Violinist GIORA SCHMIDT plays Beethoven at the Louvre, Sibelius at the Naples Philharmonic, and more

April 2008. Recent highlights lead into a strong spring for violinist GIORA SCHMIDT: in February he played a Mendelssohn Concerto with "an acutely focused, gleaming sound that recalls Perlman in his prime" (MIAMI HERALD, Feb.13, 2008) and last month he returned to the Louvre Museum (his critically acclaimed debut in 2006 lead to an immediate reengagement) for the complete Beethoven Sonatas with pianist Jean-Frederic Neuburger.

Mr. Schmidt now heads back to Florida for the Sibelius Concerto with Jorge Mester and the Naples Philharmonic. Upcoming dates include a return to the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival for concerts with ZUILL BAILEY, pianist Navah Perlman and others. He also joins Itzhak Perlman as artist/faculty at the Perlman Music Program in Shelter Island, NY.

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Pianist URSULA OPPENS plays Elliott Carter recitals and a world premiere with the Los Angeles Phil

April 2008. Pianist URSULA OPPENS made her Walt Disney Hall debut last month with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for a Green Umbrella Series concert, performing a world premiere concerto by Harold Meltzer, as well as Elliott Carter's "Dialogues":

"Pianist Ursula Oppens, one of the most persuasive of Carter performers, was the commanding soloist...[she] gave every phrase drama and clear definition." Mark Swed, THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, March 28, 2008.

Ms. Oppens performs the complete solo piano works of Mr. Carter in recital this year, with recent outings in Madrid and at SymphonySpace in New York and a featured spot in San Francisco Performances' special Elliott Carter Centenary Celebration (December 6 & 7, 2008.)

Other appearances include a William Bolcolm world premiere, "Ballade" at Merkin Hall as part of the Grand Piano Marathon; recitals in San Diego and Los Angeles; a return to Ravinia for a recital as part of the Festival's Elliott Carter centenary celebrations, and a reunion with Mark Morris Dance Group for "Mozart Dances" in Toronto and in New Zealand.

Read More about Ursula Oppens

Tenor JAMES TAYLOR sings an "impossibly fresh" Evangelist with the New York Phil, Britten with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra

April 2008. Next week JAMES TAYLOR brings his "almost impossibly fresh, lovely - and accurate" tenor to Benjamin Britten's lovely Serenade for Tenor and Horn with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. (THE NEW YORK SUN, March 21, 2008.) His sweet lyricism was on excellent display last month, as he sang his acclaimed Evangelist in the Bach St. Matthew Passion with the New York Philharmonic, led by Kurt Masur (JASON GRANT sang Peter/Judas,) following a February outing for the Bach Mass in B Minor with the Los Angeles Master Chorale at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Next up Mr. Taylor sings Mendelssohn's Elijah with Helmuth Rilling and the National Arts Centre Orchestra; the Beethoven Missa Solemnis with Carlos Kalmar and the Grant Park Music Festival Orchestra and Chorus; Haydn's "Harmoniemesse" and Beethoven Mass in C Major with Rilling and the Radio-Sinfonierorchester Stuttgart des SWR.

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Cellist MARK KOSOWER joins the Syracuse Symphony for a six-city tour of the Dvorak Concerto

April 2008. It's a great season for cellist MARK KOSOWER. Fresh from concerts with New York City's Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players, a Brahms Double Concerto with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and a critically acclaimed recital in Anchorage, Alaska, this month Mr. Kosower joins the Syracuse Symphony for a six-city tour of the Dvorak Concerto, led by Music Director Daniel Hege.

"For Mark Kosower, on the other hand, the music's personality is what stands out. He is, in all respects, a marvelous interpreter: accurate, alert, smoothly nuanced, capable of handling special effects with masterful precision." – THE ANCHORAGE DAILY NEWS, Feb. 6, 2008

This summer Mr. Kosower makes returns to the Belgrade Cello Fest and the Sitka Music Festival in Alaska. He also returns to North America in July for a recital and masterclasses in Coral Gables, Florida.

