Lots in store for classical concert season

The highlight of this concert is the local premiere of the “Anthology of Fantastic Zoology” by Mason Bates, a multi-movement symphony inspired by imaginary creatures in the writings of Jorge Luis Borges. Bates, one of the most notable of locally-based composers, is often heard at the San Francisco Symphony and the Cabrillo Festival. He has a knack for writing music that sounds like animal-filled natural environments even when that’s not his intended subject, so this one, running in topics from light sprites and nymphs to a gigantic sea turtle, should be attractive.

Also on the program, Camille Saint-Saëns’ colorful “Egyptian” Piano Concerto, with soloist Natalya Lundtvedt, and Maurice Ravel’s famous orchestration of Modest Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.”

Most of Redwood’s concerts this season will feature major works by living composers: John Corigliano’s original settings of Bob Dylan poems for soprano and orchestra on Nov. 18, Kirke Mechem’s Symphony No. 2 on Feb. 10 and David Aaron Jaffe’s Violin Concerto on April 7. In December, the orchestra will collaborate with the Bay Choral Guild for Paul Ayres’ “Messyah,” an imaginative contemporary rearrangement of Handel’s “Messiah.”

The Redwood Symphony programs will also include classic 20th-century ballet scores: Bartók’s brutal “Miraculous Mandarin” in November, Stravinsky’s piquant “Petrushka” in February and a full orchestration of the complete score of Copland’s beloved “Appalachian Spring” in April. Each of these will be provided with supertitles to enable listeners to follow the plots. Info is at redwoodsymphony.org.

Redwood is not the only local orchestra playing Mason Bates this year. The Peninsula Symphony, which is giving most of its concerts in San Mateo and Campbell, is playing his short locally-inspired “Garages of the Valley” on May 11 and 12. It will be paired with Edgar’s Cello Concerto and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2.

Peninsula Symphony is also giving the most robustly American of all local celebrations of Leonard Bernstein’s birth centenary next year. Its March concert will include music by Bernstein, Copland, Howard Hanson (another distinguished composer of Copland’s generation) and the local contemporary Nancy Bloomer Deussen. In October, famed pianist Jon Nakamatsu will join the orchestra for Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto. In January, the symphony will give a concert performance of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific.” And November’s choral concert at Stanford will feature Elgar’s rarely-heard ode “The Music Makers.” Info at peninsulasymphony.org.

Our third local community orchestra, the Master Sinfonia, which plays in Portola Valley and Los Altos, will feature this year its second annual juvenile concerto competition winner in March and Mendelssohn’s rare cantata, “The First Walpurgis Night,” with Viva la Musica, in May. Info at mastersinfonia.org. The New Millennium Chamber Orchestra has not yet announced its season; info will be at nmchamberorchestra.org.

Masterworks Chorale is performing two big works this year: in November, Mozart’s Requiem, together with a world premiere by the popular contemporary composer Ola Gjello; and in March, “The Armed Man,” a “mass for peace” by Karl Jenkins, another contemporary composer whose music is more famous than his name. Masterworks will also hold holiday concerts in December and a centuries-spanning concert of British music in May. Info at masterworks.org.

In other choral activities, the Ragazzi Boys Chorus will give performances of an “Ubi Caritas” concert, featuring music exploring God’s love for the world, in December and an Asian-inspired concert in March. The group will collaborate with the Peninsula Girls Chorus in April. Info at ragazzi.org. The Peninsula Women’s Chorus will sing Britten’s “Ceremony of Carols” in December; info at pwchorus.org.

Professional chamber music may be heard locally from Music at Kohl Mansion in Burlingame (musicatkohl.org), seven concerts beginning with the Calidore String Quartet on October 22, and from Music@Menlo (musicatmenlo.org), three concerts beginning with the Montrose Piano Trio on Nov. 12.