Cello Concerto

The following are Music Critic Stephen Wigler's picks of five don't-miss concerts on next season's Baltimore Symphony Orchestra schedule:* Mahler's Symphony No. 9. David Zinman, conductor. Sept. 17, 18 and 19* Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5 and Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade. Yuri Temirkanov, conductor. Dec. 17, 18 and 19* John Corigliano's Fantasia on an Ostinato and Vaughan Williams' "A Sea Symphony." Leonard Slatkin, conductor. Jan. 7, 8 and 9* Bartok's Cello Concerto, Bloch's Schelomo and Stephen Albert's Cello concerto.

May ushered in a series of concerts at bargain prices at Anne Arundel Community College's Pascal Center for Performing Arts. Last weekend featured a concert by the AACC Symphony Orchestra and another by the AACC Concert Choir and Chamber Singers. The orchestra's performance featured Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition." Music director/conductor Anna Binneweg led the 75-member ensemble in a challenging program of works by Hector Berlioz, Edward Elgar and Modest Mussorgsky, showcasing this highly professional orchestra made up of students, faculty, freelance professionals and local residents.

"I feel good for myself and good for the orchestra," is how Baltimore Symphony Orchestra music director David Zinman reacted when told he and the BSO, along with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, had won two Grammys for their recording of concertos by Bela Bartok, Ernest Bloch and the late Stephen Albert.The record, which was released on the Sony Classics label as "The New York Album," won Grammys in two categories: Classical Instrumental Soloist with Orchestra, and Classical Contemporary Composition (for the Albert Cello Concerto)

pop culture Comic-Con: With two days until this year's Comic-Con, it's starting to feel a lot like Nerd Christmas. Comic-book fans can meet artists Jim Lee and Brian Bendis and rummage through millions of back issues Saturday and Sunday at the Baltimore Convention Center, 1 W. Pratt St. Tickets are $25 for two days or $15 for one. Go to comiccon.com/baltimore. Tim Swift art Autumn Colors: INSIDE More critics' weekend picks, Page 18 Autumn Colors: Japanese Paintings of the Edo Period consists of paintings by six Japanese artists who focus on sites and subjects traditionally linked with fall.

Elgar, Cello Concerto in E minor. Respighi, "Adagio con variazione." Milhaud, Cello Concerto No. 1. Performed by cellist Mstislav Rostropovich and the Moscow Philharmonic and the USSR Radio Orchestra (in the Milhaud), conducted by Gennadi Rozhdestvensky (Russian Disc RD CD 11 104):Perhaps the two greatest omissions from Mstislav Rostropovich's discography are recordings of the Bach Suites for solo cello and the Elgar Concerto. It could be that Rostropovich believed he could not match Janos Starker in the suites or the late Jacqueline Du Pre in the concerto -- although it's difficult to imagine so sublime an egoist believing any such thing.

Robert Schumann, Cello Concerto, Paul Hindemith, Cello Concerto, performed by cellist Janos Starker and the Bamberg Symphony (RCA Victor Red Seal 09026-68027); Schumann, Piano Concerto, Richard Strauss, "Burleske," performed by pianist Helene Grimaud and the German Symphony Orchestra of Berlin, David Zinman conducting (Erato 0630-11727); Schumann, Piano Concerto, Sergei Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 3, performed by pianist Van Cliburn and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner (in Schumann)

There's always room for cello -- so the World Cello Congress III offered a marathon concert Tuesday evening, with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at Meyerhoff Hall. No fewer than three weighty concertos filled the bill, along with a substantial tone poem and a gypsy showpiece. I suspect the attentive, admiring audience would have gladly sat through even more. Oh, tell the truth, so would I. Besides the chance to hear some of the finest music written for cello and orchestra, there was the attraction of witnessing a parade of mighty talented cellists.

All concerts are at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, 801 Chase St., Annapolis. Curtain for all subscription concerts is 8 p.m. For subscription orders and information, call 410-263- 0907. GALA OPENING CONCERT Aug. 27 Leslie B. Dunner, conductor Hilary Hahn, violin Margaret Batjer, violin Grieg: Holberg Suite Bach: Violin Concerto in E Bach: Double Violin Concerto in D minor Turina: Oracion del Torero Elgar: Serenade in E minor CLASSIC SUBSCRIPTION SERIES Sept. 27 and 28 Leslie B. Dunner, conductor Daniel Lee, cello Wagner: "Rienzi" Overture Haydn: Cello Concerto in D Prokofieff: Romeo and Juliet (excerpts)

Violinist Diane Duraffourg, a 24-year-old Peabody Conservatory student showing passion in playing Bela Bartok's "Violin Concerto No. 2" but a veteran's coolness when her fiddle became untuned in the middle of her playing, walked away with the two big prizes last night in the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's first soloist competition.Duraffourg won the $2000 first prize given in memory of the late Judge Joseph Sherbow by Mrs. Sara Sherbow. But she also won the important invitation by BSO music director David Zinman, awarded at his discretion, to play a concerto with the orchestra.