Visit his new Colbert Scrapbook and see him in action!

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Soprano JULIANE BANSE sings a "radiant" Mahler 2 and recitals in New York, Philly

April 2008. Soprano JULIANE BANSE wraps up a series of smashing North American appearances today, when she is joined by pianist Brian Zeger and the ROSSETTI STRING QUARTET for a concert at the 92nd Street Y, where she sings the New York premiere of a recently discovered Bach aria, Alles mit Gott, BWV 1127, as well as a selection of Mendelssohn songs. Other dates included a recital for the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and an acclaimed Mahler 2 with Ivan Fischer and the National Symphony Orchestra:

"Juliane Banse, making her debut with the orchestra, was every bit as wonderful as her recordings lead one to believe, with a rich soprano that went as low as Larmore's and sailed up to a radiant top." - THE WASHINGTON POST, April 4, 2008.

Next up Ms. Banse reunites with violinst András Keller for performances of Kafka Fragments in Spain and Italy (they will also perform the work later this summer at the Salzburg Festival.) In June she sings Ilia in Mozart's Idomeneo, led by Kent Nagano, at the newly reopened Cuvilliés Theater in Munich – the house where the opera was first performed in 1781.

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A busy winter for countertenor DEREK LEE RAGIN; performing in South Korea, Italy and Budapest

February 2008. It’s been a busy winter for countertenor DEREK LEE RAGIN, with performances across the globe. In South Korea, he joined the country’s first period orchestra – Collegium Musicum Hanyang – for performances of Bach and Vivaldi. Mr. Ragin was also invited to perform at the Budapest Chamber Opera’s Fifteenth Anniversary gala, singing Handel arias as well as Negro Spirituals, “There’s a man goin’ roun’” and “Ev’ry time I feel the spirit”.

The winter also took Mr. Ragin to Siena, Italy for chamber performances of Handel cantatas. In other recent highlights, Mr. Ragin appeared in the English Touring Opera’s Teseo, winning acclaim in performances across the UK.

Next up, Mr. Ragin joins Florilegium for concerts in Spain (Malaga, Ubeda, Aranjuez,) and at the Wyastone Summer Festival (UK).

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Soprano ANJA SILJA sings Pierrot Lunaire with James Levine and the Met Orchestra

February 2008. Elegant ANJA SILJA returned to New York last month for a searing performance of Pierrot Lunaire with James Levine and members of the Met Opera Orchestra. “Ms. Silja had no problems with precision or power, but what made her reading exceptional was the humanizing nuance and flexibility she brought to movements like “Valse de Chopin,” “Der Kranke Mond,” “Gebet an Pierrot” and “Galgenlied.” (Allan Kozinn, NY Times, Jan.29, 2008)

Next up, the soprano returns to the Vienna, for a continuation of the acclaimed Pique Dame at the Staatsoper, as well as a new production of Katya Kabanova at the Theater an der Wien. Recent highlights include a critical success as Kostelnicka at The Metropolitan Opera, and a Herodias in Salome at the newly renovated Salle Pleyel in Paris.

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Baritone JASON GRANT sings at Seattle Opera, debuts with the New York Phil, and the St. Louis and Milwaukee symphony orchestras

February 2008. Baritone JASON GRANT began the New Year in Boston, joining the Handel & Haydn Society for Shakespearean Baroque Arias and duets conducted by Philip Pickett. This month Mr. Grant returns to the Seattle Opera for Angelotti in Tosca.

March finds him making his debut with the New York Philharmonic in the Kurt Masur-led St. Matthew Passion, followed by a debut with the Saint Louis Symphony as Don Fernando in concert performances of Fidelio led by David Robertson (CELENA SHAFER sings Marzelline.)

In another debut this season, Mr. Grant joins Andreas Delfs and the Milwaukee Symphony for Bach’s Mass in B Minor.

Other upcoming highlights include a June return to the New York Philharmonic for concert performances of Tosca conducted by Lorin Maazel, and his Mostly Mozart debut in August in Mozart’s Mass in C Minor led by Louis Langrée.

