Charlotte arts season 2016-17: Music (classical to jazz, opera to folk)

What’s up this season? Check out the lineup.

[Find where you’re going on our interactive map. You can check the rest of the calendar by discipline, too: dance; theater; literary events; pop music; and visual arts.]

Free concerts are performed in the Belmont Abbey Basilica, 100 Belmont-Mt. Holly Rd., Belmont Abbey College campus. bac.edu.

Sept. 26: “Celebrating Shakespeare: Wit and Wisdom from Will.” Music from the Renaissance to the 21st century.

Oct. 24: D’Amore Duo (oboe and guitar) does “Abraham and Isaac,” a new work by Ronald Pearl.

Nov. 13: Ensemble Aubade celebrates the 100th anniversary of Debussy’s trio for flute, viola and harp.

Dec. 9: College Holiday Concert.

Jan. 29: The male vocal ensemble Suspicious Cheese Lords presents “Franken Mass,” sacred Renaissance music with secular inspiration.

Feb. 20: The Merling Trio plays works for violin, cello and piano.

March 9: Cellist Christopher Hutton plays music of Bach and works inspired by it.

March 27: “Paris à Printemps,” 18th-century French music by Carolina Pro Musica and baroque violinist John Pruett.

April 30: Annual Spring Concert.

The museum at 420 S. Tryon St. presents jazz by Ziad Jazz Quartet and chamber music concerts, plus Living Room Concerts on Sundays in private homes. 704-353-9200; Classical: bechtler.org. Jazz: bechtler.org.

Oct. 7: “Sinatra at the Bechtler,” featuring Joe Gransden.

Nov. 4: “The Harmonica in Jazz,” featuring Frédéric Yonnet.

Dec. 2: “Jingle Bell Jazz.”

Jan. 6: “Many Shades of Blue.”

Feb. 3: “Jazz for Lovers,” featuring Toni Tupponce.

March 3: “The Flute,” featuring Phil Thompson.

April 7: “Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers: Birdland Recordings Vol. 1 And Vol. 2.”

May 5: “Authentic Gypsy Jazz.”

June 6: “Trane 1964: ‘Crescent’ and ‘A Love Supreme.’ ”

Oct. 2 and 4: Violinist Rachell Wong, cellist Coleman Itzkoff and pianist Anton Smirnoff play Bach, Beach and Beethoven.

Nov. 1: “Bruce Murray and Friends: Schubertiade.”

Dec. 13: “A Skylark Christmas” with Skylark Vocal Ensemble.

Jan. 10: Violinist Andrew Gonzalez and pianist Carlos Avila play Marais, Friedman, Brahms.

Feb. 7-12: Cellist Brooks Whitehouse and bassist Paul Sharpe, aka Low and Lower, return with a new program, “The Musical.”

March 7: Members of the period instrument group Boston Baroque play the Biber Mystery Sonatas.

April 2 and 4: Pianist Anna Fedorova plays Mozart, Chopin, Scriabin.

May 14 and 16: Harpist Andrea Mumm and a string quartet play Debussy, Handel, Caplet.

Performs early music at churches and other locales in and near Mecklenburg County. 704-334-3468. carolinapromusica.org.

Sept. 24: “Celebrating Shakespeare: Wit and Wisdom from Will.” Music from the Renaissance to the 21st centuries.

Oct. 29: “Baroque Masters,” including Hasse, Telemann and Jacquet de la Guerre.

Dec. 17 “Christmas at St. Mary’s.”

Feb. 25: “Harmony of the Spheres or The Vault of Heaven,” featuring Bach, Handel and Telemann.

April 1: “Paris à Printemps,” 18th-century French music, including Clerambault.

This choral group performs around the region in different sizes and configurations. 704-374-1564; carolinavoices.org.

Oct. 21-22: “Unhinged!” a Halloween concert featuring the chamber group Impromptu.

Nov. 13: “Honor: A Tribute to Veterans,” featuring the Festival Singers.

Dec. 10-11: The MainStage Choir does the 62nd Annual Singing Christmas Tree and Singing Christmas Tree for Kids.

May 6: “The Big Sing!” offers all three choirs in music from the Beach Boys and Michael Jackson to Eric Whitacre.

June 16-17: “Faves & Raves” presents Impromptu in selections chosen (in part) by the audience.

This volunteer orchestra of 70 musicians tends to give concerts in churches. 704-344-0098; charlottecivicorchestra.org.

Oct. 9: Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade” and Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, with Nathan Meltzer on violin.

Nov. 27: “Christmas Extravaganza” with Charlotte City Ballet, Providence Day School Choir, South Mecklenburg High School Choir and more.

Feb. 18: Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” and famous movie music.

