BSR Classical Interludes, more in March 2026

Some interesting concerts throughout the region will round out another busy musical month. The rest of March will see dancing on the strings (of a guitar), a baroque birthday celebration, some very contemporary choral music, a look at the Italian renaissance, and a striking Stravinsky work. Happy listening!

Ben Lougheed: Dancing on Six Strings
Thursday, March 19, 5:30pm
Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 219 South 6th Street, Philadelphia

Saturday, March 28, 7pm
All Hallows Episcopal Church, 262 Bent Road, Wyncote

Classical guitarist Ben Lougheed, a recent transplant to Glenside and faculty member at Temple Prep, will play two solo concerts, both with repertoire drawn from his latest album. The evening will feature music ranging from baroque works by Rameau to Piazzolla’s tangos to the Cowboy Waltz of American composer Michael Chapdelaine. The Athenaeum concert, part of the Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society, is ticketed. At All Hallows, the concert is free, but reservations are recommended.

Bach Birthday Philadelphia
Saturday, March 21, 3pm
First Presbyterian Church, 201 South 21st Street, Philadelphia

To celebrate J.S. Bach’s birthday, this event features three afternoon concerts. At 3pm, organist Kathleen Scheide will play the Sonata in D minor, BWV 734. Then at 3:30pm, Thomas Gaynor takes the organ bench to play Clavier-Übung selections that include the Italian Concerto BWV 971. The afternoon concludes with some of Bach’s newly discovered (2025) works for organ, harpsichord, and traverso. Keyboard player Bálint Karosi will be joined by baroque flutist Heloïse Dégrugillier.

The Crossing: Infinite Body
Saturday, March 22, 4pm
St. Luke & the Epiphany, 330 South 13th Street, Philadelphia

This Grammy-winning choral ensemble continues its 21st season with a concert that features three works: Tania León’s Singsong, Wang Lu’s At Which Point, and Ayanna Woods’ Infinite Body. León’s Singsong sets Rita Dove’s poetry and features virtuosic flutist and MacArthur fellow Claire Chase. The concert in Philadelphia is presented in partnership with the presenter Artcinia, and The Crossing will also perform this same repertoire in Hershey (March 21) and at Carnegie Hall (March 24).

Piffaro: The Music of Ferrara
March 27-April 9, streaming online

This concert by Philadelphia’s Renaissance band was performed live around the region earlier this month and features music composed during the Italian Renaissance. The patronage of the House of Este, a noble family who founded the University of Ferrara in 1391, drew creatives from across Europe, positioning the city as an artistic center filled with painters, humanists, and musicians who composed some of the splendid courtly works played by Piffaro.

Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia: L’histoire du soldat
Saturday, March 28, 7:30pm
Goodhart Hall at Bryn Mawr College, 150 North Merion Avenue, Bryn Mawr

Sunday, March 29, 2:30pm
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts/Rhoden Theater, 118-128 North Broad Street, Philadelphia

Stravinsky’s parable of temptation and fate—A Soldier’s Tale—tells of a soldier who trades his violin to the Devil in return for worldly wealth. The work in 16 sections weaves narration with music that draws from inspirations as varied as tango, waltz, ragtime, klezmer, and echoes of Bach. Chamber Orchestra musicians will be conducted by music director David Hayes, with narration by Todd Thomas, and the 60-minute work will be performed without an intermission.