Courting Minnesota music
The Schubert Club's admirable Courtroom Concert series continues with a recital featuring seven songs by Twin Cities composer Linda Kachelmeier, including two premieres. The program also includes music by Patrick O'Shea and John Musto, with baritone Alan Dunbar, mezzo Clara Osowski and tenor Roy Heilman sharing the solo duties. (Noon Thu., Landmark Center, St. Paul; free, schubert.org)
The wonder of 'Winterreise'
Even Franz Schubert was uneasy with the 24 songs he created for Winterreise (aka "Winter Journey"), widely regarded as the greatest song cycle ever written by a classical composer. The tale of a lonely wanderer, spurned in love, trudging through a snow-packed landscape was, Schubert thought, "terrifying." And yet he poured into it some of his most beautiful and deeply emotional music. Chinese baritone Lu Zang, currently a doctoral student at the University of Minnesota, performs the complete cycle, accompanied on piano by Yunyue Liu. (7 p.m. Sat., the Baroque Room, St. Paul; $5-$10, 651-705-6772 or thebaroqueroom.com)
Sacred songs from the 16th century
Twin Cities vocal group the Mirandola Ensemble continues its exploration of Renaissance masterpieces with a concert featuring the Sibyllarum Prophetiae — motets about the coming of Christ — by Franco-Flemish composer Orlande de Lassus. The ensemble's six voices should keep the music's polyphonic textures clean and easy to follow. (7:30 p.m. Sat., St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, Mpls.; $10, themirandolaensemble.org)
Spanish strings
Johnny Gandelsman is a violinist with the edgy East Coast string quartet Brooklyn Rider, but here he plays a solo recital for the Casa de España en Minnesota's International Spanish Music Festival. The program features music by the great 19th-century violinist Pablo de Sarasate along with the "Seven Spanish Folksongs" of Manuel de Falla. (7:30 p.m. Sat., Landmark Center, St. Paul; $17-$25, ismfestival.org)
Let freedom sing
"Underground Railroad" is a VocalEssence program exploring Minnesota's role in the history of emancipating African-Americans from slavery. Self-described "vocal activist" Melanie DeMore headlines a program featuring the Vocal-Essence Chorus plus choirs from Twin Cities middle and high schools. Together, they'll sing a selection of songs celebrating liberation and freedom. (4 p.m. Sun., Orchestra Hall, Mpls.; $10-$40, 612-371-5656 or vocalessence.org)
TERRY BLAIN
