Promoting classical music in the Pioneer Valley

The Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra

“Good News About Classical Music” is a weekly email delivered to you every Friday morning.  It features upcoming classical music events, along with profiles of area figures in the classical music world and interesting facts and links. Good News is sent free of charge. If you would like to subscribe, send a request to:

classical.music.evangelist@gmail.com

Classical Music Events in the Pioneer Valley

Friday, April 254:00 p.m. UMass Faculty Concert: Steven Beck, piano. Bach “Goldberg Variations.” Free, Bezanson Recital Hall, 151 Presidents Drive, Amherst. https://www.umass.edu/music-dance/events/faculty-concert-steven-beck-piano  4:00 p.m. 2025 Bach Festival and Symposium. Bezanson Recital Hall and Grace Episcopal Church, Amherst. https://websites.umass.edu/bach/ 5:00 p.m. Hinge Quartet. Free. Buckley Recital Hall, 53 College Street, Amherst. https://hingequartet.com/live  Saturday, April 26All Day. Bach Symposium Presentations. 12:30 p.m. South Hadley Chorale. All Saints Episcopal Church, 7 Woodbridge Street, South Hadley. https://southhadleyarts.org/events/  1:15 p.m. Daniel R. Melamed, keynote speaker.  $25/5. Cash or check at the door. Bezanson Recital Hall, 151 Presidents Drive, Amherst. https://www.umass.edu/music-dance/events/2025-bach-symposium  4:00 p.m. Mutiny Individual student recital. Free. McCulloch Auditorium, Pratt Hall, Lower Lake Road, South Hadley. https://events.mtholyoke.edu/event/mutiny-individual-student-recital  7:00 p.m. Pioneer Valley Symphony. “Ancient Burlesque.” (Preconcert talk at 6:00 p.m.)  $15-35. Greenfield High School, 21 Barr Avenue, Greenfield. https://www.pvsoc.org/event-details/ancient-burlesque-86th-season-finale 7:30 p.m. UMass Bach Festival. Bach Festival Orchestra and Chorus. $25. Grace Episcopal Church, 14 Boltwood Avenue, Amherst. https://www.umass.edu/music-dance/events/2025-bach-festival-concert  8:00 p.m. Quartetto Mosso. Broadway With Strings Attached. 52 Sumner Avenue, Springfield. Advance $15; Door $20; Students $5. The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street, Amherst. https://www.thedrakeamherst.org/events/quartettomosso  Musicians from Marlboro, Group III. Brattleboro Music Center, 72 Blanche Moyse Way, Brattleboro. https://bmcvt.org/  Sunday, April 2712:00 noon. Bach Coffee Cantata. Free. Amherst Coffee, 28 Amity Street, Amherst. https://www.umass.edu/music-dance/events/2025-bach-festival-coffee-cantata  1:00 p.m. Smith College Handbell Choir. Free. Helen Hills Hills Chapel, 123 Elm Street, Northampton. https://www.smith.edu/news-events/events/handbells-concert-spring-ring-0 2:00 p.m. Mak ‘Hela. Congregation Ahavas Achim, 84 Hastings Avenue, Keene, NH. https://www.makhela.org/music  2:00 p.m. MHC Choral Forces Spring Concert. Free. Abbey Chapel, 50 College Sreet, South Hadley. https://events.mtholyoke.edu/event/choral-forces-concert  3:00 p.m. UMass Bach Festival. Bach Festival Orchestra and Chorus. $25.  Grace Episcopal Church, 14 Boltwood Avenue, Amherst. https://www.umass.edu/music-dance/events/2025-bach-festival-concert  3:00 p.m. Frederick Historical Concert: Trio Confero. $20. New Dawn Arts Center, 84 Main Street, Ashburnham. https://www.frederickcollection.org/concerts/spring2025/0427/FredColl1250427TrioConferoprogrV2_1_.html  4:00 p.m. Quartetto Mosso. Advance $15; Door $20; Students $5. The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street, Amherst. https://www.thedrakeamherst.org/events/quartettomosso  Monday, April 281:00 p.m. Music Monday. Hannah Berube, clarinet. Free. Sweeney Recital Hall, 144 Green Street, Northampton. https://www.smith.edu/news-events/events/music-monday-6-hannah-berube-clarinet  4:30 – 7:30 p.m. Mount Holyoke College. Shared Student Recitals #1. Free. McCulloch Auditorium, Lower Lake Road, South Hadley. https://events.mtholyoke.edu/event/shared-student-recitals-spring-2025  7:30 p.m. UMass Woodwind Chamber Ensembles. Free. Bezanson Recital Hall, 151 Presidents Drive, Amherst. https://www.umass.edu/music-dance/events/woodwind-chamber-concert  7:30 p.m. Smith College Wind Ensemble: Panoramic Dances. Free. Sweeney Concert Hall, 144 Green Street, Northampton. https://www.smith.edu/news-events/events/wind-ensemble-spring-concert-panoramic-dances  Tuesday, April 297:30 p.m. UMass Brass and Trombone Choirs. Free. Bezanson Recital Hall, 151 