In the current Philadelphia Weekly:
Marc-André Hamelin
Wed., Jan. 13, 8pm. $27. Kimmel Center, 260 South Broad St. 215.731.3333 www.kimmelcenter.org
Montreal-born, Boston-based Marc-André Hamelin may be a classical piano giant sitting astride the globe, with over 35 CDs and endless awards to his credit. But he studied at Temple, so Philadelphia can claim a piece of him. And the Kimmel is an ideal setting in which to behold his jaw-dropping virtuosity. There he’ll tackle Liszt’s hair-raising Sonata in B Minor and Berg’s Sonata Op. 1 (also in B minor, but far weirder), along with excerpts from Debussy’s majestic Préludes Book II and Hamelin’s own Twelve Etudes, which highlight the maestro’s evolving compositional gift. From Romantic and Impressionist masterpieces to high 20th-century puzzles and beyond, Hamelin knows no bounds. — David R. Adler
Festival of New Trumpet Music (FONT)
Sun., Jan. 17, 7pm. $12. International House, 3701 Chestnut St. 215.895.6546 www.arsnovaworkshop.org
Dave Douglas co-curates this annual New York festival, which imposes no aesthetic limits even if it sees cutting-edge jazz as a natural starting point. FONT is now trickling down to Philly, where three widely varying acts will appear. The Open Circuit International Trumpet Ensemble is six horns plus bass and drums, boasting the talents of Joe McPhee, Taylor Ho Bynum, William Parker and more. The Meridian Arts Ensemble will join trumpet notable Dave Ballou for the world premiere of David Sanford’s “Seven Kings.” And don’t forget the experimental wizardry of the Chicago Underground Duo (Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor), topping off the bill with music from the new Boca Negra. — David R. Adler
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