Tue, Aug 24, 2010
September! It’s the end of summer vacations, back to school time, and the beginning of a new classical music season for many of Kansas City’s classical music ensembles. In the first couple of weeks of September you will have the pick of several favorites. The Kansas City Symphony kicks off with a Labor Day weekend pops concert, the Carlsen Center features the always charming Takacs String Quartet, and the Symphony’s music director Michael Stern makes his first appearance of the season, but not at the helm of the Kansas City Symphony, but rather leading the forces of the Conservatory Orchestra of the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance. Speaking of dance, the young Ailey II ensemble of the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey opens their season this month at the Folly Theater. And if contemporary music is your thing, the new music ensemble newEar opens its concert season with the music of Takemitsu and others. Sit back and enjoy!
Full Story
Tue, Jun 29, 2010
Summerfest, Kansas City’s summertime chamber music series by talented musicians from the Kansas City Symphony and elsewhere, headlines the city’s classical music offerings for July. The group features four weekend concerts beginning July 10, each concert performed twice, so there is no excuse for you to miss one! The quality of Summerfest is usually exceptional, so be sure to check out Summerfest this month. Also, the Community of Christ organs receive a good workout this month with free concerts being given at 3:00 each afternoon. For dance fans, check out the Kacico Dance Company, who will perform at the Fringe Festival later in the month. And if Baroque music is your thing, William Jewell College is sponsoring its second annual William Jewell Early Music Festival beginning on July 31.
Full Story
Sun, Jun 13, 2010
The Kansas City-based ensemble Quixotic Fusion offers a high-voltage aerial performance at the Madrid Theatre this weekend that incorporates dance and live music. Also this weekend, UMKC's Gamelan Genta Kasturi presents two concerts of Balinese music and dance at the Unity Temple on the Plaza. Check out the VID on KCM. On Sunday is a Dad's Day celebration with the men's choir of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Look for more offerings in July as Summerfest begins...
Full Story
Mon, May 31, 2010
The Kansas City Symphony kicks off June with a chamber music performance at Webster House, followed by the final classical series of the season on June 4-5-6 featuring monumental orchestral works by Russian composers Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev. For lighter fare, the Symphony performs at the Symphony in the Flint Hills on Saturday, June 12.
For orchestra performances in the month of June, the Bach Aria Soloists offer a private Hauskonzert on June 6 in an elegant private home and the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra with the Village Church and St. Paul's Episcopal choirs will perform Mozart's "Requiem" on June 11. Meanwhile, vocal music fans can enjoy a rare treat the same day by Arnold Epley's Musica Vocale, performing unusual works of Honegger and Copland. The Heartland Men's Chorus will be joined by the Portland Gay Men's Chorus on June 12 & 13 for favorites from the American Songbook. There is no classical dance on the schedule for June, but in mid-month the Kansas City-based ensemble Quixotic Fusion offers a high-voltage aerial performance at the Madrid Theatre that incorporates dance and live music.
Full Story
Tue, May 25, 2010
The Memorial Day weekend brings a pause in the schedules of most of our classical music performing organizations, but the Simon Carrington Chamber Singers will perform in Kansas City and Lawrence on Saturday the 29th. And if a picnic and fireworks are your things, by all means join the KC Symphony for a concert of popular favorites at Union Station on Sunday evening (rain date is Monday evening), free and open to the public. The annual "Celebration at the Station" concert will be followed by the city's largest fireworks display, so it should be great family fun.
Full Story
Tue, May 18, 2010
The weekend of May 21-23 brings us a KC Symphony concert featuring French Impressionistic works by Ravel and Debussy, along with ballet music by Hindemith and a vocal/violin solo/orchestral work by contemporary composer Jennifer Higdon. For those whose tastes veer towards opera, the Civic Opera Theatre is offering a 25th anniversary celebration featuring the verismo opera "I Pagliacci" along with a concert of favorite selections by Civic Opera singers. Dance is also well represented this weekend with the Wylliams-Henry Contemporary Dance Company's final performance of the season featuring intriguing-sounding works by several contemporary choreographers. The Memorial Day weekend brings a pause in the schedules of most of our classical music performing organizations, but the Simon Carrington Chamber Singers will perform in Kansas City and Lawrence on Saturday the 29th. And if a picnic and fireworks are your things, by all means join the KC Symphony for a concert of popular favorites at Union Station on Sunday evening (rain date is Monday evening), free and open to the public. The annual "Celebration at the Station" concert will be followed by the city's largest fireworks display, so it should be great family fun.