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After back-to-back Messiahs, soprano CELENA SHAFER looks forward to Fidelio in Saint Louis

February 2008. It was a busy December for soprano CELENA SHAFER, with back to back Messiahs at the Seattle Symphony and the New York Philharmonic: "Celena Shafer, a soprano whose New York appearances are something for which we largely have the Philharmonic to thank, was brilliant throughout, her light, sweet voice penetrating and persuasive." (NY Times, 12/21/07)

Recent highlights include the Brahms German Requiem with Phoenix Symphony and Michael Christie; a work she sang last season with the Chicago Symphony and the New York Philharmonic.

Next up, she sings Rossini's Stabat Mater with the Madison Symphony and in March she debuts with the St. Louis Symphony as Marzelline in concert performances of Beethoven's Fidelio led by David Robertson (JASON GRANT as Don Fernando). The summer finds her with Paul Gemignani and the Orchestra of St. Luke's for a gala performance of Jerome Kern's Showboat at Carnegie Hall: Ms. Shafer sings Magnolia to Nathan Gunn's Gaylord Ravenal, other performers include Marilyn Horne and Carolee Carmello, Francesca Zambello directs.

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Violinist ANNE AKIKO MEYERS performs 5 centuries of western music with REWIND in San Francisco

January 2008. Always eager to explore new forms and means of performance, violinist ANNE AKIKO MEYERS makes several West Coast appearances this month, notably reuniting with Paul Haas for “Rewind” with the New Century Chamber Orchestra in San Francisco . A seamless concert experience, “Rewind” presents five centuries of music, held together with new-music continuo. The work was premiered with Ms. Meyers at New York City’s Angel Orensanz Center.

Next up, Ms. Meyers performs Mendelssohn Concerto in E Minor with Boris Brott and the New West Symphony, a work she revists in February with Carl St. Clair and the Pacific Symphony. Other upcoming highlights include the Barber Violin Concerto with the Warsaw Philharmonic and the Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana in Palermo; performances of Prokofiev 1 with the Spokane Symphony; recitals in California and New York; and performances at the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan.

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New-music dynamo MARINO FORMENTI performs Messiaen with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the LA Phil

January 2008. This month pianist/conductor MARINO FORMENTI leads works by Luigi Nono for Maurizio Pollini’s Prospettive in Rome, before landing in Los Angeles to perform Messiaen’s Des canyons aux étoiles with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the LA Phil. It’s a welcome return to California, where Formenti’s exquisite “San Francisco Piano Trips”, a three-recital series for San Francisco Performances, made Joshua Kosman’s Top Ten Classical Performances of 2007: “The Italian pianist’s gorgeous stream-of-consciousness trek through music from Guillaume de Machaut to György Kurtág…redefined the possibilities of the solo recital.” SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, December 30, 2007

Upcoming dates include a performance of Messiaen’s “Visions de L’Amen” at the Mozartwoche in Salzburg, a return to New York City for masterclasses at the Manhattan School of Music, performances of Stefano Gervasoni’s “Irrene Stimme” with Lothar Zagrosek and the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, and performances of Fabio Nieder’s new piano concerto with the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln.

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FLUX QUARTET explores What’s Great about John Adams at Lincoln Center

January 2008. This month FLUX Quartet pursues music’s “Why?” in various means and methods. First they perform Matthew Welch’s “Siubhal Turnlar” (composed for, premiered and recorded by the FLUX) alongside Lukas Ligeti’s “Moving Houses” at Brooklyn’s ISSUE Project Room on January 25. They then heads to Lincoln Center for a What Makes it Great? with Rob Kapilow performance on January 28, where they’ll explore and illuminate the oscillating patterns of John Adams’ “Shaker Loops”.

This season also sees a return to the Kennedy Center for “Connect Transfer” with Shen Wei Dance Arts; FLUX last performed the dance/painting-in-action piece, set to Ligeti’s String Quartet No.1, at Walt Disney Music Hall in Los Angeles in June 2007. Other upcoming dates include an appearance at the American Composers Orchestra’s memorial for composer Leroy Jenkins; a performance at John Zorn’s New York space, The Stone; and performances of Aaron Siegel’s “Another Place to Be” at The Chocolate Factory in Long Island City.

