The Englewood Arts’ Concert Series has become a popular and inexpensive way for area classical music fans to enjoy familiar and unfamiliar repertoire performed by top local artists.
Many of the programs feature Colorado Symphony musicians, who are able take a break from their usual orchestral fare at the Boettcher Concert Hall and perform smaller works in a more intimate setting.
The series boosted the number of its offerings to eight in 2004-05, and it will present the same number when it returns this weekend for its fourth season, with concerts continuing more or less monthly through May 13.
This year’s lineup opens at 2 p.m. Saturday with Andrew Stevens, the Colorado Symphony’s bass clarinetist, joining the Quartetto Zabaglione.
In addition to works by familiar composers, Joaquin Turina and Franz Josef Haydn, the program will feature the little-
known “Phantasy for Bass Clarinet and Strings,” by 20th-century English composer York Bowen.
The rest of the lineup:
7:30 p.m. Nov. 26. This all-baroque program includes works by such celebrated masters as Antonio Vivaldi and George Frideric Handel.
2:30 p.m. Dec. 18. Two vocalists and a 20-piece big band perform jazzy versions of Christmas classics.
2 p.m. Jan. 21. Works by Lukas Foss, Harvey Sollberger and others are featured on this tribute to living composers.
1:30 p.m. Feb. 18. The Boulder Piano Quartet performs two classic chamber works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johannes Brahms.
7:30 pm. March 18. The series presents its annual tribute to Johann Sebastian Bach, including an appearance by soprano Elizabeth Weigle.
1 p.m. April 22. This family program offers musical adaptations of popular fairy tales such as “The Ugly Duckling.”
2 p.m. May 13. The cello is the focus of this season-ending offering, with works by Walter Piston and others.
All concerts take place on the second floor of the Englewood Civic Center, 1000 Englewood Parkway. Tickets are $10-$15. Call 303-806-0444, ext. 350.