Full Story
Tue, May 11, 2010
By the time the Kansas City musical calendar progresses to the middle of May, most organizations are wrapping up their concert seasons or have already concluded them. This weekend we have only three classical performances. Thursday evening the Kansas City Wind Symphony wraps up its season with performances of several interesting wind works, including two 20th century compositions and wind versions of a Gershwin favorite and some traditional hymns. Friday, Saturday and Sunday the Kansas City Symphony retakes the Lyric Theatre stage, after having given the stage over to the Lyric Opera and the Kansas City Ballet for several weeks, and continues its classical season with music from four Viennese masters, conducted by the orchestra's energetic young associate conductor, Steven Jarvi. If the music of Mozart, Schubert, Mahler and Strauss doesn't interest you, then romantic music must not be your bag. To most listeners it should be a delight. Sunday afternoon, and also next Tuesday, bring us the final concert of the Kansas City Chorale's season, and it should be something of a departure from the ensemble's usual emphasis on vocal classical music. It features percussionist Valerie Naranjo as a guest artist. She specializes in African percussion instruments and has been the percussionist for Saturday Night Live for twelve years, as well as being the creator of the percussion effects for Broadway's Lion King. It should be ver rhythmic.
Full Story
Tue, May 04, 2010
Dance aficionados have been waiting for the Kansas City Ballet’s spring production, and it’s here this weekend, with choreography by George Balanchine, Todd Bolender and contemporary choreographers Toni Pimble and Jessica Lang. The music ranges from the classical strains of Vivaldi and Donizetti to the Broadway show tunes of Gershwin. You have five performances from which to choose, so there is no excuse for missing it! Also featured this weekend are two local vocal ensembles, the William Baker Festival Singers and the UMKC Collegium Vocale. The Baker Singers will sing a varied program including arrangements of classic works, spirituals and world premieres by two Kansas City based composers. The UMKC Collegium Vocale and the Kansas City Baroque Consortium will present Baroque and Renaissance music by French and Flemish masters.
Full Story
Tue, Apr 27, 2010
Both opera and dance fans have treats in store for them this weekend as the Lyric Opera continues its performances of the Mozart classic “Don Giovanni” and the Harriman Jewell Series presents the Moscow Festival Ballet in Delibes’ “Coppelia” on Saturday night. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra concludes its season with a performance of Samuel Barber’s lush “Adagio for Strings” on Thursday night, along with a world premiere featuring the elegant soprano Sarah Tannehill, while Saturday night brings the famed Brentano String Quartet to Yardley Hall at JCCC. Fans of contemporary music can enjoy Terri Teal’s ensemble the Fine Arts Chorale in two performances of works by living composers on Friday and Saturday evenings, and the estimable newEar Contemporary Music Ensemble concludes its season with a Saturday night concert dedicated to local composer James Mobberley, who has long been associated with the group.
Full Story
Tue, Apr 20, 2010
Opera fans will enjoy the opening performance of the Lyric Opera’s “Don Giovanni” on Saturday night, as well as concerts of opera scenes at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance this weekend. Meanwhile, if Baroque music is your thing, The Friends of Chamber Music present one of the finest Baroque ensembles, the Venice Baroque Orchestra, on Friday evening at the Folly. Dance aficionados can experience the Owen Cox Dance Group’s odd concoction of figures from the Lewis and Clark expedition to the American West and characters from Lewis Carroll’s “Alice and Wonderland,” and also have a chance to see the country’s only primarily African American ballet company, the Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble, at Yardley Hall. The UMKC Conservatory’s Robert Olson presents the grand finale concert of the Signature Series on Saturday night including a world premiere by Conservatory composer James Mobberly. It’s a full weekend of performances, so be sure to get out there and enjoy as much as you can!