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URSULA OPPENS plays the complete solo piano works of Elliott Carter in Madrid and New York City

January 2008. This month singular pianist URSULA OPPENS kicks off Elliott Carter’s 100th birthday year with performances of his complete solo piano works in recital at New York City’s SymphonySpace and in Madrid, Spain. She also appears this month at the newly re-opened Merkin Hall, as part of the Grand Piano Marathon, where she’ll perform the world-premiere of William Bolcolm’s “Ballade.”

In March, Ms. Oppens joins the Los Angeles Philharmonic for a Green Umbrella concert, performing Carter’s “Dialogues” and the world premiere of Harold Meltzer’s new piano concerto. Other upcoming highlights include recitals in San Diego and LA, a reunion with Mark Morris Dance Group for Mozart Dances at the MacMillan Theater in Toronto, and a recital at Ravinia as part of the Festival’s Elliott Carter centenary celebration.

Read More about Ursula Oppens

Countess at The Met, Donna Elvira at Opera Lyra, a Mozart-filled fall for WENDY NIELSEN

November 2007. Last month soprano WENDY NIELSEN returned to the Met Opera to sing Mozart's gracious Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro; an eleventh-hour performance (stepping in for an ailing Hei-Kyung Hong,) that won acclaim not only from the audience, but from her colleagues onstage and the conductor, Maestro Philippe Jordan - newly appointed Music Director at the Opera National de Paris.

This month Ms. Nielsen sings another signature role - the volatile Donna Elvira in Opera Lyra's Don Giovanni.

Recent and upcoming highlights include Christmas concerts with the Symphony New Brunswick, and debuts in the title roles of Tosca and, next-season, Strauss' great Ariadne auf Naxos.

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BERNHARD GUELLER re-signs with Symphony Nova Scotia, leads a Brahms Fest

November 2007. Last month Symphony Nova Scotia announced that BERNHARD GUELLER will continue his role as Music Director for five more years. Since 2002, when he was the unanimous choice a selection committee of musicians, board, staff and consultants, Maestro Gueller’s tenure has been marked by financial stability and artistic excellence.

This week Maestro Gueller leads an expanded SNS in a Brahms Festival. In performances of Symphonies Nos. 1and 3, Piano Concerto No.1, the German Requiem and more, the Festival embodies the rich working relationship between Mo. Gueller and the SNS.

This month Maestro Gueller also leads concerts with the Nuremberg Symphony, where he has been Music Director since 2005.

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YOLANDA KONDONASSIS performs recitals, chamber concerts and releases a new album

November 2007. Harpist YOLANDA KONDONASSIS kicked off a busy November with a recital at the lovely Spivey Hall in Georgia. This week she heads north to judge the Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal's 68th annual Standard Life Competition - a trip topped off by a chamber concert at which she'll perform Ravel's Allegro and Introduction with members of the OSM.

Next up, Ms. Kondonassis and the ROSSETTI STRING QUARTET join forces at the Philharmonic Society of Orange County for the first of several 07/08 concerts, in which they'll perform works by Handel, Mahler, Debussy and more.

This month also sees the release of Ms. Kondonassis' new album, Salzedo's Harp, featuring the music of harp virtuoso and pedagogue Carlos Salzedo. Ms. Kondonassis discusses the album's program and development in a YouTube feature: click here to watch.

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JUILLIARD STRING QUARTET performs Carter and a world premiere with Charles Neidich

November 2007. Last month the JUILLIARD STRING QUARTET gave the world premiere performance of Ralph Shapely's "Two for Five" in a performance at the Juilliard School. Scored for string quartet and clarinet, the JSQ performed the piece with clarinetist Charles Neidich in a performance that was "the picture of fleetness and energy." (New York Times, 10.24.07)

The concert also featured Mozart K.546 and Elliott Carter's Quartet No. 2 - a work that received its premiere by the JSQ in 1960.

