Pianists in the spotlight in Toledo, Ann Arbor concerts

Valery Gergiev will conduct the Mariinsky Orchestra on Oct. 27 in Ann Arbor.

October is ending with a pianistic flourish. Not only is local musician Frances Renzi soloing with the Toledo Symphony Friday and Saturday in 8 p.m. Classics concerts in the Peristyle, but an hour north, two world-class pianists will be on the University of Michigan campus courtesy of its venerable University Musical Society.

Veteran star Murray Perahia will perform a solo recital at 9 p.m. Saturday in Hill Auditorium, 825 North University Ave. His program will comprise music by Haydn, Schubert, Beethoven, Schumann, and Chopin, including Schubert's Moments Musicaux, Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (Sonata No. 14), and Schumann's Op. 26, Carnival Scenes from Vienna.

On Oct. 27, the Russian pianist Denis Matsuev will join the famed Mariinsky Orchestra under the baton of Valery Gergiev for an 8 p.m. performance in Hill, the stately hall celebrating its centennial in 2013.

On that program will be Stravinsky's fiery Rite of Spring, Richard Strauss' Ein Heldenleben, and the Shostakovich Concerto in c minor for piano, trumpet, and string orchestra.

Tickets for either event start at $10 at www.ums.org or 734-764-2538.

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The Toledo Symphony Youth Orchestra will launch its 63rd concert season with a 4 p.m. performance Sunday in the Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle. Kenneth Thompson, Wasim Hawary, and Robert Mirakian will share conducting duties for this showcase of the best and brightest young classical musicians in the area.

On the program to be performed by the Philharmonic, Symphonic, and Concert orchestras will be works by Sibelius, Berlioz, Rimsky-Korsakov, Handel, and Mendelssohn.

The concert is free.

The symphony's service to young people will continue on Wednesday during Young Peoples' concerts at 9:45 and 11 a.m. in the Peristyle. Resident conductor Jeffrey Pollock will conduct the performances.

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The Fayette Artist Series is to open Saturday with a 7:30 p.m. show by Ten40 A Cappella, the 12-man singing group affiliated with Bowling Green State University. A program of popular and period music is on the program by this energetic group in the historic opera house, Main and Fayette streets in Fayette, which is in Fulton County.

Tickets will be sold at the door. For reservations, call 419-237-3111. A reception will follow the concert.

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As part of its New Music Festival, BGSU will offer young composers from the Toledo School for the Arts an expert reading of their latest works by its New Music Ensemble. The free public event will start at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Bryan Recital Hall of the Moore Musical Arts Society.

Also on campus: Guest artist Tracy Cowden will perform a piano recital at 8 p.m. Sunday in Bryan Hall. And off campus: flute students of Conor Nelson will perform in a free public recital at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Wildwood Preserve Metropark Manor House.

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The Adrian Symphony Orchestra will celebrate Bach and the Violin in a concert set for 8 p.m. Oct. 27 and 2 p.m. Oct. 28 in Holy Rosary Chapel in the Adrian Dominican Motherhouse on the campus of Siena Heights University, Adrian.

John Thomas Dodson will conduct a program featuring music by J.S. Bach, with violinist Kurt Nikkanen back in town to perform Partita in D minor for solo violin. Nikkanen is concertmaster of the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center in New York City. Also on the program will be two Bach violin concerti.

Tickets and information are available at 517-264-3121 or info@adriansymphony.org. A preconcert talk will start one hour ahead of both concerts.

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The Perrysburg Symphony Orchestra's first concert of the season is set for 3 p.m. Oct. 27 in the Owens Community College Center for Performing Arts, 30335 Oregon Rd. Maestro Mirakian will conduct Haydn's Symphony No. 94 ("Surprise") and Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 ("Eroica"). Tickets start at $10 at the door or in advance at Ken's Flowers in Perrysburg. A free instrument "petting zoo" will begin at 2 p.m.

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At the University of Toledo, Oct. 26 and 27 will be time for OcTUBAfest 2012, a celebration of life for low brass players, especially tuba and euphonium. Guest artist Thomas Bough of Northern Illinois University will be joined by Neal Campbell of the UT faculty and David Saltzman, principal tubist of the Toledo Symphony.

A public recital is set for 7 p.m. Oct. 26 in the UT Center for Visual and Performing Arts Recital Hall.

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Trinity Episcopal Church will officially debut its new Casavant Freres organ (Opus 3835) in a free public recital by Michael Gartz at 2 p.m. Oct. 28 in the historic church at Adams and St. Clair streets downtown.

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Community of Christ Lutheran Church, Dutch and Finzel roads, Whitehouse, will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27 featuring guest organist Aaron David Miller. Part of its Halloween Family Fun Night, the concert will offer silent cartoons and a Charlie Chaplin film with live organ accompaniment.

Miller, former organist at Monroe Street United Methodist Church, is a composer whose works have won awards. Information: 419-877-0607.

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If you can sing, dance, or have some other performance skill, the sixth annual Ohio Has Talent! folks want to see you Nov. 2 and 3 at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center, Van Wert. The show is set for Feb. 9 at Niswonger. Audition applications are due Oct. 26 and are posted at www.comhealthpro.org/Ohio_has_Talent.php.

Winners will take home cash prizes, and proceeds will benefit a local hospice. Information: 419-238-0200.

Items for News of Music should be sent to svallongo@theblade.com at least two weeks in advance of the event.