Presidents Drive, Amherst. https://www.umass.edu/music-dance/events/trombone-choir-and-brass-groups  7:30 p.m. Wailing Banshees Spring Concert: Celtic colours. Free. Sweeney Concert Hall, 144 Green Street, Northampton. https://www.smith.edu/news-events/events/wailing-banshees-spring-concert-celtic-colors  Wednesday, April 307:00 p.m. Rasa String Quartet. $27.50. Whately Town Hall, Chesterfield Plain Road, Whately. https://events.humanitix.com/rasa-j322bude/tickets 7:30 p.m. Smith College Chinese Music Ensemble. Free. Sweeney Concert Hall, 144 Green Street, Northampton. https://www.smith.edu/news-events/events/chinese-music-ensemble-spring-concert  Thursday, May 13:30 – 7:30 p.m. Shared Student Recitals #2. Free. McCulloch Auditorium, Pratt Hall, Lower Lake Road, South Hadley. https://events.mtholyoke.edu/event/shared-student-recitals-session-2-2025  4:45 – 5:15 p.m. Mount Holyoke Chamber Singers: “Suffer No Grief.” Free. Mount Holyoke Art Museum, Lower Lake Road, South Hadley. https://events.mtholyoke.edu/event/mount-holyoke-chamber-singers-suffer-no-grief  7:30 UMass Percussion Ensemble. Free. Tillis Performance Hall, 151 Presidents Drive, Amherst. https://www.umass.edu/music-dance/events/percussion-ensemble/ Friday, May 25:30 p.m. Five College Early Music. Free. McCulloch Auditorium, Pratt Music Hall, Lower Lake Road, South Hadley. https://events.mtholyoke.edu/event/musique-en-plein-air-five-college-early-music-concert  7:00 p.m. NERO Symphonic Finale. Shea Theatre, Avenue A, Turners Falls. https://www.nerorchestra.org/  7:00 p.m. Amherst College Choral Society Concert. Free. Buckley Recital Hall, Amherst. https://www.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments/music/events/node/926595  7:30 p.m. UMass Opera Studio Concert. Free. Bezanson Recital Hall, 151 Presidents Drive, Amherst. https://www.umass.edu/music-dance/events/opera-workshop-scenes  7:30 p.m. Pioneer Valley Cappella. “Last Words.” Free will donation. Edwards Church, 297 Main Street, Northampton. https://pioneervalleycappella.net/  Saturday, May 32:00 p.m. MHC Student Recital: Elisa Schemmel Shaprio, guitar. Free. McCulloch Auditorium, Pratt Hall, Lower Lake Road, South Hadley. https://events.mtholyoke.edu/event/student-recital-elise-schemmel-shapiro  4:00 p.m. Peter Sykes Plays the Great Roosevelt Organ. $45. First Congregational Church, 251 Main Street, Great Barrington. https://berkshirebach.org/concerts/  7:00 p.m. Amherst Symphony Orchestra. Buckley Recital Hall, 53 College Street, Amherst. https://www.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments/music/events/node/912410  7:00 p.m. Peter Krasinski, organ. “The Last Command.” $20. Stone Church Cultural Center, 283 Main Street, Gilbertville. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/friendsofthestonechurch/1256717?   7:30 p.m. Springfield Symphony Orchestra. “Variation & Virtuosity.” Marcelo Lehninger, Conductor; Natasha Paremski, Piano. $25-80. Symphony Hall, 34 Court Street, Springfield. https://www.springfieldsymphony.org/event/variation-virtuosity/  7:30 p.m. UMass Spring Choral Concert with Hampshire Young People’s Chorus. $15/5. Tillis Performance Hall, 151 Presidents Drive, Amherst. https://www.umass.edu/music-dance/events/spring-choral-concert  7:30 p.m. Arcadia Players. “Venetian Vespers.” $35. Grace Church, Amherst. https://www.arcadiaplayers.org/next-concert.html  Sunday, May 41:00 p.m. MHC Composition Studio Concert. Free. Warbeke Room, Pratt Hall, Lower Lake Drive, South Hadley. https://events.mtholyoke.edu/event/composition-studio-concert  3:00 p.m. AC: Student Chamber Music. Free, Buckley Recital Hall, 53 College Street, Amherst. https://www.amherst.edu/academiclife/departments/music/events/node/927895  3:00 p.m. Frederick Historical Concert: Asiya Korepanova, piano. $20. New Dawn Arts Center, 84 Main Street, Ashburnham. https://www.frederickcollection.org/concerts/spring2025/0504/FredColl2250504AsiyaKorepanovarepertoire.docx.html  4:00 p.m. Wilbraham Men’s Glee Club. First Church of Christ, Longmeadow. https://www.facebook.com/groups/114467482293144/   4:00 p.m. UMass Concert Band. $15/5. Tillis Performance Hall, 151 Presidents Drive, Amherst. https://www.umass.edu/music-dance/events/concert-band-0  6:00 p.m. MHC Percussion Ensemble Spring Concert. Free. McCulluch Auditorium, Pratt Hall, Lower Lake Road, South Hadley. https://events.mtholyoke.edu/event/percussion-ensemble-spring-concert 

