March 1, 6 p.m., The Community Music Center in San Francisco presents a free concert — and conversation — with classical guitarist David Russell. Scottish-born Russell resides in Spain, tours internationally and has received a long list of prestigious awards. NPR: “One of the most prolific and acclaimed classical guitarists performing today.” Read the SFCV interview. More information: sfcmc.org.
March 3, The Montalvo Arts Center Piano Masters Series presents Natasha Paremski, who will play Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 17 (‘The Tempest’), Chopin’s Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp Minor, and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. “When I was a child,” says Paremski, 25, who grew up in Fremont, “I spent countless weekends visiting the Montalvo Arts Center with my family for concerts and hikes. I only ever dreamed I’d someday be able to perform there.” Her most recent award is the 2010 Classical Recording Foundation’s Young Artist of the Year. Tickets begin at $40 for the general public, $36 for Montalvo members, and $15 for students with ID. More information: motalvoarts.org.
March 5: Jazz Search West 2013 begins. For instrumentalists and vocalists; 15 and up. The four venues: Yoshi’s Lounge in San Francisco, March 5, 7-10 p.m.; The Sound Room in Oakland, March 16, 7-10 p.m.; Duendes in Oakland, March 18, 7-10 p.m.; The Jazz School in Berkeley, March 24, 3-6 p.m. Semi-finals take place at the SFJazz Center on April 2, 7-10 p.m. Grand finals are at Piedmont Piano Co. on April 13, 7-10 p.m. Enrollment is $35. Admission to competitions is free. For more information and for a list of judges at each venue, visit jazzsearchwest.com. For young jazz performers, don’t miss this opportunity!
March 9. 8 p.m. at Resurrection Church in Aptos: Santa Cruz Chamber Orchestra presents Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20, with a local Santa Cruz star, Chetan Tierra. Tierra is about to compete in the Van Cliburn competition and this concert is intended as a kind of warmup. Also on the program, a U.S. premiere by Cuban Composer Roberto Valera and Four Poems by Israeli composer Ittai Rosenbaum. Featured on these four songs is mezzo soprano Cathleen Candia. More information: scmusic.org