Music Notes: BPO to Perform Verdi's <i>Requiem</i>

Buffalo Philharmonic Music Director JoAnn Falletta previews this week's performance of Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi

By Bill Raffel, WBFO

Buffalo, NY – The Buffalo Philharmonic presents a masterpiece of religious music. Good morning. I'm Bill Raffel with Music Notes.

The Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus and four soloists will join the orchestra for an all-Italian program, spotlighting Giuseppe Verdi's Requiem. A requiem is a mass for the dead, and BPO Music Director Joann Falletta says it's a very appropriate work for Lent.

Tchaikovsky's popular Serenade for Strings and the Celtic Symphony of Granville Bantock are on the program, when Joann Falletta leads the strings of the Buffalo Philharmonic Sunday (3/23) at 4 p.m. And that's after the all-Italian concert with the Verdi Requiem Friday (3/21) at 7:30?p.m. and Saturday (3/22) at 8?p.m., all taking place at Kleinhans Music Hall.

Also this week, Pianist Frank Scinta gives a free half-hour recital Friday (3/21) at 12:30?p.m. in Saint Paul's Cathedral downtown, before Organist Tom Trenney is performs Friday at 7:30 in St. James Episcopal Church in Batavia.

Hear works for handbells, oboe, along with piano and organ. Trio Campana gives a free recital Sunday (3/23) at 2?p.m. in the Christ the King Chapel of Canisius College. And one of the members is Paul Ferington, a regular guest conductor of the BPO.

Finally if you're up for some traditional Irish music for St. Patrick's Day, stop by the Buffalo Irish Center at 245 Abbott Road this afternoon (Monday 3/17) at 1?p.m., as I'll be joining other members of the Buffalo Irish Arts Society for some jigs and reels.

And that's Music Notes. I'm Bill Raffel, have a great week.