Thank you to all in the full house who joined us at the Florence Community Center for Kara and Clifton J. Noble’s wonderful presentation on the music of Thomas “Fats” Waller. We hope to see you again at this season’s Musical Potpourri in October!

This year’s Potpourri will be held at the Northampton Senior Center on Conz Street in Northampton, Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., October 2 through October 30.  The presenters will be: OCTOBER 2:  Two Sides of the Trombone with Ben Smar OCTOBER 9:  Stories from a Collaborative Pianist with Scott Bailey OCTOBER 16:  Schubert’s Song Without Words with Ron Gorivic OCTOBER 23:  “This is supposed to be fun, right?” with Marc Winer OCTOBER 30:  The Greatest 8 Minutes of Classical Music                                                                                   with E. Lary Grossman Each presentation is $15, or you can subscribe to the entire series for just $60.  Refreshments will be served.  See you there!

     The Hampshire Music Club was launched in 2012 by a local group of classical music lovers.  It’s an educational organization whose mission is to sponsor music appreciation classes for adults and promote music appreciation (particularly classical music) in the Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden counties of Massachusetts.  The organization is run by a volunteer Board of Directors.      Membership is open to anyone.  Dues are $15 each calendar year, payable to the Hampshire Music Club, c/o 59 Pioneer Knolls, Florence MA 01062.  The membership form can be printed from the link below. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps to spread the word about classical music events. If you’re interested in joining the Board, you can write to the above address.  If you have any questions, feel free to email the Classical Music Evangelist:

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION