Explorations of the rich history of African-American music during Black History Month will culminate in several important public programs this weekend.

The Core Ensemble of Florida will present its popular "Of Ebony Embers: Vignettes of the Harlem Renaissance" at 8 p.m. Friday in the Mainstage Theatre of Owens Community College Center for Fine and Performing Arts on the main campus. The work for dramatic voices and chamber musicians is based on poetry by Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Claude McKay. Akin Babatunde's script will be accompanied by music by jazz legends Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, and Billy Strayhorn, plus works by Charles Walker and Jeffrey Mumford.

Core Ensemble actor Chris White will portray multiple characters with music performed by a trio comprising cellist Tahira Whittington, Michael Parola, percussion, and Hugh Hinton, keyboard.

Tickets are $18 at www.owens.edu or 567-661-2787.

The African American Experience Through Art, Music, and Poetry will begin at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Toledo Museum of Art Great Gallery. Community musicians, singers, and storytellers will perform in this free concert.

The Toledo Symphony will present a wealth of music by African-American composers in its annual neighborhood concert at 5 p.m. Sunday in St. Martin de Porres Church, 1119 W. Bancroft St. Resident conductor Jeffrey Pollock will lead a program of music by Walker, Still, Johnson, and traditional spirituals. Robert Clemens, a symphony cellist, will narrate the performance of "John Brown's Body" by Kevin Puts, and the Central Catholic High School Gospel Choir will sing. Tickets are $10-$15 in advance at 419-241-4544 and $15-$20 at the door.

Lourdes University's annual Celebration of Black History Month is at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Franciscan Center on the Sylvania campus.

Joining the Lourdes University Chorus and Good Company Ensemble will be the Clarence Smith, Jr., Community Chorus and the Toledo Youth Choir. Karen T. Biscay conducts the Lourdes groups; Clarence Smith, Jr., will lead his eponymous ensemble, and Antoinette Goodlow will direct the youth choir.

Lucas County Common Pleas Court Judge Myron Duhart will give a talk and pianist Olga Topuzova-Meade will provide accompaniment. The concert is free.

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Three organs played by four organists is the conceit for a free Family Organ Pops Concert set for 4 p.m. Sunday in St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 315 S. College Dr., Bowling Green.

Presented by the Toledo Area Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, this lively program is designed to introduce organ music to new audiences.

Performers will be Kevin McGill, music director at St. Mark's, and guest organists Pamela Davis, Joan McConnell, and Melissa Flowers. A tour of the organs will be offered following the performance with opportunities for the public to play the instruments.

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A celebration of concert band music is planned at Bowling Green State University when Kenneth Thompson and Carol Hayward lead collegiate ensembles in a free 3 p.m. Sunday performance in Kobacker Hall of the Moore Musical Arts Center.

Praecepta, the BGSU student chapter of the Society of Composers, Inc., will show off members' accomplishments in a free concert at 8 p.m. Monday in Bryan Hall of the Moore center.

Students of BGSU voice faculty member Sean Cooper will perform in the next free Music at the Manor House concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Wildwood Preserve Metropark.

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The University of Toledo Symphony Orchestra will present a free concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Doermann Theater inside University Hall, main campus. Music director Robert Ballinger will conduct Schubert's Symphony No. 8 (Unfinished), and Tchaikovsky's "Capriccio Italienne."

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The Metropolitan Opera Live in HD series continues will a simulcast of Giuseppe Verdi's drama, Ernani, at 12:55 p.m. Saturday in Rave Fallen Timbers Cinemas. Tickets for the nearly four-hour performance are $22-$24 at the box office.

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The Wheaton College Women's Chorale will perform at 7 p.m. March 4 in First Presbyterian Church of Defiance, 501 Washington Ave., Defiance. Mary Hopper leads the 60-voice group, which maintains a busy performance and national and international touring schedule as a religious ministry from the college. The performance will be free. Information: 419-782-2781.

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The Owens Community College Concert Band will present its free Winter Pops Concert at 2:30 p.m. March 4 in the Fine and Performing Arts Center theater. William Dais will conduct a program of Broadway show tunes, a patriotic medley, an appearance by flutist Marene Fondessy, and music from Walt Disney's The Lion King. A special appearance by Owens president John Satkowski as guest conductor will be a highlight.

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The North Coast Concert and Big Band will perform at 3 p.m. March 4 in the Bowling Green City Schools Performing Arts Center, 539 W. Poe Rd. On the program will be marches by John Philip Sousa, rags, a James Swearingen arrangement of the Brahms Lullaby, and music by Leroy Anderson and ABBA, plus dance band favorites.Featured performers will be trumpeter Barbara Werner, percussionists Jeff Gray and Tim Rotsing, and the entire clarinet section. Admission is free.

Items for News of Music should be sent to svallongo@theblade.com at least two weeks ahead of performance date.