WBEZ.org reports that after the beloved Bach Week festival ended its 50-year run, a new initiative, Bach in the City, has emerged to keep Chicago’s Bach tradition alive. Led by longtime Bach Week conductor Richard Webster, the fresh venture will take a more flexible approach, staging concerts throughout the year instead of a concentrated festival. With new board members, a fresh venue at St. Vincent de Paul Church, and a mission to expand its reach, Bach in the City aims to prove its staying power with its inaugural concert on March 21—Bach’s 340th birthday.

Gustavo Dudamel leads the NYPO

NYTimes.com reports that the New York Philharmonic, under Gustavo Dudamel, premiered a long-lost Ravel work, Prélude et Danse from Sémiramis, as part of a concert celebrating the composer’s 150th birthday. Written around 1900 and thought lost for over a century, the five-minute piece reveals early hints of Ravel’s signature orchestral textures and dramatic flair. The program also featured Daphnis et Chloé, Mother Goose, Varèse’s Amériques, and Gershwin’s An American in Paris, making for a dynamic exploration of early 20th-century soundscapes.

TheGuardian.com highlights the unexpected success of the London Philharmonic’s daring mashup of genres, blending Zappa’s pop-infused eccentricity, Martinů’s poignant symphony, and Wijeratne’s emotionally charged clarinet concerto. The program swung from the playful chaos of G-Spot Tornado and Dog Breath Variations—complete with wah-wah trombones and banjos—to the tragic weight of Martinů’s Sixth Symphony, haunted by Dvořák’s Requiem. With Kinan Azmeh’s expressive solo in Wijeratne’s refugee-inspired concerto and Kevin John Edusei’s deft direction, the night proved that wildly contrasting styles can create a strangely cohesive and powerful experience.

Kevin John Edusei leads the LSO in a bold new direction.