Classical Concerts, March 12-15, 2009

Thursday, March 12

  • The acclaimed Estonian National Symphony stops through Columbus on its inaugural United States tour. On the program: Sibelius's Symphony No. 2 and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 with Van Cliburn silver medalist Joyce Yang as soloist. Copresented by RiverCenter and GPB, this concert will be recorded for future broadcast on GPB Radio. I'll be in the RiverCenter audience at 7:30; hope to see you in Columbus!
  • The Augusta Symphony's Pops! at the Bell series presents Don McLean in an evening of his best-loved hits, including "American Pie" and "Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)." 7:30, Bell Auditorium, Augusta.
March 12-15
  • The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, with Italian guest conductor Nicola Luisotti and pianist Horacio Gutierrez, offer Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Italien, Prokofiev's Third Piano Concerto and Beethoven's Seventh Symphony, Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m., Symphony Hall, Atlanta, and Sunday 3 p.m., UGA Performing Arts Center, Athens.
March 13-14
  • The Macon Symphony performs an all-American tribute to the Lincoln bicentennial. Adrian Gnam conducts music of Copland, Corigliano and Berstein and the southeastern premiere of Blue Shades by composer-in-residence Frank Ticheli. Friday, 7 p.m., Goldstein Center for the Performing Arts, Georgia Military College, Milledgeville, and Saturday, 7:30, Grand Opera House, Macon.
  • These are tough times for the arts. The Augusta Opera has had to cancel the rest of its season, including Puccini's Tosca scheduled for this weekend and Rossini's Barber of Seville scheduled for May.
Sunday, March 15