Full Story
Mon, Apr 12, 2010
Musica Sacra completes its concert season with a performance Sunday evening of two of the most enduring works of sacred choral music, the Charpentier "Te Deum" and Mozart's early "Vespers." Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chorale performs a concert Saturday evening at the Nelson Atkins Museum as part of the Museum's Mary Atkins lecture series. If dance is your thing, the UMKC Conservatory gives you three opportunities this weekend to witness its spring dance concert featuring faculty choreography and spirited student dancers. For fans of orchestra music, three of this area's prominent community orchestras are finishing their concert seasons this weekend. The Civic Orchestra will perform Beethoven and Bruch, the Liberty Symphony tackles Sibelius and Barber, and the Northland Symphony presents a young artists' concert with ambitious works by Mozart, Finzi, Holst and Khachaturian, among others. And for something completely different, check out the concert Friday night by the Kansas City Electronic Music and Arts Alliance.
Full Story
Mon, Apr 05, 2010
The Kansas City Symphony performs Gustav Mahler’s expansive Fourth Symphony this weekend, in addition to lighter works by Ravel and Barber, in a concert featuring guest artist Heidi Grant Murphy, an opera soprano. Local audiences don’t have all that many chances to appreciate Mahler, so here is your chance. Grant Murphy should be a sensitive interpreter. The Friends of Chamber Music brings one of today’s leading keyboard artists, Kevin Kenner, to the Folly Theater stage on Friday night. If one grand piano isn’t enough for you, then go to Yardley Hall on Saturday night to hear no fewer than five of them, in a crossover concert by The 5 Browns, an all-sibling group.
Opera fans will appreciate the joint recital by Canadians Michael Schade, tenor, and Russell Braun, baritone, on Friday night, and also the chance to hear the young KC Metro Opera company in a Gilbert and Sullivan favorite, The Mikado, in three performances this weekend. Fans of the dance can enjoy City in Motion Dance Theatre’s 25th anniversary concert at the Gem Theatre on Saturday and Sunday (can it really have been a quarter century?).
Early next week there are a couple of great opportunities, too, particularly on Tuesday evening when the edgy Kronos Quartet visits the Lied Center performing the music of minimalist Terry Riley and others.
Full Story
Tue, Mar 30, 2010
We suppose it's due to the Easter weekend, but every major classical music or dance presenting organization in Kansas City is taking the weekend off. If it's classical music or dance you desire, then you'll just have to content yourself with CD's and DVD's this weekend. On Monday at noon there is a free trumpet-piano recital at Johnson County Community College. That's it. Next weekend is a different story - check back next Wednesday to read all about it.
Full Story
Mon, Mar 22, 2010
“Rigoletto” continues at the Lyric Opera this week for its three final performances; this is your chance to hear some of the finest voices ever to grace the Lyric Opera stage. On Friday night associate conductor Steven Jarvi leads the Kansas City Symphony Chamber Players in an intriguing program in Olathe, featuring music of Nordic composers. That concert competes with the UMKC Conservatory’s performance of Brahms’ much loved “German Requiem” (Ein deutsches Requiem) at White Recital Hall under the baton of legendary choral conductor Joseph Flummerfelt. Saturday evening you can enjoy an unusual mix of works with the Imani Woodwind Quintet at UMKC, or head for Parkville to hear several outstanding performers with Park University’s music program, including Symphony concertmistress Kanako Ito, perform a concert of chamber works. Meanwhile, longtime Kansas City Symphony conductor Bill McGlaughlin is back in town this weekend for two performances with Elizabeth Suh Lane’s Bach Aria Soloists. For those of you vocal fans, the William Baker Festival Singers are presenting “A Celebration of Mozart” and Te Deum presents “Light in the Darkness” in two performances. For a somewhat lighter fare you can enjoy one of the two performances by the Heartland Men’s Chorus of British popular classics arranged for men’s chorus.
Full Story
Mon, Mar 15, 2010
The Lyric Opera opens" Rigoletto," the classic Italian melodrama by Verdi, on Saturday night. With a cast of all-stars including three Metropolitan Opera singers, the production should be one of the finest in the Company’s history. The Harriman Jewell series also reaches a high point this weekend with the recital appearance of cellist Yo-Yo Ma in selections by Schubert, Shostakovich and Franck, along with three South American composers who should add an interesting Latin flavor to the proceedings. For fans of smaller orchestral ensembles, you have three wind symphonies performing this weekend, two of them in tandem: the Kansas City Wind Symphony and St. Louis Wind Symphony perform a joint concert on Sunday afternoon at Village Presbyterian Church, while the UMKC Wind Symphony appears at the Conservatory on Tuesday evening. Arnold Epley’s Musica Vocale gives a concert on Sunday afternoon, as does UMKC Conservatory faculty member Jane Carl, clarinetist, with several of her fellow instructors in tow.