This January the Juilliard String Quartet will be honored by Chamber Music America with the 2008 Richard J. Bogomolny National Service Award. The prestigious award, which will by presented at the 2008 CMA conference in New York City, recognizes the Juilliard String Quartet's incalculable contributions to American chamber music, in their premieres of more than 60 new works, in the mentoring of innumerable musicians and ensembles, and in their influence on American chamber music styles and traditions.

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Free mp3 download from violinist GIORA SCHMIDT's debut recital disc Vocalise!

October 2007. This month only we offer you a free mp3 download from Vocalise - Allegretto poco mosso from the Franck Sonata in A Major. Released by Allegro Music/Endeavour Classics, the recording spans centuries and styles, with music by Vivaldi, De Falla, Phillip Lasser, Wieniawski and Frank. You can also check out the full album on iTunes or purchase from Allegro here:

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Baritone CHRISTIAN GERHAHER sings North American recitals with pianist Gerold Huber

October 2007. Baritone CHRISTIAN GERHAHER tours North America this month with recital and recording partner, pianist Gerold Huber. Performing Schubert's Die Schöne Mullerin and an all-Schumann program, Mr. Gerhaher and Mr. Huber appear in Washington D.C., Baltimore, Montreal, at Yale University and at Carnegie's Weill Hall".

The tour comes fresh on the heels of Britten's War Requiem with Helmuth Rilling and the International Bachakademie Stuttgart, a work Gerhaher also performs this season with James Conlon and the Munich Philharmonic. Next month, Mr. Gerhaher sings Ein Deutsches Requiem with Rilling and the Stuttgart Philharmoniker, tours Germany with Mr. Huber and Die Schöne Mullerin, and joins Angelika Kirchschlager, Andreas Scholl and Graham Johnson at Wigmore Hall for William Lyne's birthday concert, followed by a solo recital there later in the season.

Other upcoming dates include the title role in Frankfurt Opera's Monteverdi Orfeo and a tour of Japan singing Mahler's Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with Herbert Blomstedt and the NHK Symphony.

Read More about Christian Gerhaher

Cellist ZUILL BAILEY performs complete Beethoven Sonatas with Simone Dinnerstein at the Met Museum

October 2007. This week cellist ZUILL BAILEY performs the complete Beethoven Cello Sonatas at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with pianist Simone Dinnerstein. The two appear together later this month at Carnegie's Weill Hall, where they will receive the Classical Recording Foundation's Samuel Sanders Award. The award sponsors their recording of the complete Beethoven Cello Sonatas: Vol. 1 was released last season by Delos to sweeping critical acclaim, vol. 2 is due out in 2008. Bailey and Dinnerstein repeat the Beethoven later this season at the National Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Next up Mr. Bailey performs the Elgar Concerto with the Long Island Philharmonic. Other upcoming 07/08 highlights include appearances with the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Honolulu and Edmonton symphony orchestras, a return to the Virginia Symphony, and a recital appearance at the La Jolla Music Society.

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Flutist MARINA PICCININI tours with the Musicians from Marlboro and is featured in Pan Magazine

October 2007. Flutist MARINA PICCININI tours next month with Musicians from Marlboro. The esteemed chamber ensemble performs Beethoven and Kodaly at Ravinia, the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, in Washington D.C at the Smithsonian, in Boston at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and in New York City at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In other news, Ms. Piccinini was the cover profile in last month's Pan Magazine. ANDREAS HAEFLIGER. Ms. Piccinini and Mr. Haefliger collaborate in recital as well, receiving critical acclaim for a recent disc on Avie Records.

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Maestro DAVID STAHL opens a trans-Atlantic season with Carmina Burana and Le Nozze di Figaro

October 2007. It's a great start to the fall for Maestro DAVID STAHL as he opens the season leading his orchestras on both sides of the Atlantic - the Charleston Symphony Orchestra here and the Staatstheater am Gaertnerplatz in Munich.

