Best Classical Music April

Best Classical Music April: There’s big-time classical music in April in Bedford, Chappaqua, Katonah, Mt. Kisco, Purchase and South Salem. 

April

Local! English Cheese & Sparkling Wine Alert! Esterhaza to London, Music & Remembrances from Haydn’s Travel Dairies, Ars-Antiqua, Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Chappaqua, Sat, 4/6: 8pm: Mark Kramer and his period instrument ensemble perform two piano trios from Joseph Haydn, Scottish Songs for William Napier and Beethoven’s Variations on ‘God Save the King’ – just the kind of music in the private salon concerts he frequented on his trips to London. (191 S. Greeley Ave., Chappaqua; www.ars-antiqua.org)

Local! The Sonicals Piano Duo, S. Salem Presbyterian Church, Sun, 4/7: 4pm: Since meeting in 2016 in an impromptu concert where there were two pianos, but no Piano Duo music, George Lopez and Joel A. Martin, have been reinventing music for two pianos with informed improvisation that redefines the chamber music experience. Here they perform works by Rachmaninoff, Bach, Chopin and Schumann. (111 Spring St., S. Salem; www.thesanctuaryseries.org)

DAH-dah-dah DUM! Jaime Laredo conducts Pamela Frank (violin), Performing Arts Center, Sun, 4/7: 3pm: Of Pamela Frank, the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote: “She has a big, rich sound that vibrates, phrasing breathes with great purpose. Even single notes don’t leave the strings without meaning.” With Ms. Frank on violin, Maestro Laredo on the podium, and the virtuosic Westchester Philharmonic, Beethoven’s powerful and lyrical Fifth Symphony, couldn’t be in better hands. Dah-dah-dah DUM! (735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase; www.westchesterphil.org)

Local! Bedford Chamber Concerts, Guitar & Surprise,  Wed, 4/10: 8pm: Dr. Anthony Newman’s Bedford Chamber Concerts performs Newman’s new Easter Quintet, plus Haydn’s Surprise Symphony, and two compositions for guitar, Boccherini’s Fandango quintet and Vivaldi’s guitar concerto in D (St, Matthews Church, 382 Cantitoe St., Bedford; www.bedfordchamberconcerts.org)

Local! Alexander Tharaud, The Goldberg Variations, Caramoor, Sun, 4/14: 3pm: French pianist Alexandre Tharaud took a sabbatical year to perfect his interpretation of J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations, a set of 30 variations on an original theme that is one of the pinnacles of the keyboard literature. His 2015 recording of this demanding and complex work received widespread acclaim and praise for his unique approach to the masterpiece.  (149 Girdle Ridge Rd., Katonah; www.caramoor.com)

Local! Crumbling Walls, Picasso’s Musical Canvas, Copland House at Merestead, Sun, 4/14: 3pm: Music from Copland House explores composers surrounding the revolutionary Spanish master (Igor Stravinsky and Manuel De Falla), as well as newer works inspired by his seminal art by Robert Sirota and the World Premiere of our inaugural Harvest commission by 2015 Resident Viet Cuong. (455 Byram Lake Road, Mt. Kisco; www.coplandhouse.org)

Local! Quatuor Ébène, Caramoor, Sun, 4/28: 3pm: “In the string quartet world, to play both Mozart and Bartók well is considered quite a demonstration of versatility. When Quatuor Ébène plays Mozart and Bartók well, it’s just getting started.” — Boston Classical Review Here they perform string quartets from Faure and two by Beethoven.  (149 Girdle Ridge Rd., Katonah; www.caramoor.com)

Easy Virtuosity, Andrius Žlabys, Sanctuary Series, S. Salem, Sun, 4/28: 4pm: Grammy-nominated pianist Andrius Žlabys, has received international acclaim for his appearances with the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Rotterdam Symphony, and Philharmonic Orchestra of Buenos Aires. The Philadelphia Inquirer called him “Bach’s ventriloquist” and The Strad tabbed him for his ‘easy virtuosity”. Here he performs Bach, Beethoven and Prokofiev. (S. Salem Presbyterian Church, 111 Spring St., S. Salem; www.thesanctuaryseries.org)

May

CMS of Lincoln Center: Deeply Inspired, Performing Arts Center, Sat, 5/4: 5pm: In its final PAC performance of the year the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center presents a program of composers from four eras and four cultures all at their emotional height. Including Schubert’, Arensky, Bloch and Barber’s Dover Beach for voice and string quartet. (735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase; www.artscenter.org)

Daniel Kelly’s Rakonto: Stuent Voices, Performing Arts Center, Sun, 5/5: 3pm:Composer/pianist Daniel Kelly transforms the stories of everyday people into dramatic and compelling music that has delighted audiences around the country. This unique performance has been specially created right here in Westchester for family audiences. Audiences will hear the dreams, hopes, and struggles of local students in recorded interviews that are seamlessly blended with original compositions performed by Kelly’s band of world-class musicians. (735 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase; www.artscenter.org)

Local! The Creation by Haydn, Westchester Oratorio Society, ChappPac, Sun, 5/5: 3pm: Westchester Oratorio Society (WOS) presents Joseph Haydn’s great work “The Creation” (“Die Schöpfung”). Considered a masterpiece of the oratorio tradition, Die Schöpfung celebrates the creation of the world as described in the “Book of Genesis.” Scored for chorus, three soloists and symphonic orchestra, it debuted in Vienna in 1799. The concert will feature soloists Catherine Steinbrink, Soprano, Jeffrey Strand, Tenor and David Salsbery Fry, Bass, and the WOS Festival Orchestra. (480 Bedford Rd., Chappaqua; www.westchesteroratorio.org)

Local! The Chappaqua Orchestra, Concerto Winner’s Concert, Horace Greeley HS, Sun, 5/5: 3pm: TCO’s final concert of the season features the winners of their annual Concerto Competition.The Concert will conclude with a performance of Dvorak’s 8th Symphony. (70 Roaring Brook  Rd, Chappaqua; www.chappaquaorchestra.org)

Local! Bedford Chamber Concerts, Bach/Saint-Saëns, Wed, 5/15: 8pm: Dr. Anthony Newman’s Bedford Chamber Concerts performs Bach’s Magnificat and Trio Sonata from the Music Offering, and Saint-Saëns Septet.  (St, Matthews Church, 382 Cantitoe St., Bedford; www.bedfordchamberconcerts.org)

Check out more stuff to do

Check out What To Do’s Bucket List

You’ll like our What To Eat: Restaurant Guide

Sign up for the What To Do Email Newsletter … carefully curated for townies, foodies, culture-vultures and weekend warriors!

Like us on Facebook Amigos!

And follow us on Twitter!