Full Story
Mon, Mar 08, 2010
Those who enjoy fine dance performances have a treat in store this weekend with an opportunity to see the famed Martha Graham Dance Company perform at JCCC in one of its founder’s classics, "Clytemnestra," the ancient Greek legend of the murder of King Agamemnon by his wife. Originally performed in 1958, it became something of a cause célèbre among early feminists and is regarded today as one of the cornerstones of Graham’s creativity. Opera fans have four performances of Donizetti’s delightfully comic "l’Elisir d’Amore" (The Elixir of Love) to entertain them at the UMKC Conservatory of Music this weekend, while chamber music aficionados can bask in the strains of the world-famous Artemis String Quartet performing works of Beethoven for The Friends of Chamber Music. If Beethoven is too conservative for your taste, check out the newEar Contemporary Music Ensemble’s collection of modern pieces by Chinese American composers for the zheng. What’s a zheng, you say? Go to the concert and find out!
Full Story
Tue, Mar 02, 2010
For those with traditional tastes there is a wealth of Beethoven, Mozart Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Liszt and Chopin to enjoy this weekend. The KC Symphony brings guest pianist and musicologist Robert Levin to town for Beethoven, the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra brings us an all-Tchaikovsky program on Friday night, and the Kansas City Chorale gives you a choice of Saturday or Sunday performance dates for the romantic music of Brahms. On Sunday afternoon in Lawrence, the Albers Sisters will perform Beethoven and Mozart.
Lovers of the piano will have a chance to hear both Stanislav Ioudenitch and one of his talented pupils, Behzod Abduraimov, who won the London International Piano Competition in 2009, on Friday evening at the Folly Theater for The Friends of Chamber Music in a program of Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninoff.
There is also some dance on the offing, as the Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company performs Friday and Saturday in the West Bottoms and the Kansas City Chorale actually brings a little bit of dance into its performances.
For this listener's taste, however, the highlight of the weekend should be Aaron Copland's monumental Third Symphony performed by the Kansas City Symphony. It is one of the masterworks of the last century, and will be a delight for your ears.
Full Story
Tue, Feb 23, 2010
Fans of the dance have a great week ahead of them with the KC Ballet's “Lambarena” beginning on Thursday. Warm up Wednesday with a free Alvin Ailey performance called “Setting the Stage: The Moving Story of African American Dance” and top the weekend off with a most unusual “The Aluminum Show” at the Lied Center. Orchestra fans can enjoy the Russian National Orchestra at the Folly Theater on Saturday night while the KC Symphony takes time off to appear in the pit for the KC Ballet. Meanwhile, on a smaller scale, the Lawrence Chamber Orchestra presents one of its “Baroque by Candlelight” concerts featuring Handel, Telemann, Bach and others. Opera fans have an unusual opportunity to see the original opera version of Gershwin's “Porgy and Bess” at Yardley Hall on Friday and Saturday nights. Saturday night too, affords a rare chance to hear a solo recital by a homegrown opera star, Vinson Cole, who is now a guest instructor at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance.
Full Story
Tue, Feb 16, 2010
The Kansas City Symphony features a world premiere flute concerto from Italian composer Luca Lombardi this weekend, along with chestnuts by Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Rossini. The most exciting concert this weekend, however, will probably be the spectacular pianism of Canadian virtuoso Marc-Andre Hamelin, who appears with the Harriman Jewell series on Friday night at the Folly Theater. Fans of vocal music have a difficult choice on Saturday night, as Musica Sacra presents the “Music of Salzburg” with Mozart and Haydn (but it’s Michael, not Franz Joseph), while the gorgeously blended eight voices of Octarium sing pastiche masses by a variety of choral composers. Tough choice. Several other fine opportunities also await your ears, including a free concert Monday noon at the Carlsen Center with the Brookside String Quartet consisting of Symphony and Chamber Orchestra players.
