Tempesta di Mare, Philadelphia Baroque Orchestra, will open its season with a full complement of musicians Sunday, Oct. 6, at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, but the group whet the appetite for its 2024-25 concert performances Sept. 14 with its Artist Recital series, a show featuring recorder duets. 

Gwyn Roberts and Rainer Beckmann performed music by Machaut, Morley, Telemann, Herberle and Alberts. Look for the review in next week’s Local. 

When Tempesta's full Philadelphia Baroque Orchestra opens the season, they will perform at 4 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The program has been dubbed “Stolen” and will feature music by Handel and Keiser – chosen from “a suitcase of stolen music.” Co-directors Roberts and lutenist Richard Stone, along with concertmaster Emlyn Ngai, will lead the ensemble of period string, woodwind and brass instrumentalists.

The “Artists Series” of more intimate recitals continues Saturday, Nov. 23, at 5 p.m., at Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting. Stone will be joined by fellow lutenist Cameron Welke in music by Silvius Leopold Weiss.

The Tempesta di Mare Chamber Players will return to the Hill to celebrate the Christmas holiday season with “Neapolitan Christmas” Sunday, Dec. 15, at 4 p.m. in the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill. Local favorite, soprano Rebecca Myers, will be the program’s featured soloist. The roster of music includes works by Scarlatti, Mancini and Falconieri.

For more information about the entire 2024-25 season of Tempesta di Mare, call 215-755-8776 or visit tempestadimare.org.

Play a simple melody

Lyric Fest, the brainchild of Chestnut Hill pianist Laura Ward and East Falls mezzo-soprano Suzanne DuPlantis, will open its 2024-25 season with “Play a Simple Melody,” a celebration of classic American songs of Tin Pan Alley. The lyrical gems of songwriters such as Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields and dozens more will be performed by DuPlantis, soprano Jennifer Aylmer, and baritone Randall Scarlatta with Ward at the Steinway.

Performances are Saturday, Sept. 28, at 3 p.m. in the Warden Theater of the Academy of Vocal Arts, 1920 Spruce St., Center City Philadelphia; and Sunday, Sept. 29, at 3 p.m. in the Chapel of Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, 625 Montgomery Ave., Bryn Mawr. 

For more information, visit lyricfest.org.

Mendelssohn Chorus

Artistic director and conductor Dominick DiOrio will lead Philadelphia’s historic Mendelssohn Chorus in the opening of its 151st season Saturday, Oct. 26, at 4 p.m. The concert has been titled “Mass for the Endangered” and will be performed in the Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity, the Victorian-Romanesque masterpiece on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. 

Speaking of the program, DiOrio said, “It’s my fifth season now as artistic director, and I believe it’s time – time to protect our neighbors, to celebrate the season, for reflection, change and action, and to forge a better world.”

The concert will feature Antonio Caldara’s “Missa Dolorosa in E minor” and Sarah Kirkland Snider’s “Mass for the Endangered.” The Mendelssohn Chorus will be joined by the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia and will be conducted by DiOrio and Heather Mitchell, associate artistic director.

Mendelssohn Chorus will make its annual visit to Chestnut Hill for “A Feast of Carols,” Saturday, Dec. 7, at 2 & 5 p.m. in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 22 East Chestnut Hill Ave. DiOrio and the choir will be joined by Timberdale Brass and St. Paul’s organist & choirmaster, Andrew Kotylo. The program will feature a world premiere by Michael Robert Smith and poet Kyle Conner.

For more information, visit mcchorus.org.

Chestnut Hill conductor

Chestnut Hill’s Donald Meineke made his debut as organist and choirmaster, leading the full choir of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1625 Locust Street in Center City Philadelphia, Sunday, Sept. 8. He led the parish’s Adult Choir in Herbert Howells’ “Collegium Regale” Communion Service, Sir Hubert Parry’s “I was glad when they said unto me” at the Offertory, and John Tavener’s “Mother of God, here I stand now praying” at the Communion. 

 Meineke is also the artistic director of Choral Arts Philadelphia, which will open its 2024-25 season with “Pipe and Voice” Saturday, Oct. 5, at 4 p.m. in Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. The program will be highlighted by a performance of Yves Castagnet’s “Messe Salve Regina” plus more music by Dupre, Villette, Roger-Ducasse and Messiaen.

 Choral Arts’ season will continue Saturday, Dec. 7, at 4 p.m. with “Carols by Candlelight,” again at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.

 For more information visit choralartsphila.org.

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