March is always a good time for classical in Colorado. Local audiences come out of hibernation and the region’s music ensembles meet the moment with some of their best annual offerings.
This year is no different, with both presenters and performers putting iconic selections on their programs, from Bach to Brahms, and from baroque to contemporary, there is plenty to choose from. Here are six picks.
Akropolis Reed Quintet, March 15, Lakewood Cultural Center
The Akropolis Read Quartet has changed the face of classical music by transforming one of the more unusual combinations of instruments into a popular attraction. The group is a regular at music venues across the world, including at the always-entertaining Lakewood Cultural Center, where it is an audience favorite. The group returns in March with a likable program, a mix of musical re-imaginings of work by Ravel and Gershwin, and a premiere of a new piece, “A Soulful Nexus,” by Los Angeles-based composer Derrick Skye. This ensemble has talent and personality.
Info: 303-987-7845 or lakewood.org/lccpresents
Sphinx Virtuosi, Newman Center Presents, March 20
When the Newman Center and Denver’s Friends of Chamber Music combine their efforts to produce a concert together, it’s always a good bet for local classical audiences. That happens March 20, when the duo co-presents Sphinx Virtuosi, a group that has been making waves internationally. The small
chamber orchestra is comprised entirely of Black and Latinx artists, whose numbers have traditionally been under represented on this side of the music business. The program offers something different, too: a night composers many people do not already know, including Adolphus Hailstork, Andrea Casarrubios, Xavier Foleya and Coleridge Taylor Perkinson. It is a rare opportunity to expand your personal classical canon.
Info: 303-871-7720 or newmancenterpresents.com
Stravinsky’s “The Firebird,” Colorado Symphony, March 8-10
This classical icon always get music fans to the theater. Stravinsky’s masterful ballet composition that also works, with great drama, as an instrumental showpiece. The program is rounded out by two other works that add a considerably different dimension to the evening. Korngold’ lush “Theme and Variations” and film composer Danny Elfman’s adventurous Percussion Concerto. All the musicians get a chance to shine, as does Christopher Dragon, who is set to conduct.
Info: 303-623-7876 or coloradosymphony.org
“Motet Masters,” Kantorei, March 9-10
It is impossible not to love Kantorei’s enthusiastic mission of “elevating the human experience through choral excellence.” But the choral ensemble, one of the region’s most-dependable musical operations, lives up to its aims. It also succeeds in its goal of
educating folks about the art it makes. This concert will do that by diving into the motet, among the most important forms of classical music that has been explored by composers for centuries. There will be a little Bach, a little Brahms, and some other popular names on the program, along with the chorus’ smiling faces. The performances are at local houses of worship; check the website for exact locations.
Info: kantorei.org
Takács Quartet, CU Presents, March 10-11
The Takács Quartet has been around for a considerable three-plus decades. It’s home base is the University of Colorado Boulder, but it is a recurring attraction at music venues across the globe. The Takács Quartet almost never stops touring. This hometown show is special, with a program of string quartets by Haydn and Dvořák, along the very lesser-known Nokuthula Ngwenyama, which will give the performances a nice, unexpected twist. The March 10 performance will be streamed live and then available digitally until March 18. Tickets for both options are on the website.
Info: 303-492-8008 or cupresents.org
“Carmina Burana,” St. Martin’s Chamber Choir, March 15 and 17
Is “Carmina Burana,” the most popular choral offering on the planet? I say, yes, and that is backed up by just how often choral groups present it to their audiences. Carl Orff’s 1936 masterwork is an crowd-pleaser from the first note to the last — though especially the last. The piece is in excellent hands with St. Martin’s Chamber Choir, always lead skillfully by founder and Artistic Director Timothy J. Krueger. This group is a local treasure.
Info: 303-298-1970 or stmartinschamberchoir.org