Full Story
Mon, Feb 08, 2010
KC audiences will have not one, but two chances to hear the charming music of Stravinsky's "Petrouchka" this weekend. On Friday night pianist Stephen Prutsman, making his Friends of Chamber Music debut, will play excerpts from "Petrouchka" as well as works of Haydn, Ravel, Chopin and Bach. Then, the KC Symphony will present the full orchestral version of the same music, along with the Sibelius "Violin Concerto" with Canadian violinist Karen Gomyo in three performances over the weekend.
The international youth orchestra Philharmonia of the Nations appears on the Performing Arts Series at JCCC on Saturday, tackling Mahler's difficult "Symphony No. 1" (the "Titan"), and violinist Rachel Lee, longtime student of Itzhak Perlman, gives a free Discovery Series concert for the Harriman Jewell series that same evening. The Fine Arts Chorale presents "Heartfelt Voices" and several other fine community orchestras and choral societies also present Valentine's Weekend concerts.
Full Story
Tue, Feb 02, 2010
Dance programs dominate this weekend's schedule, with the City in Motion Dance Theatre's always-outstanding "Choreographer's Showcase" on Saturday night, featuring the work of ten local talented choreographers. Preceding it on Friday night is the athletic Pilobolus Dance Theatre at the Lied Center in Lawrence. Fans of vocal music will enjoy the Civic Opera Theatre's "Mozart: A Biography in Music" on Friday night, repeated Sunday afternoon, and have an unusual chance to hear the Dutch a capella group Quink at Visitation Church on Saturday evening. Also on Friday and Sunday the William Baker Festival singers perform in Kansas City and in Lawrence, respectively. For orchestral music fans, the lone selection this weekend is a good one: the UMKC Conservatory orchestra under Robert Olson performs Friday night. Sunday afternoon before the Super Bowl you have a couple of chances to hear excellent music performances. Jan Kraybill, the superb Community of Christ organist, will perform her annual free Super Bowl Sunday concert in Independence, and at Park College in Parkville, the International Center of Music artists will entertain you under the direction of Kansas City Symphony concert master Kanako Ito.
Full Story
Tue, Jan 26, 2010
The Friends of Chamber Music offers an interesting music of the aural and the visual with a performance titled "Tafelmusik - The Galileo Project: Music of the Spheres" on Sunday afternoon. You will enjoy not only the splendid Baroque playing of Tafelmusik, but also remarkable images from the Hubble space telescope, all in honor of the 400th anniversary of Galileo's presentation of the astronomical telescope. A competing event on Sunday afternoon will offer the musicians of Summerfest in an unusual winter concert featuring the music of several composers, including Kansas City's own Susan Kander. For fans of the keyboard, UMKC piano professor Jane Solose will offer a recital on Sunday afternoon. Dance aficionados will have an opportunity on Thursday evening to experience the folk dances of Mexico at the Lied Center in Lawrence with Ballet Folklórico de México. On Sunday evening, wind instrument devotees will be able to hear the Kansas City Wind Symphony in concert.
Full Story
Tue, Jan 19, 2010
The exciting American-Israeli violinist Gil Shaham takes a star turn at the Kansas City Symphony this weekend for not one, but two of the 20th century's most ambitious violin concertos, the "Violin Concerto" of Samuel Barber and Sergei Prokofiev's "Violin Concerto No. 2." Both rank among the major string concertos of the 20th century. In addition, the concert features a Shostakovich symphony and Igor Stravinsky's ballet score to "Pulcinella," one of this listener's absolute favorite ballet scores ... it's worth a listen, even without the dancing.
Meanwhile, young mezzo-soprano Sasha Cook takes the Lied Center stage in Lawrence for a recital on Sunday afternoon featuring songs of Rossini, Berlioz, Mozart, Sondheim and Weill. It should be a treat.
