April 23--Avalon String Quartet: Pianist Christina Dahl joins the group for Brahms' Piano Quintet in F minor. Sharing the bill are works by Mozart and Wolfgang Rihm. 2 p.m. Sunday, Mendelssohn Hall, 406 N. Main St., Rockford; $25; 815-964-9713, mendelssohnpac.org
Bella Voce: For the season finale, "The German Romantics and their Spiritual Influence," director Andrew Lewis mixes choral rarities by Brahms and Josef Rheinberger with examples of early German polyphony by Heinrich Schutz and others. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Grace Lutheran Church, 7300 Division St., River Forest; and 3:30 p.m. Sunday, St. Clement Parish, 642 W. Deming Place; $30-$38; 877-755-6277, bellavoce.org
Chicago Bar Association Symphony Orchestra and Chorus: Nearly 300 lawyer-musicians will occupy the Orchestra Hall stage when the Elgin Master Chorale joins in an all-Rodgers and Hammerstein program. David Katz conducts. 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Chicago Master Singers: Music director Alan Heatherington's proven affinity for English choral music will be shown when he leads his chorus and the Ars Viva Orchestra in three fine, if rarely heard British choral works: Charles Stanford's Stabat Mater, Elgar's oratorio "Light of Life" and Gerald Finzi's Magnificat. 7:30 p.m. Friday and 7 p.m. Sunday, Divine Word Chapel, 2001 Waukegan Road, Techny; $15-$48; 800-595-4849, chicagomastersingers.org
Chicago Opera Theater: The great American mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade stars in the local premiere of "A Coffin in Egypt," a chamber opera written for her by composer Ricky Ian Gordon and based on the memory play by Horton Foote. Emanuele Andrizzi conducts, librettist Leonard Foglia directs. Opens 7:30 p.m. Saturday and runs to May 3, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St.; $35-$125; 312-704-8414, chicagooperatheater.org
Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Semyon Bychkov concludes his two-week podium stint with Bruckner's monumental Symphony No. 8; 1:30 p.m. Friday, 8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday; $33-$209. Early music specialist Harry Bicket returns to lead works by J.S. Bach, Rameau and Poulenc, with Kristian Bezuidenhout as harpsichord soloist; 8 p.m. Thursday (repeated May 1-2); $33-$216. Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Composer-in-the-Loft: Soprano Nathalie Colas and pianist Daniel Schlosberg perform vocal works by Debussy, Ravel and resident composer Ethan Wickman, in the second program of the current series. 7:30 p.m. Monday, PianoForte Studios, 1335 S. Michigan Ave.; $20; 312-291-0291, pianofortefoundation.org
eighth blackbird: Bryce Dessner's "Murder Ballades" highlights the contemporary chamber ensemble's debut at the Lincoln Square venue. 8 p.m. Friday, Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave.; $23-$25; 773-728-6000, oldtownschool.org
Evanston Symphony Orchestra: Mozart's Symphony No. 40 and an extended suite from Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" ballet make up conductor Lawrence Eckerling's program. 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Northwestern University, 50 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston; $30, $25 for seniors; 847-864-8804, evanstonsymphony.org
ICElab: Members of the International Contemporary Ensemble collaborate with Icelandic composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir for "In the Light of Air," a new trilogy of ensemble works that incorporate a lighting "constellation" designed by the composer. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, MCA Stage, Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave.; $28; 312-397-4010, mcachicago.org
Newberry Consort: Lutenist Paul O'Dette joins the Chicago early music ensemble for a program of vocal and instrumental works representing the dark and lighter sides of Elizabethan composer John Dowland. 8 p.m. Friday, Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton St.; 8 p.m. Saturday, Lutkin Hall, Northwestern University, 700 University Place, Evanston; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St.; $35-$45; 773-669-7335, newberryconsort.org
Opera Cabal: Two scenes from "Hong Kong Graft," an opera-in-progress by composer-performer Ken Ueno and architect Thomas Tsang, are presented along with a public discussion. 5 p.m. Saturday, High Concept Labs (inside Mana Contemporary Chicago), 2233 S. Throop St.; free; operacabal.com
Pilgrim Chamber Players: The ensemble presents its annual free concert with young Chicago-area musicians. 3 p.m. Sunday, Highland Park Community House, 1991 Sheridan Road, Highland Park; pilgrimplayers.org
jvonrhein@tribpub.com
