Two classical faves are back
This week brings chamber performances by two acts Bay Area audiences love to love: pianist Garrick Ohlsson and the Takács Quartet. Each performs the first of two programs scheduled for February and March.
An artist of astonishing range and insight, Ohlsson performs a wide range of repertoire, from big, knuckle-busting concertos to intimate solo works. This week, Ohlsson launches a multiyear series for San Francisco Performances that will span Brahms’ complete solo piano works. The series begins tonight with a program featuring the composer’s Eight Pieces, Op. 76, and the Op. 10Four Ballades. Ohlsson will return for the series’ second program on March 28, which includes Brahms’ Piano Sonata No. 2 in F-sharp minor.
Details: 7:30p.m. today; Herbst Theatre, San Francisco; $45-$75; 415-392-2545, www.sfperformances.org.
Also this weekend the beloved Takács Quartet returns to Berkeley, this time with its newest member, second violinist Harumi Rhodes, who joined the quartet following the May 2018retirement of founding member Károly Schranz. The program features three quartets: Bartók’s No. 1in A minor; Haydn’s in D major, Op. 20, No. 4; and Grieg’s No. 1 in G minor, Op. 27. Takács will return for a second program on March 3, featuring quartets by Haydn, Bartók and Mendelssohn.
Details: 3p.m. Sunday; Hertz Hall, UC Berkeley; $86; 510-642-9988; www.calperformances.org.
Chowder champs to be crowned in Santa Cruz
Who makes the best New England and Boston chowders?
Again this year you will have two days to taste and vote — Saturday and Sunday — at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s wildly popular Clam Chowder Cook-Off.
On Saturday, amateur cooks will compete, and on Sunday, it’s the professionals.
The public tasting runs from 1to 3p.m. both days, but you should arrive hours earlier to find parking, buy your tasting kits, enjoy the boardwalk — and get in line for chowder. If you’ve attended before, you know the drill. If you’ve never been, brace yourself because you’ll have thousands of other chowder lovers for company at this always-fun festival. And by the way, it’s held rain or shine.
Details: Tasting kits are $10for six samples; admission to the boardwalk is free; www.beachboardwalk.com. — Linda Zavoral, Staff
Grieving parents meet school bully
“Late Company” is the kind of play that you just know is going to be a gut punch.
Playing through this weekend at San Francisco’s New Conservatory Theatre Center, Canadian playwright Jordan Tannahill’s drama takes place at a tense dinner party where a couple, grieving their teenage son’s recent suicide, invites one of his bullies from school and his parents over for dinner.
Evren Odcikin directs the poignant drama about the all-too-current issue of bullying over sexuality and about grappling with unfathomable tragedy.
Details: Through Sunday; New Conservatory Theatre Center, San Francisco; $25-$50; 415-861-8972, www. nctcsf.org. — Sam Hurwitt, Correspondent
Banda Magda hits the Bay Area
A keen observer with even keener ears, the Greek-born Magda Giannikou is an acclaimed composer, expert accordionist, veteran producer and ringleader of Banda Magda,
one of the most entertaining bands on the scene. And whatever realm her music happens to reference, there’s a good chance she can communicate with the locals, as she theatrically delivers songs in English, Spanish, French, Greek and Portuguese.
Banda Magda performs around the region over the next week, opening the run Saturday at the Montalvo Arts Center and closing at the SFJazz Center March 1-2.
For this tour, Banda Magda features Japanese percussionist Keita Ogawa and the Argentine triumvirate of bass guitarist Andres Rotmistrovsky, drummer Marcelo Woloski and guitarist Ignacio Hernandez. “These four are the core members,” she says. “But it’s more like the touring band
is picked from a pool of people I’ve worked with for years, because everyone performs with so many other bands and projects, something I encourage and embrace. Part of our mission statement to keep discovering. Different musicians bring in a lot of new ideas, which I love.”
Details: 8p.m. Saturday at Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga; $39-$44; 408-961-5858, montalvoarts.org; 7p.m. Sunday at Firehouse Arts Center, Pleasanton; $27-$37; 925-931-4848, www.firehousearts.org; 7:30p.m. Feb. 28 at Green Music Center, Rohnert Park; $25-$45; 707-6644246, gmc.sonoma.edu; 7 and 8:30 p.m. March 1, 11 a.m. March 2at SFJazz Center, San Francisco; $5-$23; 866920-5299, www.sfjazz.org. — Andrew Gilbert, Correspondent