This is a gift; an unqualified holiday gift to Baltimore from Maryland Public Television."Baltimore Symphony: The Tokyo Concert," which will air at 9 tonight on MPT (Channels 22 and 67), is not to be missed -- whether or not you are a classical music fan. It is a rare television event by local standards. The hour-long program captures about 40 brilliant minutes of music performed by the BSO at Tokyo's prestigious Suntory Hall during its recently concluded Far East tour.At the time of the concert, Sun music critic Stephen Wigler said the BSO made a "quantum leap to a new level in the phenomenal performance of Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2."

If you're up on your Book of Revelations, the number 144,000 will have an immediate significance. If you're up on your musical training, you may be able to hear that number - and other biblical references - translated into sound when the National Symphony Orchestra premieres Beyond Rivers of Vision this week. The composer is James Lee III, who recently joined the faculty at Morgan State University as an assistant professor in composition and theory. And the three-movement composition was his doctoral dissertation at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor - written less than a year ago. That the score should get its first performance in such a high-profile manner, with NSO music director and American music champion Leonard Slatkin conducting, makes quite a statement.

A significant increase in American music (including two world premieres), a similar increase in British works, a substantial score by an important contemporary Russian composer and quite a lot of under-performed repertoire - such elements promise to make the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's 2003-2004 season unusually appealing. But don't fret. There's plenty of musical comfort food, too, creating a well-balanced diet of classical fare. "There's no subject or theme for the whole season," says music director Yuri Temirkanov.

All concerts are at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, 801 Chase St., Annapolis. Curtain for all subscription concerts is 8 p.m. For subscription orders and information, call 410-263- 0907. GALA OPENING CONCERT Aug. 27 Leslie B. Dunner, conductor Hilary Hahn, violin Margaret Batjer, violin Grieg: Holberg Suite Bach: Violin Concerto in E Bach: Double Violin Concerto in D minor Turina: Oracion del Torero Elgar: Serenade in E minor CLASSIC SUBSCRIPTION SERIES Sept. 27 and 28 Leslie B. Dunner, conductor Daniel Lee, cello Wagner: "Rienzi" Overture Haydn: Cello Concerto in D Prokofieff: Romeo and Juliet (excerpts)

The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra expects more from its concert soloists than a fine performance. When guest artists arrive in Annapolis, they're invited to become part of the ASO's Outreach and Adopt-A-School programs to bring classical music to local schools. Recently, cellist Julie Albers, who gave a dazzling performance of Samuel Barber's Cello Concerto last weekend, addressed an audience of about 100, from preschoolers to college students, at Anne Arundel Community College's Pascal Center.

A 29-year-old German cellist has walked off with the $20,000 top prize in the Leonard Rose International Cello Competition Saturday evening in College Park, following a final-round performance of the quintessentially British Cello Concerto by Sir Edward Elgar. As part of the award, Niklas Eppinger will also receive a recital at New York's Lincoln Center in the fall, plus two more engagements in the Washington area. The last time the Rose Competition was held, the jury gave no first prize.

Had anti-depressants been invented in Robert Schumann's day, he probably would have lived a longer and happier life. But would he have composed so much deeply soulful music? Could a thoroughly angst-free personality have ever unleashed such poignancy as the Adagio of his Symphony No. 2, with its aching, arching theme that stretches the heart-strings ever tighter with each return? That score, which the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra played so nobly last night under resident conductor Daniel Hege's direction, was written as Schumann came out of a severe mental breakdown.

The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra expects more from its concert soloists than a fine performance. When guest artists arrive in Annapolis, they're invited to become part of the ASO's Outreach and Adopt-A-School programs to bring classical music to local schools. Recently, cellist Julie Albers, who gave a dazzling performance of Samuel Barber's Cello Concerto last weekend, addressed an audience of about 100, from preschoolers to college students, at Anne Arundel Community College's Pascal Center.

A 29-year-old German cellist has walked off with the $20,000 top prize in the Leonard Rose International Cello Competition Saturday evening in College Park, following a final-round performance of the quintessentially British Cello Concerto by Sir Edward Elgar. As part of the award, Niklas Eppinger will also receive a recital at New York's Lincoln Center in the fall, plus two more engagements in the Washington area. The last time the Rose Competition was held, the jury gave no first prize.

Yo-Yo Ma was the big draw for Wednesday's concert in the World Cello Congress III, but he was hardly the only attraction. Also joining the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra that evening were two notable younger talents -- Wendy Warner, not yet 30, and Han-Na Chang, all of 17. Warner started things off with Samuel Barber's Cello Concerto, a work in the composer's trademark romantic vein that doesn't entirely hold together but contains many treasurable moments....

There's always room for cello -- so the World Cello Congress III offered a marathon concert Tuesday evening, with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at Meyerhoff Hall. No fewer than three weighty concertos filled the bill, along with a substantial tone poem and a gypsy showpiece. I suspect the attentive, admiring audience would have gladly sat through even more. Oh, tell the truth, so would I. Besides the chance to hear some of the finest music written for cello and orchestra, there was the attraction of witnessing a parade of mighty talented cellists.