Award-winning singer/songwriter Ben Folds makes his debut with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra in a one-night-only Spotlight event. Folds is regarded as one of the major crossover influences between popular and classical music.
He was the first Artistic Advisor to the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center and was a judge on the TV show The Sing-Off for five years. He has numerous solo and collaboration records which include music for film and TV and a classical piano concerto that topped the Billboard Charts.
Conductor Steven Reineke, Music Director of the New York Pops, will lead the Toledo Symphony in the performance 8 p.m. Saturday at the Peristyle, Toledo Museum of Art, 2445 Monroe St. 419-246-8000 or toledosymphony.com.
■ The Toledo Symphony and the Toledo School for the Arts team up to present the holocaust-era children’s opera Brundibar 7 p.m. Thursday at the Peristyle, Toledo Museum of Art, 2445 Monroe St. Tickets $20 at 419-246-8000 or toledosymphony.com.
■ Electronic innovator Jlin, one of the most prominent women producers working today, brings her artistry 8 p.m. Thursday to the GlasSalon; tickets $10-$15. Soprano Margaret Barron presents a free afternoon of music celebrating Black History Month with the theme African Americans and the Vote 3 p.m. Sunday in the Great Gallery. Both events are at the Toledo Museum of Art, 2445 Monroe St. 419-255-8000 or toledomuseum.org.
■Toledo Jazz Orchestra holds their annual Monday Gras Celebrity Wait Night with live music and dinner 6:30 p.m. Monday at Brandywine Country Club, 6904 Salisbury Rd., toledojazz.org.
■ Clarinetist Michael Dean offers a free recital 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall. The University of Toledo High School Honor Band gives a concert 3 p.m. Sunday in Doermann Theatre, University Hall.
The UToledo Jazz Lab Bands perform 7 p.m. Monday in the CPA Recital Hall. The UToledo Symphonic Band and University Wind Ensemble give a joint concert 7 p.m. Wednesday in Doermann Theatre, University Hall.
All performances are on the campus of the University of Toledo. 419-530-2445 or utoledo.edu.
■ Cellist Chris Gross, teaching artist with the New York Philharmonic, offers a free guest artist recital 8 p.m. Thursday in Bryan Recital Hall. Saxophonist Geoff Landwan presents a free masterclass 4:30 p.m. Friday in the Choral Rehearsal Room; at 5 p.m. Friday he will be joined by Patrick Stadler in a free saxophone duo recital masterclass.
The Bowling Green Opera Theater presents a free evening of student-composed micro-operas 8 p.m. Friday in Bryan Recital hall. The BG Philharmonia offers its 53rd Annual Concerto Concert featuring winners of the annual competition 8 p.m. Saturday in Kobacker Hall; tickets $8 at bgsu.edu/arts.
Music at the Forefront presents the free premiere of Michael Gordon’s Bearthoven 8 p.m. Monday in Bryan Recital Hall. Current doctoral students perform a free showcase recital 8 p.m. Tuesday in Bryan Recital Hall.
Derek Fenstermacher presents a free tuba masterclass at 5 p.m. Wednesday in the Choral Rehearsal Hall; he performs a free recital 3:30 p.m. Thursday in Bryan Recital Hall. BGSU voice faculty give a free showcase concert 8 p.m. Wednesday in Bryan Recital Hall.
All of these events are in Moore Musical Arts Center on the campus of Bowling Green State University. 419-372-2181 or bgsu.edu/arts.
■ Organist Jillian Gardener, graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory and Baylor University offers a recital titled Fireworks 7:30 p.m. Friday at Zoar Lutheran Church, 314 East Indiana Ave., Perrysburg. 419-874-4346 or zoarlutheran.com.
■ All That Jazz at the Maumee Senior Center features jazzer Gene Parker paired with traditional New Orleans cuisine beginning 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Maumee Senior Center, 2430 South Detroit Ave., Maumee. Tickets $20 at 419-893-1994 or maumeeseniorcenter@gmail.com.
■ Tapestry, acoustic Harp/Guitar Duo Denise and Michael Grupp-Verbon, offer a concert 8 p.m. Sunday at the Fayette Opera House, 105 East Main St., Fayette. Tickets $10-12 at 419-237-2721 or operahouse-fayette.org.
■ Billy Joel’s original band The Lords of 52nd Street take centerstage 3 p.m. Sunday at the River Raisin Centre for the Arts, 114 South Main St., Monroe. Tickets $20-$38 at 734-242-7722 or riverraisincentre.org.
■ High school senior, pianist Cormac Avila is the next featured performer on the Sean Dobbins Rising Jazz Stars series 8 p.m. Friday. Accidentally Hip tackles the Beatles catalog 8 p.m. Saturday. Classical pianist, Ann Arbor legend Louis Nagle attends Some Chestnuts and a Harder Nut to Crack, 2 p.m. Sunday. All three events are at the Kerrytown Concert House, 415 North Fourth Ave., Ann Arbor. Tickets $10-$40 at 734-769-2999 or kerrytownconcerthouse.com.
■ Opera MODO presents Poulenc’s tragic opera of nuns during the Reign of Terror in Paris, Dialogue of the Carmelites, 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Christ Church, 960 East Jefferson Ave., Detroit and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 and March 1 at Kirk in the Hills, 1340 West Long Lake Rd., Bloomfield Hills. Tickets $20-$60 and more information at operamodo.com.
■ The Ailey Extension, the touring company of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Company, leads a two-day dance workshop March 7-8. Dancers age 8 and up are welcome to the experience which will run from 2-4 each day. Two sessions are planned: ages 8-12 and 13+ with each the price of each session $50 at the Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St., Detroit. Tickets and more information at aileyextension.com.
Send news of classical music and dance events at least two weeks in advance to classics@theblade.com.
First Published February 20, 2020, 1:00 p.m.