First up was a "crackling, cohesive" Carmina Burana in Charleston (City Paper, 10.3.07). This month Stahl leads Le Nozze di Figaro for the Gaertnerplatz opener, kicking off a busy opera season: 12 premiere productions and 13 repertoire productions. Of these Maestro Stahl leads the Merry Widow, Hansel und Gretel, Barber of Seville, La Boheme, Die Zauberflöte, Philip Glass' Beauty and the Beast et al. Back in Charleston, Mo. Stahl leads the CSO in performances of Debussy, Bartók, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Ravel's Daphne et Chloe, the Berlioz Symphony Fantastique, a concert version of Bernstein's Candide and more throughout the season.

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Maestro JACQUES LACOMBE leads world premiere performances with Gheorghiu and Alagna at Opera Marseille

September 2007. This month Maestro JACQUES LACOMBE leads opera superstars Angela Gheorgiu and Roberto Alagna at Opera Marseille in the world-premiere performances of Marius et Fanny. The first full opera by renowned movie-music composer Vladimir Cosma, the work is based on the first two parts of the Marseille Trilogy by famed French author Marcel Pagnol. "At the podium, Jacques Lacombe doesn't lack spirit or lyricism"." (Les Echos 9/11/07.) It's a lovely beginning to a busy season: the Maestro leads performances of Die Fledermaus and Jenufa with the Monte Carlo Opera, Zemlinsky's Der Traumgörge with the Deutsche Oper Berlin; Il barbiere di Siviglia with L'Opera de Montreal; and La Bohème with Vancouver Opera.

Maestro Lacombe also returns to the Montreal Symphony Orchestra in fall and spring subscription concerts, leading performances of Honegger Symphony No.3, Shostakovich Symphony No. 9, the Berlioz Roman Carnival Overture, Ravel's La Valse and more.

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Tenor JAMES TAYLOR sings Britten with Helmuth Rilling, looks forward to Bach on both coasts

September 2007. This month JAMES TAYLOR sings the Britten War Requiem with Helmuth Rilling (and CHRISTIAN GERHAHER,) in Stuttgart, Leverkusen and Bonn as part of the Europäisches Musikfest. Other upcoming highlights include Handel's Messiah with the Calagary Philharmonic, the Bach Mass in B Minor at Walt Disney Hall with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Elijah with the National Art Centre Orchestra in Ottawa and the Evangelist in the St. Matthew Passion with Kurt Masur at the New York Philharmonic. Mr. Taylor also sings more Britten in the spring, performing the Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.

This season marks his third year as associate adjunct professor of voice at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, where he is also adviser to the program in voice: early music, oratorio and chamber ensemble.

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A great TAFELMUSIK summer ­ critical praise at Aspen, Ravinia, Dartmouth College and a grant to grow and strengthen new audiences and initiative

September 2007. The energetic Baroque orchestra wound up its summer with a flourish, winning high critical praise with crowd-pleasing performances at Ravinia, Aspen and Dartmouth College before heading to Germany for a residency at the Klang und Raum Festival with champion and frequent collaborator Bruno Weil.

This fall season is shaped in part by a major grant awarded to the orchestra by the Canada Council's 2007 & 2008 SOFI Funds, an amount they are using further develop the interdependent relationship between their recording, touring and educational initiatives. These projects include the upcoming (fall 2007) release of the Vivaldi L'Estro armonico with Elizabeth Wallfisch (Analekta), production and distribution of their Four Seasons Mosaic television documentary DVD, and development of online performance video clips. With pages on Myspace and Facebook, "Pay What You Will Fridays" for 18-30 year-olds, and the newly launched Tafelmusik Baroque Learning Center website, Tafelmusik aims to develop and communicate with their younger and future audiences.

Next up, Tafelmusik opens the home season with Toronto performances this month before they head to East Asia in October, performing Four Seasons: A Cycle of the Sun in Beijing, Hong Kong, Macau and Seoul.