Full Story
Tue, Jan 12, 2010
The KC Symphony’s concerts this weekend feature impressive guest conductor Bernard Labadie leading the local band in repertoire he knows well, that of Schubert and Mozart. Benedetto Lupo as the guest pianist will perform the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 18, a perennial favorite. If dance is more to your liking, there is a free performance by the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey on Thursday night and a tap dancing tribute at the Carlsen Center on Saturday. Rob Kapilow, the effervescent lecturer for The Friends of Chamber Music’s "What Makes it Great?" series, is back in town this weekend for discussions of Chopin. Among community orchestras, the Topeka Symphony launches the 2010 portion of its schedule with an interesting program featuring music based upon great heroes of history. This week offers a little something for each taste!
Full Story
Tue, Jan 05, 2010
The Kansas City Symphony will begin 2010 with a bang this weekend with the U.S. premiere of “Reflections” by Israeli composer Menachem Wiesenberg as well as classics by Dvořák and Brahms. Saturday night, The Friends of Chamber Music present the always-outstanding Takács String Quartet playing their forte - early and late quartets of Beethoven, as well as a charming quartet by Haydn.
Full Story
Tue, Dec 22, 2009
Kansas City’s classical music organizations have been treating us to some spectacular concerts the past few weeks, but during this Christmas weekend it all slows to a crawl as the musicians and dancers are, for the most part, taking well deserved rests before gearing up for the second halves of their seasons beginning in January. The one exception is the Kansas City Ballet’s performances of "The Nutcracker" which continue through the Christmas weekend, although not on Christmas Day. If you haven’t seen Todd Bolender’s conception of the Tchaikovsky classic this is your chance; it doesn’t conflict with any other performances on your calendar! The UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance is also at rest, but is featuring an interesting recital of two alumni performers next Monday. Next weekend is similarly slow, but watch this space in the next issue, because we will preview some of the performances to anticipate during the remainder of the classical music year in 2010.
Full Story
Tue, Dec 15, 2009
As we close in on the last weekend before Christmas the featured performances are undoubtedly the Kansas City Ballet’s renditions of "The Nutcracker," delightful both for its spirited and graceful dancing as well as for Tchaikovsky’s timeless music. The Harriman Jewell series presents the early music ensemble Parthenia in a holiday program featuring noted soprano Julianne Beard. The Kansas City Youth Symphony performs its winter concert, and several other organizations have pop-oriented Christmas programs.
Full Story
Tue, Dec 01, 2009
As we move into the first weekend of December an avalanche of holiday concerts awaits us. This is the time of year when we need to make difficult choices in our concert scheduling, having to choose between two, three or even four conflicting events on the same night. This weekend we have terrific-sounding performances by the Kansas City Symphony Chamber Players, the Civic Opera Theater, Octarium, Musica Sacra, the Fine Arts Chorale, plus a number of university events such as the Mid America Nazarene University’s performance of the entire Handel Messiah. In addition, a number of community orchestras and choruses are giving their renditions of holiday favorites. Take your pick!
Full Story
Tue, Nov 24, 2009
Kansas City classical music and dance organizations realized a long time ago that the Thanksgiving weekend was given over more to turkey and football than to cultural pursuits. As a result, there is only one classical event on the calendar for this weekend, although it's a doozy...the Kansas City Symphony and Chorus and the Community of Christ Independence Messiah Choir in an extravaganza performance of Handel's Messiah. Along with the Plaza Lights, it will be the perfect way to start off your holiday season! Next week begins a plethora of holiday programs, so stay tuned...
Full Story
Wed, Nov 11, 2009
The UMKC Conservatory of Music opera program with "Hansel und Gretel," begins this week. The KC Symphony season continues with the music of Sibelius, Ravel and a world premiere by contemporary composer Avner Dorman. Choral music fans will enjoy the the William Baker Festival Singers this weekend. And that’s just a little taste of all the great music that awaits you.
Full Story
Mon, Oct 26, 2009
Performances coming up this week include the Lyric Opera’s H.M.S. Pinafore opening on November 6 and two outstanding string quartet recitals, the Cypress String Quartet at the Lied Center in Lawrence and the St. Lawrence String Quartet with The Friends of Chamber Music at the Folly Theater. For fans of contemporary music this is the high season – the NewEar Contemporary Music Ensemble features the compositions of Steven Hartke, and the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance is presenting an entire festival devoted to the music of octogenarian composer George Crumb.
