Fall Arts: More Classical

Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra

When: James cantata: 18–19, 21; Bashmet: Oct. 25–27; Leila Josefowicz: Nov. 2–3

Where: James cantata and Bashmet: various locations; Josefowicz: Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, 345 Washington St., St. Paul; 651-291-1144

* A Bach–inspired cantata by Layton James, who has been referred to as the “only living Baroque composer,” receives its world premiere this fall. Cantata Sine Nomine celebrates the life and honors the loss of Patricia Whitacre, a great friend of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.
* Viola virtuoso Yuri Bashmet seems to be single-handedly transforming the reputation of the viola from the introspected nerd of the string family into its most captivating member. The repertoire for his SPCO debut is characteristically adventurous. Raykhelson and Schnittke, anyone?
* Leila Josefowicz appears with the SPCO playing one of her signature selections, John Adams’s Violin Concerto, which received its world premiere at the Ordway in 1994 (commissioned and played by Minnesota Orchestra concertmaster, Jorja Fleezanis), the same year Josefowicz made her precocious Carnegie Hall debut at age sixteen. Maestro Roberto Abbado rounds out the program with symphonies by Cherubini and Schubert.

Minnesota Orchestra 

When: Beethoven’s Ninth: Sept. 27–29; Bruckner Symphony: Nov. 8–9

Where: Beethoven’s Ninth: Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Ave., Mpls.; Bruckner Symphony: Orchestra Hall, Cathedral of St. Paul, 239 Selby Ave., St. Paul; 612-371-5656

* Critics the world over have been lavishing accolades on the Minnesota Orchestra’s recordings of the Beethoven symphonies. The Ninth was hailed as perhaps the “definitive one of our time” by The New York Times. If you think it sounds good on disk, don’t miss it live.
* Osmo Vänskä conducts Bruckner’s Symphony no. 1 as part of the Minnesota Orchestra’s decade-long exploration of the Austrian composer’s complete symphonies. Two works by Arvo Pärt, who has been called the “Estonian shaman” for the healing nature of his music, complete the program.

The Frederic Chopin Society

When: Leschenko: Sept. 30; Biss: Oct. 28

Where: Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center, 130 Macalester St., St. Paul, 612-822-0123

Kicking off the Chopin Society’s twenty-fifth anniversary is the brilliant young Russian pianist Polina Leschenko, who is known for her fluidity, imagination, and passion, as well as her fiery interpretations of Liszt. Jonathan Biss, one of the piano world’s fastest-rising American stars, plays in October.

The Schubert Club
When: November 9
Where: Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, 345 Washington St., St. Paul, 651-292-3268
Yo-Yo Ma, the cello’s reigning ambassador, visits the Ordway with pianist Kathryn Stott. Ma will play works by Schubert, Shostakovich, and Cesar Frank.