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Pianist URSULA OPPENS' season in dialogue: Mark Morris, Tobias Picker, Elliott Carter, Harold Meltzer and more

September 2007. Dynamic pianist URSULA OPPENS wrapped up a stellar summer with Mark Morris Dance Group at Ravinia in the sublime Mozart Dances. These "ravishing, flawless performances" (Chicago Sun-Times, 8/27/07) are a perfect example of Ms. Oppens' distinctive collaborative artistry, characterized by her years of inspiration to and dialogue with some of the greatest composers the times. The dialogue continues this month as she records the complete piano works of Tobias Picker (in collaboration with the composer,) in New York City. Other upcoming dates include a featured appearance at the Los Angeles Philharmonic's wonderfully popular Green Umbrella New Music Series (performing the world premiere of Harold Meltzer's Piano Concerto,) and a special performance of friend and musical comrade Elliott Carter's complete solo piano works at New York City's SymphonySpace. Ms. Oppens carries this program throughout 2008, in honor of Mr. Carter's 100th birthday year.

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Rossetti String Quartet lights-up New York's Frick with Mozart, Dvorak and Ravel

July 2007. It's a busy month for the ROSSETTI STRING QUARTET with performances in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; and a New York City concert of Mozart, Dvorak and Ravel at the Frick Collection. The Quartet then heads to Woodstock, New York for their annual rock-star appearance at Maverick Concerts. The summer also included their annual residency at Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival and a return to Spoleto Festival, Italy. The upcoming season sees the Rossettis on tour with harpist YOLANDA KONDONASSIS in California, Wisconsin and New York, and at the 92nd Street Y with soprano JULIANE BANSE. They also return to The Music Guild of Los Angeles for concerts and outreach in inner-city LA.

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Tafelmusik brings Baroque to Aspen, Ravinia and Dartmouth College

July 2007. Spirited Baroque orchestra TAFELMUSIK returns to the US for summer festival dates, appearing this month at Ravinia, Aspen and Dartmouth College. Tafelmusik tours Metamorphosis: From Myth to Music, with narrator R.H. Thomson; a second program featuring Handel's Suite in F Major from Water Music, Bach, Vivaldi, Albinoni and Boccherini's Symphony in D Minor, "Nella casa del diavolo"; and a range of educational activities. Next up the orchestra travels to Germany for the Klang&Raum Festival for performances with festival director (and Tafelmusik champion) Bruno Weil. Other upcoming highlights include a Fall 2007 tour to China and South Korea, regular season performances and educational programs in Toronto, and a Winter 2008 tour to the US and Puerto Rico, with dates at Walt Disney Hall and Wolf Trap.

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Pianist Mari Kodama produces the remarkable Forest Hill MusicalDays.

July 2007. It's an international summer for pianist Mari Kodama. In June she appeared in concert with Tokyo's NHK Symphony and performed recitals in Japan and in Germany, where she also curated a chamber-music series at the Bad Kissengen Festival.

This month Ms. Kodama performs Mozart Concerto for Two Pianos No.10 with her sister, pianist Momo Kodama, at the Festival International de Piano La Roque d'Anthéron. She then returns to the US for Forest Hill MusicalDays, a remarkable cooperative chamber-music festival founded by Ms. Kodama with her husband, conductor Kent Nagano, for their San Francisco community. The festival, in its fourth year, offers intimate performances of Bach, Kurtág, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Mussorgsky, Debussy, et al. Upcoming dates include Prokofiev 3 with the Osnabrücker Symphonierorchester in September and October.

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José van Dam sings an "elegantly sinister" La Damnation de Faust at Tanglewood

July 2007. This month, celebrated baritone José van Dam returns to the Boston Symphony Orchestra to reprise his "elegantly sinister Mephistopheles" (J. Eichler, The Boston Globe, 2/10/07) in Berlioz's La Damnation de Faust. Mr. van Dam performed the work earlier this season with James Levine and the BSO in Boston and at Carnegie Hall. They go on European tour later this month, performing the Berlioz at the Lucerne Music Festival, in Essen, Paris, and at the BBC Proms. Mr. van Dam also brings his exceptional song artistry to Tanglewood, in an August 16 recital of Fauré, Duparc, Debussy and Poulenc songs with pianist Craig Rutenberg.

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