May 20: “Ode to Freedom,” featuring Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

The region’s longest-running presenter of national tours imports music and dance to local venues, often CPCC’s Halton Theater. 704-330-6534. charlotteconcerts.org.

Oct. 6: Pianist Valentina Lisitsa.

Oct. 26: Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble.

Dec. 8: Emerson String Quartet.

Jan. 19: Hot Club of San Francisco, playing Parisian-style jazz from before World War II.

Feb. 8: National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine.

March 20: “A Musical Showcase,” a competition for bands, choruses and orchestras from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

Professional orchestra produces four winter-spring seasons: Classical, Pops, altsounds and Lollipops, playing in Belk Theater (130 N. Tryon St.) or Knight Theater (430 S. Tryon St.). The orchestra also sponsors an outdoor Summer Pops season, plays concerts in parks and at civic events, and presents performances by the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra and Charlotte Symphony Junior Youth Orchestra at CPCC’s Halton Theater. The Charlotte Symphony Chorus accompanies some shows, while its Chamber Singers perform their own programs. Christopher Warren-Green conducts Classics concerts, except as noted; other series vary. 704-972-2000; charlottesymphony.org.

Sept. 30-Oct. 1: Tchaikovsky’s “Hamlet” Overture, Violin Concerto (Esther Yoo), Symphony No. 4.

Oct. 14-15: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2, Ligeti’s Concert Romanesq, Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and “Totentanz” (Benedetto Lupo). Michael Christie conducts.

Nov. 4-5: Mendelssohn’s “Scottish” Symphony, Maxwell Davies’ “Orkney Wedding With Sunrise,” Elgar’s Serenade for Strings.

Nov. 18-19: Bruckner’s Psalm 150 and Te Deum, Strauss’ “Der Rosenkavalier” Waltz Sequence No. 1, Wagner’s Overture to “Tannhauser.”

Jan. 6-7: Beethoven’s Overture to “Fidelio,” Schubert’s Symphony No. 9, world premiere of Leonard Mark Lewis’ Concerto for Percussion: “Evolution” (Leonardo Soto).

Feb. 10-11: Vaughan Williams’ “The Lark Ascending” (Calin Lupanu, violin), Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante (Lupanu and violist Benjamin Geller), Brahms’ Symphony No. 1.

March 3-4: Mendelssohn’s oratorio “Elijah,” with conductor Giancarlo Guerrero and baritone Andrew Foster-Williams.

March 24-25: Richard Strauss’ oboe concerto (Gordon Hunt), Adés’ Overture to “The Tempest,” Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7.

April 7-8: Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 1 (Fabio Bidini), Prokofiev’s “Cinderella” Suite No. 1, Rossini’s Overture to “La Cenerentola.”

May 12-13: Mahler’s “Resurrection” symphony, No. 2.

Oct. 8: Trumpeter Chris Botti.

Nov. 11-12: “Patriotic Pops,” with mutimedia images by Nicholas Bardonnay.

Dec. 9-11: “Magic of Christmas.”

Jan. 13-14: “Star Wars: The Music,” comprising 40 years of John Williams’ themes.

Feb. 4: “The Second City Guide to the Symphony,” featuring Colin Mochrie.

March 18: “The Beatles’ Classical Mystery Tour.”

March 31-April 1: “Crazy Arc of Love,” featuring vocalist Storm Large.

May 6: “Pixar in Concert.”

Oct. 28: “Fright at the Knight,” spooky classical pieces and music from horror films.

Jan. 27: “Brahms v. Radiohead,” with guest conductor Steven Hackman mashing up Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 (1887) and the Radiohead album “OK Computer” (1997).

May 19: “Fiddles and Blue Jeans,” featuring Mark and Maggie O’Connor and The O’Connor Band.

Nov. 12: “Green Eggs and Ham,” with Michael Boudewyns and Kimberly Schroeder playing characters from the Dr. Seuss book.

Jan. 14: “Lemony Snicket’s The Composer Is Dead,” a musical whodunit.

April 1: “Peter and the Wolf,” with dancers from Charlotte Ballet Academy.

Oct. 13: David Lang’s “The Little Match Girl Passion,” with multimedia backdrops at Ascension Lutheran Church.

Dec. 16-17: Handel’s “Messiah.”

Feb. 18: Bach Chamber Concert.

Nonprofit chorus sings exclusively a cappella music, directed by Catherine Youngblood. Part of the proceeds go to local charities; the rest helps pay concert costs. (Not affiliated with Firebird Arts Alliance.) 980-272-8556; www.firebirdsingers.com.

Sept. 11: “9 /11: An A Cappella Remembrance.” 3 p.m., Sharon United Methodist Church, Charlotte; 7 p.m. Davidson College Presbyterian Church, Davidson.

Feb. 26: “Choral Classics Repurposed.” Renaissance and Baroque choral classics paired with their modern transformations.

