The Jasper String Quartet will be joined by cellist Raman Ramakrishnan in recital Thursday, Feb. 26, in the Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting, at 20 E. Mermaid Lane in Chestnut Hill.

The Quartet, which is comprised of violinists J Frievogel and Karen Kim, violist Andrew Gonzalez, and cellist Rachel Henderson Freivogal, plus Ramakrishnan, will perform a program consisting of the Cello Quintet of Franz Schubert, the rarely performed classical-era String Quartet by Maddalena Laura Sirmen, and the world premiere of “little bells” by Michelle Barzel Ross in celebration of a double anniversary: the 10th of the Jasper Chamber Concerts series and the 20th of the Quartet, itself.

Admission to the recital is free; a donation of $25 ($10 for students) is suggested.

The Jasper Chamber Concerts program is accepting applications through March 7, for the 2026 Christine Kim Young Artist Award. The award will be presented to a string player or chamber ensemble under the age of 22 who displayed extraordinary skill and artistry in performing a work composed after 1980. The winner(s) will receive a prize of $500 and perform during the ensemble’s season finale in April. All applicants will receive comments from award judges violinist Rebecca Fischer and violist Melissa Reardon.

‘Flora and Fauna: Songs of Springtime’

Chestnut Hill maestro Donald Meineke will conduct Choral Arts Philadelphia in concert Saturday, March 7, at 4 p.m., in the Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity, Rittenhouse Square, in Center City. The program has been dubbed “Flora and Fauna: Songs of Springtime.” It hopes to bring to an end to our “winter blues” by translating the beauty of the Philadelphia Flower Show into a musical concert of vernal beauty.

The program features renditions of Sir Benjamin Britten’s “Five Flower Songs,” Opus 47, Gerald Finzi’s “Seven Poems of Robert Bridges, Opus 17, “Now Is the Month of Maying” by Thomas Morley, “Spring Returns” by Luca Marenzio, and “The Silver Swan” by Orlando Gibbons. It’s a roster of pieces that spans the centuries from the Renaissance to the 20th century.

Alongside directing Choral Arts Philadelphia, Meineke is music director of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Locust Street in Center City where he presides over choral performances of the setting of the Ordinary of the Mass every Sunday along with Communion and Offertory anthems/motets and settings of the Psalms.

Choral Evensong

Parish music director Andrew Kotylo and assistant music director Andy Brown oversaw a powerful yet reflective selection of choral and organ music for the final Choral Evensong of the season prior to the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. The quality of the music and the passion and expertise with which it was performed was such that the musical establishments of most, if not all, of the Anglican cathedrals in England, itself, would likely turn green with envy. Most interestingly, most of the music was either modern or contemporary, proving that maintaining a tradition doesn’t necessarily mean getting stuck in it.

The roster’s chief scores were William Mathias’ “Magnificat” and “Nunc dimittis” and Jonathan Dove’s “Seek Him That Maketh the Seven Stars.”

‘The Merry Widow’

Philadelphia Ballet will present Ronald Hynd’s choreography to Franz Lehar’s sublime operetta, “The Merry Widow,” March 5 through 15 in the Academy of Music. The operetta conjures up the gay life of Paris’ Belle Epoque through some of the loveliest light classical music ever composed, and the choreography sends the score and its dancers into a fantasy world of lavish romance. For ticket information, visit philadelphiaballet.org.

‘Le donne musicale’

Tempesta di Mare, Philadelphia Baroque Orchestra, will present “Le donne musicali,” women composers of the baroque era, Sunday, March 1, at 4 p.m. in the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, 8855 Germantown Ave. Works by Agata Cantora della Pieta, Vivaldi, Gasparini, and Porpora will be performed. For ticket information, visit tempestadimare.org.

You can contact NOTEWORTHY at Michael-caruso@comcast.net.