A Symphony at Bard

The American Symphony Orchestra returns to its Hudson Valley home, the Sosnoff Theater, Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, at Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, for two dates, Sept. 14 and 15 at 8 p.m. The orchestra will be directed by Leon Botstein, its music director, who is also the president of Bard College.

The program (the same for both dates) will include the Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80, by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897), the Piano Concerto No. 5 in F-Major, Op. 103, by Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921) with Shum-Yang Lee as piano soloist, Jacques Ibert (1898-1962), Quatre Chansons de Don Quichotte, with baritone Yohan Yi as soloist, and conclude with Antonin Dvorak’s (1841-1904) Symphony No. 9 in F minor, Op. 95 (from the New World).

Richard Wilson, composer in residence at the American Symphony Orchestra, will talk about the program at 6:45 p.m. (both dates). Individual tickets are $20, $30 and $35. Call 845-758-7900 or visit the Web site at www.fishercenter.bard.edu for tickets and further information.

The Emerson String Quartet will pay its annual visit to South Mountain, Pittsfield, MA, on Sunday, Sept. 16 at 3 p.m.

The quartet members, Phil Setzer, Eugene Drucker, violins; Lawrence Durton, viola; and David Finckel, cello, will offer the String Quartet, Op. 20, No. 2 by Franz Joseph Haydn, “Terra Memoria†by Saariaho, and Beethoven’s String Quartet in F Major, Op. 59, No. 1.

This will be the third of a total of five concerts offered by South Mountain this year, celebrating its 89th season of chamber music.

Call 413-442-2106 for remaining seats, at $35.

The last of six programs offered this year by “Concerts at Tannery Pond†will be presented Sept. 29 at 8 p.m. Participating artists will be Kurt Nikkanen, violin; Daniel Gaisford, cello; Maria Asteriadov and Christian Steiner, piano. The wide ranging program includes Chaconne in G-minor for violin and cello by Georg Frideric Handel arranged by Halvansen, Duo for violin and cello, Op. 7, by Zoltan Kedaly, Sonata No. 1 for cello and piano by Claude Debussy and Trio in A minor for violion, cello and piano by Maurice Ravel. Pianist Steiner, who is the artistic director at Tannery Pond Concerts, will perform the piano part in the Ravel work and Ms. Asteriadov will be heard in the Debussy sonata. This interesting program should attract many chamber music enthusiasts who love to hear works which are  infrequently performed.

Tickets are $30, first floor; $25, balcony. For reservations and information, call 888-820-1696 or visit www.tannerypondconcerts.org.

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