great-grandson of the bandleader.

Oct. 13 at 3 p.m., Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown, PA, $10-$40; tickets and information.

Celebrating Women Composers - Monday, Academy of Vocal Arts

1807 & Friends are celebrating the music of women composers this season, and this performance features the Sicilienne of Maria Theresia von Paradis alongside works by Brahms, Poulenc and Beethoven. Artistic Director and former Philadelphia Orchestra assistant concertmaster Nancy Beam is joined by the versatile cellist Thomas Kraines, and acclaimed pianist Cynthia Raim.

Oct.14 at 7:30 p.m., Academy of Vocal Arts, 1920 Spruce Street, $19; tickets and information.

Charles Grove
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Courtesy of the artist

Can we know the sound of forgiveness - Wednesday, The Performance Garage

The Grammy-award winning ensemble The Crossing opens its Philadelphia season with a multi-disciplinary work, anchored around the music of visionary Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz. Inspired by James Drake’s drawing “Can we know the sound of forgiveness”, the collaborative performance tells its story from the perspective of “the Earth, the Land, the Soil, the Sand”.

Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m., The Performance Garage, 1515 Brandywine Street, sold out; more information.

La Bohème - Friday and Sunday, The Stephens Hall Theater at Towson University

Opera Baltimore (formerly Baltimore Concert Opera) presents Puccini’s beloved story of love and loss. With a wonderful cast of singers, this a perfect way to introduce someone to opera, or experience this classic again. The production is also bolstered by a series of Zoom lectures, or “Opera Insights,” by their Scholar in Residence, Aaron Ziegel, PhD.

Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 20 at 3 p.m., The Stephens Hall Theatre at Towson University, 7900 Stephens Avenue, Towson, MD, $15-$117.15; tickets and information.

Sphinx Virtuosi - Friday, Perelman Theater

The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society has a great lineup this weekend that kicks off with the dynamic chamber ensemble, Sphinx Virtuosi. The program is a celebration of American music - jazz, bluegrass, soul and the blues - through a classical lens. Featuring percussionist Britton-René Collins, a winner of the 2020 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition, and repertoire by Joplin, Coleridge-Taylor and Carreño.

Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m., Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, 300 South Broad Street, sold out, but join the waitlist by contacting boxoffice@pcmsconcerts.org or calling 215-569-8080; more information.

Karim Sulayman and Sean Shibe - Sunday, American Philosophical Society

The PCMS season continues with Grammy award winning tenor Karim Sulayman and virtuoso guitarist Sean Shibe, who collaborate on a program that examines the connections between East and West. Repertoire will include works by Dowland, Monteverdi and Takemitsu, as well as traditional songs from the Middle East.

Oct. 20 at 3 p.m., American Philosophical Society, 427 Chestnut Street, $30; tickets and information.

As a young violinist, Meg Bragle regularly listened to her local classical music station and loved calling in on Saturday mornings to request pieces, usually by Beethoven. The hosts were always kind and played her requests (often the Fifth Symphony), fostering a genuine love for radio.