This week’s musical lineup ranges from a solo piano performance to beloved chamber music works to an opera accompanied by glitter and clowns. Welcome to my first ever Fanfare edition — we’ll explore Philadelphia Fringe offerings and more, featuring an array of multi-talented performers.
Spotlight: Dynasty Battles — Saturday, First Presbyterian Church in Germantown
On Saturday, Bowerbird presents the pianist Dynasty Battles in a concert that pays tribute to his legendary mentor, Leon Bates. This is an evening celebrating Bates not only as an acclaimed pianist, but also as a teacher and Philadelphian. The performance takes place in Germantown, where Bates grew up, and features his student of 10 years, Dynasty Battles. The program includes solo piano music by Beethoven and Scriabin, as well as Children’s Songs with improvisation (selections) by Chick Corea. It is a showcase for Battles’ talent and a beautiful homage to Bates, who recorded Children’s Songs in 1990.
Battles, also from Philadelphia, is the recipient of the 2021 Career Advancement Award from the Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia. He made his debut with the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society in 2022, and performed on Bowerbird’s ongoing Julius Eastman series. With music grounded in deep personal connections, this upcoming solo performance is going to be a special one. Come watch Battles, a rising star on the piano, honor Leon Bates, who was a star of the Philadelphia music community and beyond.
Sept. 19 at 7 p.m., First Presbyterian Church in Germantown, 35 W Chelten Avenue, $15-$25; tickets and information.
1807 and Friends: Mozart in Italy — Wednesday, The Academy of Vocal Arts
1807 and Friends presents a program of music by Mozart, Pietro Nardini, and Giovanni Paisiello. Nardini and Paisiello befriended a very young Mozart while he was traveling in Italy. This wonderful program highlights the flute and harp, a beautiful combination of instruments. The featured performers include Patrick Williams, the associate principal flutist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and concert harpist Anne Sullivan.
Sept. 14 at 7:30 p.m., The Academy of Vocal Arts, 1920 Spruce Street, $20.38; tickets and information.
A Dream Within A Dream — Friday through Sept. 20, Icebox Project Space Gallery
Philadelphia Fringe Festival and Cannonball Festival present A Dream Within A Dream, an intimate collaboration between dancers and musicians. It is a largely improvised performance piece that was created by choreographer Leslie Elkins. In Elkins’ words, “a dancer and a pianist improvise a conversation in real time.” This performance asks philosophical questions that are explored through the blend of movement and music. Performers include a small ensemble of dancers, in addition to pianists Agustin Muriago and Alexander Timofeev.
Sept. 18 at 5:30 p.m., Sept. 19 at 5 p.m., and Sept. 20 at 2 p.m., Icebox Project Space Gallery, 1400 N American Street, pay what you can ($25 suggested); tickets and information.
Opera on Tap Philadelphia Presents: Pagliacci — Friday and Sept. 20, Franky Bradley’s
Part of Philadelphia Fringe Festival, this reimagining of Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci is sure to be a blast, in spite of the tragic tale it tells. It involves circus arts and cabaret, as well as clowns, burlesque, and drag performers. Part of the mission of Opera On Tap is bringing live opera into intimate spaces, and this performance is no exception. The preshow and intermission will be very much part of the entertainment. If you need even more enticement, there will be a glitter bar for face glitter, and what better time to wear it! A talented cast of singers bring this tragedy to life.
Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. and Sept. 20 at 3 p.m., Franky Bradley’s, 1320 Chancellor Street, $25; tickets and information.
Eugene Drucker & Friends — Sept. 20, Bunker Hill Presbyterian Church, Sewell, NJ
Eugene Drucker, founding member of the Emerson String Quartet, has put together a fantastic program of music by Bach, Bruch, and Brahms, and Schumann. The first half of the program features the musicians more individually, with solo and duo works. The program culminates in a chamber music gem, Robert Schumann’s Piano Quartet in E Flat Major. The performers are Drucker on violin, William Frampton on viola, Roberta Cooper on cello, and Gili Melamed-Lev on piano.
Sept. 20 at 3 p.m., Bunker Hill Presbyterian Church, 330 Greentree Road, Sewell, NJ, $30; tickets and information.
Undertale: the Determination Symphony — Sept. 20, Marian Anderson Hall
Come immerse yourself in a video game experience that brings live music to the fore. Undertale: the Determination Symphony features a 25-piece live orchestra performing themes from this hit game and allows you to enjoy footage from the game on the big screen. You’ll experience the world of Undertale in a new way — traveling through parts of the Underworld with live music as your guide.
Sept. 20 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., Marian Anderson Hall, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, 300 S Broad Street, $96-$218; tickets and information.
