A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham, the leading contemporary choreographer, brings his rich tapestry of Black and queer stories to the UMass Fine Arts Center, Oct. 4. For details. www.fineartscenter.com.
“Cuatro Puntos: Symphony of Resilience” mixes Afghan music instruments with Western orchestra instruments in an orchestra, which mixes Afghan and Western musicians, Oct. 27 at The Bushnell. Music is now prohibited in Afghanistan. This will be only one of a handful of Afghan orchestral concerts around the world since Afghanistan was silenced in 2021. For details: www.bushnell.org.
“Echoes of the Americas,” the Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s Nov. 16 performance conducted by Guillermo Figueroa (who also plays the violin), introduces classical music from Latin America. Miguel del Aguila is the pianist, and the concert includes Puerto Rican composer Ernesto Cordero’s violin concerto “Insula Tropical,” Gabriela Lena Frank’s “Three Latin American Dances,” Astor Piazzolla’s renowned “Libertango” and Miguel del Aguila’s exhilarating “Conga,” featuring the composer on piano. For details: www.springfieldsymphony.org.
“Frankenstein Live!” The Pioneer Valley Symphony performs Michael Shapiro’s score, as the Boris Karloff “Frankenstein” is screened at the UMass Fine Arts Center, Oct. 18. For details: www.fineartscenter.com.
“Johnny Appleseed,” Clifton J. Noble Jr’s folk cantata about the legend who grew up in Longmeadow, will be performed by the Springfield Chamber Players on Dec. 8 in their new Springfield home at 52 Sumner. The family-friendly matinee also includes “Ferdinand the Bull,” “The Swan” from “Carnival of the Animals,” and Peter Schickele’s “The Boston Wonder.” For details: www.springfieldsymphonymusicians.com
Michael Feinstein performs his “Because of You: My Tribute to Tony Bennett” with the Carnegie Hall Ensemble, Oct. 26, at Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. Feinstein is the “Ambassador of the Great American Songbook.” For details: www.jorgensen.uconn.edu.
“New England Reverie,” the Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s season premiere on Oct. 19, brings new Artistic Associate Mei-Ann Cheng back to the podium, conducting works by “New England Six” composers George Whitfield Chadwick (Massachusetts) and Amy Beach (New Hampshire), and Beethoven’s Fifth. Anne Marie McDermott is the guest pianist. For details: www.springfieldsymphony.org.
“Peter and The Wolf,” Prokofiev’s popular children’s tale, takes center stage at The Bushnell, Sept. 27-29, as the Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s Prokofiev program, which also includes his Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major, op. 100. Carolyn Kuan conducts with guest violinists Leonid Sigal and Jaroslaw Lis, and narrator the Rev. Dr. Shelley Best. For details: www.hartfordsymphony.org.
Pink Martini with China Forbes stops at The Mahaiwe in Great Barrington on Oct. 12, on its 30th anniversary tour. Drawing inspiration from music from all over the world – crossing genres of classical, jazz and old-fashioned pop – Thomas Lauderdale founded Pink Martini in 1994 to provide more beautiful and inclusive musical soundtracks for political fundraisers for causes such as civil rights, affordable housing, the environment, libraries, public broadcasting, education and parks. For details: www.mahaiwe.org.
“Tommy: A 55th Anniversary Celebration”: Who Are You and Friends celebrate The Who’s legendary rock opera, “Tommy,” Nov. 22, at Pittsfield’s Colonial Theatre. This special event will feature guest performances by renowned artists Brian Benlien, Randy Cormier, Wanda Houston, Steve Ide, Dave Vittone and Mike Wartella. Together, they will bring to life the revolutionary album that defined the term “rock opera,” delivering an unforgettable musical experience. For details: www.berkshiretheatregroup.org.
Keep in mind …
The Holyoke Civic Symphony has its 2024-25 season, under the direction of David Kidwell. The season opens Oct. 20 with “Simply the Best,” which includes Bernstein’s “Candide” overture. “Snow is Glistening” follows on Dec. 8. It’s the music of the season. The music of Still, Bond and Dvorak are featured on the “People Get Ready” program on March 9, and the season finale, “The Best Is Yet to Come,” May 4, is a fundraiser for the orchestra. For details: www.holyokecivicsymphony.org.
The Mark Twain House & Museum will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Clemens Family’s National Historic Landmark home with a day-long community celebration, Sept. 14. Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain) and his wife Olivia rented a home in one of Hartford’s most esteemed and eclectic neighborhoods, Nook Farm, before moving into their home in September 1874. Harriet Beecher Stowe was a neighbor. For details: www.marktwainhouse.org.
Mark G. Auerbach studied theater at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He has worked for arts organizations nationwide and reported on the arts for print and broadcast. Mark produces and hosts “ArtsBeat,” “Athenaeum Spotlight” and “On the Mark” for WCPC, Channel 15 in Westfield, and WSKB 89.5 FM. His “Arts Beat” column appears Mondays in The Westfield News. He’s a regular contributor to Pioneer Valley Radio and a member of the Berkshire Theatre Critics Association.
