Previews

It might just be worth an hour or two to check out the new Picasso String Quartet at Noe Valley Chamber Music this weekend.

The upcoming New Century Chamber Orchestra concerts will introduce the music of this year’s “featured composer,” William Bolcom. A major name in American music, Bolcom is one of the old guard whose compositions, from the rags like Graceful Ghost and Galloping Ghost to the Songs of Innocence and Experience, have become staples in the American music repertory.

American pianist Eric Himy has carved out a niche in an intriguing way.

Despite the name, there’s nothing old school about Old First Concerts.

Sergei Prokofiev was a Russian composer who lived through tumultuous historical events.

There isn't much of a scare factor in the Redwood Symphony's annual Halloween concert. It's a family-friendly event that features a “tour of the orchestra,” with all the instruments demonstrated.

There are a lot of composer anniversaries out there, and the lesser ones tend to be ignored. In 2009, the 50th anniversary of Ernest Bloch's death took a back seat to other commemorations, and the UC Berkeley Symphony is doing its part to take up the slack.