More Than a Dozen Classical Music Concerts This November

As the crisp autumn air settles in, the classical music scene in Westchester comes alive with a rich array of performances this November. From orchestral symphonies to intimate chamber concerts, the season promises a mix of timeless works and new masterpieces. ArtsNews rounded up a selection of these concerts taking place from north to south in the county.

November 8
Hoff-Barthelson Music School Launches the 2024-25 HB Artist Series
Presented by Hoff-Barthelson Music School
Hoff-Barthelson Music School ushers in its 2024-25 HB Artist Series that highlights the talents of faculty and guest artists. The opening offers a diverse program that showcases both classical music masterpieces and contemporary works.

November 9
Stormy Weather
Presented by Ars Antiqua
This concert highlights the weather motifs in baroque music that metaphorically depict the ups and downs of heartbreak. The show is also inspired by the stage machinery used by opera composers to create sound effects that mimic lightening, thunder and wind. This machinery includes barrel-like wind machines, metal “thunder” sheets, and pea-filled rain apparatus. The program includes compositions from Handel, Veracini, Vivaldi and more. Following the performance is a buffet of artisanal cheese and mulled wine. The performance will take place at The Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Chappaqua.

November 9
Alegria Piano Trio Classical Chamber Music Concert
Presented by New Rochelle Public Library
The Alegria Piano Trio takes the stage at the New Rochelle Public Library’s Ossie Davis Theater. Known for their dynamic performances, this ensemble will perform a selection of classical chamber music as it blends technical precision with emotional depth.

November 9
All Beethoven Concert
Presented by Symphony of Westchester
The Symphony of Westchester returns with a concert that is meant to resonate with classical music aficionados. Under the direction of its conductor, Artistic Director Barry Hoffman, the orchestra will perform a curated program of Beethoven classics while showcasing the grandeur of orchestral performance. The concert, which takes place at Iona University in New Rochelle, features violinist Masha Lakisova and a program that includes Coriolan Overture, op. 62; Violin Concerto, op. 61 in D Major; and Symphony no. 4, op. 60, in B Flat Major.

November 9
Emerson Legacy Concert with Calidore String Quartet
Presented by Concordia Conservatory
Concordia Conservatory hosts its Emerson Legacy Concert at The Reformed Church of Bronxville in a continued effort to showcase the tradition of excellence in chamber music. The quartet is celebrated for its innovative interpretations and rich sound. A second chance to see the classical music performance will follow the next day, November 10, at the Second Congregational Church in Greenwich, CT.

November 9
Cassatt String Quartet Concert
Presented by Bethany Arts Community
In commemoration of Veterans’ Day, Bethany Arts Community presents a classical music concert presentation with the Cassatt String Quartet. The quartet, which includes longtime Ossining resident violinist Jennifer Leshnower, will perform Mozart’ String Quartet No. 17 in B-flat major, K. 458, The Hunt and Dmitri Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 14 in F-sharp major, Op. 142.

November 10
Season Kick-Off: Landscapes
Presented by Westchester Symphonic Winds
Westchester Symphonic Winds opens its thirty-seventh concert season with Landscapes. The concert will “transport the audience across a musical landscape rooted in diverse themes ranging from American culture and history to classic Shakespearean literature.” The evening’s featured soloist will be Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Caluori, Principal French Horn for West Point Band. The ensemble will be led by guest conductors Dr. Gerard Morris and apprentice conductor Andrew Dolgon. The performance will take place at Tarrytown Music Hall.

November 13
Chamber Music with the Phil: A Perfect Marriage
Presented by Downtown Music at Grace
An afternoon performance by two members of the Westchester Philharmonic will soon fill the Grace Episcopal Church in White Plains – longtime Philharmonic musicians violinist Deborah Wong and violist Kyle Armbrust. The name of the performance, A Perfect Marriage, refers to the synchronicity of the two instruments. The program will include works of Mozart, Saariaho, Handel and more.

November 15
Purchase Symphony Orchestra
Presented by Performing Arts Center at Purchase College
The Purchase Symphony Orchestra, which consists of students from the school’s Conservatory of Music, will collaboration with Westchester Chamber Soloists for a presentation of Ferdinand David’s Concertino in E-flat Major for Trombone and Orchestra, Op.4 featuring trombonist Christopher Wygonik, and Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D Major.

November 16
Ravel: His Life in Art Song
Presented by KinoSaito
Soprano Kristina Cook and pianist Kessa Mefford are both specialists of the music of 1920s-‘30s French composer Maurice Ravel. The duo will lead guests through the history of Ravel’s art songs. Art songs are typically composed for a solo voice with piano accompaniment. Cook and Mefford are the only known duo in the world to “perform and produce an album of the entirety of these songs.” The performance will provide stories about Ravel and stage interactions between the musicians.

November 17
Terra String Quartet
Presented by Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts
Caramoor’s newest Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-in-Residence, Terra String Quartet, launches its residency with the first and three performances, all of which will spotlight a work by Benjamin Britten. On the program in this afternoon November performance is W. A. Mozart’s String Quartet in D Minor, K. 421, Benjamin Britten’s String Quartet No. 1 in D Major, Op. 25 and Felix Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in F Minor, Op. 80.

November 17
Tessa Lark, Joshua Roman and Edgar Meyer
Presented by Performing Arts Center at Purchase College
Violinist Tessa Lark, cellist Joshua Roman and double-bassist Edgar Meyer join forces in this collaborative performance that takes listeners through J.S. Bach’s Sonata for Viola da Gamba in G Major, BWV 1027 as well as several compositions by Meyer, one of which was composed specifically for this trio: Trio 1986, New Trio (2024) and Trio 1988.

November 20
Clarinetist Ivan Morozov and Pianist Svetlana Gorokhovich
Presented by Downtown Music at Grace
In this Downtown Music debut, clarinetist Ivan Morozov will be joined for a performance by pianist Svetlana Gorokhovich for a program that includes works by Schumann, Brahms and Piazzola. The midday classical music concert takes place in the Grace Episcopal Church in White Plains.

November 23
Fall Concert
Presented by Excelsior Symphony Orchestra
This live orchestral music concert at White Plains High School includes Sergei Prokofiev’s Lt. Kije Suite, which was composed for the 1934 Soviet Union film Lieutenant Kije and contains recognizable melodies like the Troika section often used as Christmas music.  Also on the program are Luise Adolpha LeBeau’s Original Theme with Variations (arr. Zachary May) and Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14.

_{Photos: Top: Calidore String Quartet; Alegria Piano Trio; Cassatt String Quartet (photo credit: Dario Acosta); Purchase Symphony Orchestra (photo credit: Kayla Pershing); Terra String Quartet}