Random Acts

St. Lawrence String Quartet; BalletBoyz; Serenata of Santa Fe; pianist George Winston

Northern exposure: St. Lawrence String Quartet

The St. Lawrence String Quartet, established in 1989, is one of Canada’s premier chamber ensembles, but that kindly nation to the north doesn’t mind sharing it. For the past 18 years, the foursome has been the ensemble-in-residence at Stanford University, and Santa Feans look forward to its not-infrequent visits as high points of the chamber-music calendar. Haydn is one of the players’ passions, and in their concert here, sponsored by Santa Fe Pro Musica, they will open with one of his most dramatic quartets, the Quartet in F minor, Op. 20, No. 5. Also on the program are the Second String Quartet by John Adams (another St. Lawrence specialty) and the effusive String Quartet No. 3 of Robert Schumann. The performance begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 7, in St. Francis Auditorium (New Mexico Museum of Art, 107 W. Palace Ave.). Tickets, $12-$69, are available from Tickets Santa Fe at the Lensic Performing Arts Center (505-988-1234, www.ticketssantafe.org). — James M. Keller

New Age innovator: George Winston

George Winston, a veteran of “rural folk piano,” plays two concerts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 5, and Saturday, Feb. 6, at Center Stage (505 Camino de los Marquez). Influenced by Fats Waller, Teddy Wilson, and Professor Longhair, Winston was an innovator of the placid contemporary instrumental music that became known as “New Age.” His first disc was Ballads and Blues 1972, released on John Fahey’s Takoma label. This was followed by several impressionistic early 1980s albums, such as Autumn and December. His résumé includes two volumes of The Music of Vince Guaraldi, albums accompanying readings by Meryl Streep and Liv Ullmann, and a series of albums, as producer, on the masters of Hawaiian slack-key guitar. Tickets are $53 in advance from www.holdmyticket.com and $58 at the door. Visit www.ampconcerts.org or call 505- 603- 8134. — Paul Weideman

Numbers game: Serenata of Santa Fe

The musicians of the Serenata of Santa Fe chamber collective present a concert titled “Color Mapping,” crafted to showcase a variety of instrumental combinations. The program includes music for one player (a Sarabande for solo violin by Kenji Bunch), two players (Bernstein’s Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Poulenc’s Sonata for Flute and Piano), three players (movements for violin, cello, and piano by Bunch and by Josef Suk), and five players ( Joan Tower’s Petroushskates, a vibrant piece for f lute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano that mixes the dual inspirations of Stravinsky and pairs figure-skating). The concert takes place on Saturday, Feb. 6, at 7:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church (208 Grant Ave.). Tickets ($15-$35) can be purchased in advance through www.brownpapertickets.com. For information, call Serenata at 505-989-7988. — J.M.K.

Royal men: BalletBoyz

Ballerinas usually rely on male dancers to lift them with strength and power, supporting them as they appear to f ly gracefully through the air. Though men display plenty of elegance in their lifts and leaps, they spend a great deal of time fulfilling their duty as a sturdy prop, their brute bulk contrasted against the lithe lines of the women. But in the all-male company BalletBoyz, the full spectrum of force and beauty embodied by men in the ballet world is center stage. The unusual choreography is electric and dramatic, and the men’s bodies give new shape to a medium that, rightly or wrongly, is often considered dainty. BalletBoyz won the U.K. Critics Circle Award for Best Independent Dance Company in 2012 and 2014, with a mix of classically trained dancers and those chosen for their raw talent by directors Michael Nunn and William Trevitt — both former Royal Ballet dancers. BalletBoyz comes to the Lensic Performing Arts Center (211 W. San Francisco St.) on Thursday, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m. Tickets, $20-$55, are available by calling 505-988-1234 or visiting www.ticketssantafe.org. — Jennifer Levin