June 4: “Global Voices.” Choral music from around the world.

Though this group mainly teaches young musicians, it presents concerts – many as tributes to the greats of jazz history – in the intimate Stage Door Theater, Fifth and College Streets. (These often sell out quickly.) thejazzartsorg.

Sept. 15: Saxophonist Adrian Crutchfield plays the music of Grover Washington Jr.

Sept. 16: “Special Edition: Piano Night.”

Concerts are given at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 301 Caldwell Lane, Davidson. 704-941-0650; musicatstalbansdavidson.org.

Sept. 18: Poisoned Dwarf, a Celtic-music quartet.

Oct. 16: Ciompi Quartet plays string quartets by Mozart and Haydn.

Nov. 20: Wingate University Singers and N.C. Baroque Orchestra perform the second half of Bach’s Mass in B Minor.

Jan. 15: Charlotte Contemporary Ensemble honors the memory of Martin Luther King Jr.

Feb. 19: Pianist Margarita Nuller plays Schumann, Prokofiev and Beethoven.

March 19: Guitar duo Pasquale Rocco and Douglas James play 19th-century Romantic music.

April 23: The A.W. Duo, cellist James Waldo and pianist Alyona Aksyonova, play Bach and Brahms.

May 21: Gemini Winds plays wind quintets.

The company, which imports soloists and uses the Charlotte Symphony in the pit, performs at Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. 704-372-1000; operacarolina.org.

Oct. 22-30: Gioacchino Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville.”

Jan. 22-28: Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Traviata.”

April 23-29: Giacomo Puccini’s “Girl of the Golden West.”

These professional musicians have come together to make chamber music for more than 30 years. Providence United Methodist Church, 2810 Providence Road. 704-336- 7442 or 704-333-9536; providenceumc.org.

Oct. 9: Music by Rachmaninov, Vivaldi and de Grandval.

Nov. 13: Ravel’s Violin Sonata No. 2, Prokofiev’s Violin Sonata No. 1.

Dec. 4: J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, with full orchestra and chorus.

Jan. 15: Rachmaninov’s Cello Sonata and two songs by Brahms for alto, cello and piano.

Feb. 12: Cesar Franck’s sonata for violin and piano.

March 19: Mozart’s quintet for clarinet and strings and quintet for horn and strings.

April 23: Donald McCullough’s Holocaust Cantata, based on writings from the concentration camp in Buchenwald. Sung at Temple Israel, 4901 Providence Road.

This chamber-sized choral group performs short-form classical music – mainly at churches around Charlotte, though you can find it as far afield as Piccolo Spoleto in Charleston. singers-renaissance.org.

Oct. 29: Fall concert, Christ Chapel at Christ Lutheran Church.

Dec. 17: Christmas concert, Myers Park Presbyterian Church.

May 6: Spring concert, Dilworth United Methodist Church.

This semi-professional choir of 28 singers is the chorus of Firebird Arts Alliance. David Tang conducts anything from Bach to jazz, and instrumentation ranges from organ to full orchestra. voxfirebird.org.

Nov. 13: “Honor – A Salute to Our Armed Forces,” featuring 3-D projections of Civil War photography.

Dec. 6: Live broadcast for WDAV, “Lessons and Carols.”

April 1-2: Semi-staged and concert versions of J.S. Bach’s “St. John Passion.”

May 20: “Pass Me the Jazz,” with Dawn Anthony and the Rick Bean Trio, including a world premiere jazz mass by Bean and James Kevin Gray.

Old-time, bluegrass, contemporary folk, storytelling, gospel, Native American, Celtic and black string band are just some of the styles played by local and regional performers; shows at Great Aunt Stella Center unless otherwise noted; folksociety.org.

Sept. 17: Backcountry Days at the Hezekiah Alexander Homesite (free; song circle, jam sessions, storytelling and ice cream).

Oct. 14: Alice Gerrard & the Piedmont Melody Makers: old-time, country, bluegrass.

Nov. 11: John Doyle: Irish singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist.

Dec. 3 (tentative): Annual CFS Holiday Potluck & Jams, at Dilworth United Methodist Church.

Jan. 13: Annual CFS Youth Showcase: 15+ acts; featuring 2016 Swannanoa Gathering Youth Scholarship recipients.

Feb. 10: Special Consensus: bluegrass quartet.

March 10: Logie Meachum: blues by the founder of the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society.

April 14: The South Carolina Broadcasters: primitive bluegrass and gospel.

May 12: Tellico, bluegrass with an “Appalachiacana” sound.

June 9: The Kollard Kings: early country and gospel.

This story was originally published September 7, 2016 at 8:12 PM with the headline "Charlotte arts season 2016-17: Music (classical to jazz, opera to folk)."