Full Story
Tue, Oct 13, 2009
Kansas City’s arts organizations are in full gear now, and the next two weekends offer an overabundance of excellent performances. The 200th Mendelssohn anniversary brings us Symphony concert master Kanako Ito in the master’s Violin Concerto, and The Friends of Chamber Music presents the always entrancing group Anonymous 4, and the Harriman Jewell Series features British organist David Goode. And several community orchestras take the stage for ambitious programs of their own. Whew! Don’t complain about lack of choices, Kansas City!
Full Story
Tue, Sep 29, 2009
Another European star making a Kansas City appearance is the brilliant young cellist Alban Gerhardt, from the Netherlands, playing the ravishing Dvorak Cello Concerto with the Kansas City Symphony. For dance enthusiasts, the Virsky Ukrainian Dance troupe brings Eastern European dance movements to the Folly Theater stage under the sponsorship of the Harriman-Jewell Series.
Full Story
Mon, Sep 14, 2009
Yefim Bronfman appears with the Kansas City Symphony, Jane Solose solos with the UMKC Conservatory Orchestra, and James Cockman tickles the keyboard for the Kansas City Wind Symphony. Perhaps the most spectacular musician appearing on a Kansas City stage these weeks, however, is the brilliant young violinist Stefan Jackiw with the Harriman Jewell Series. His is a talent that must be heard to be believed.
Full Story
Tue, Sep 01, 2009
We have ballet coming up soon, along with Lang Lang in recital and the opening of the newEar and Lyric Opera seasons. It's enough to whet your appetite for the season to come!
Full Story
Mon, Aug 17, 2009
While there are not any classical music performances now through the end of the August, that's good news in disguise, for it means that most of our city's classical music organizations are getting ready for their new seasons! There's lots of exciting stuff coming up, and here's a a sampling of just some of the music and dance performances this fall.
Full Story
Sun, Jul 05, 2009
The justly-celebrated Summerfest chamber music series gets under way beginning July 11 with an intriguing program mixing contemporary works with Baroque classics.
Full Story
Tue, Jun 30, 2009
If you need a 4th of July musical fix, there are several community orchestra and band concerts in the area that will fill your ears with patriotic tunes, and perhaps deafen your eardrums with fireworks, as well.
Full Story
Tue, Jun 16, 2009
If you are an opera fan, your summer fix is here in the form of "Don Pasquale" with the Kansas City Civic Opera on June 26 and 28. And there's more!
Full Story
Mon, Jun 01, 2009
Gamelan music and an exciting collaboration with The Bach Aria Soloists and The Owens/Cox Dance Group kick off the summer season.
Full Story
Tue, May 19, 2009
The KC Symphony presents its final classical series of the season. Famed pianist Peter Serkin tackles Beethoven’s fiendish Piano Concerto No. 2 and a recent composition by Charles Wuorinen.
Full Story
Tue, May 05, 2009
For one of your rare chances to hear a chorus sing in elf-speech, check out the Kansas City Symphony's performance of "Lord of the Rings" Symphony on May 7 and 8 at the Music Hall. Also check out the many other classical offerings over the next two weeks...
Full Story
Fri, Apr 24, 2009
Many classical offerings in the metropolis as the season winds down to an end...
Full Story
Mon, Apr 13, 2009
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Philip Glass, Ivan Moravec, KC Chorale, UMKC
and much more
Full Story
Wed, Apr 01, 2009
KC Symphony with Emanuel Ax, Calder Quartet and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Full Story
Mon, Mar 23, 2009
KC Symphony and Nicola Benedetti, Heartland Men's Chorus, KC Wind Symphony, Te Deum and more!
Full Story
Mon, Mar 16, 2009
KC Symphony Chamber Players, Guarneri and Johannes String Quartets, Estonian National Orchestra, La Traviata, Yevgeny Sudbin and much more!
Full Story
Mon, Mar 09, 2009
Academy of Ancient Music, La Traviata, Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, Topeka Symphony Orchestra
Full Story
Mon, Mar 02, 2009
Irish Spectacular, KC Youth Symphony, Bach Aria Soloists, Rob Kapilow and more!
Full Story
Mon, Feb 23, 2009
KC Symphony's "A Hero's Life." Beowulf, St. Paul by Mendelssohn, UMKC Masterclasses & Recitals
Full Story
RSS 2.0 Feed
