Chicago a cappella: The pleasures of the palate are celebrated in the vocal group’s season opener. “Tastes of Paradise” will include Bach’s “Coffee Cantata” along with contemporary song cycles and jazz standards in praise of food and drink. Bonuses at select locations include a wine tasting and gourmet chocolates. 8 p.m. Saturday at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston; and 4 p.m. Sunday at Pilgrim Congregational Church, 460 Lake St., Oak Park (repeated Oct. 9 in Chicago and Oct. 10 in Naperville). $28-$35, $22 for seniors; 773-755-1628, chicagoacappella.org
Chicago Sinfonietta: Music director Paul Freeman and guest conductor Harvey Felder share the podium for the opening concert of the orchestra’s 24th season. Their program salutes working men and women with music by Copland, Dvorak, Bernstein, Michael Daugherty and Renee Baker. Guests are violinist Tai Murray and Japanese drummers JASC Tsukasa Taiko. 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Lund Auditorium, Dominican University, 7900 W. Division St., River Forest; and 7:30 p.m. Monday at Orchestra Hall, 220 S. Michigan Ave. $26-$96; 312-236-3681, ext. 2; chicagosinfonietta.org
Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Music director Riccardo Muti presides over a program of symphonies by Haydn (Nos. 39 and 89) and Mozart (Nos. 25 and 34) at 8 p.m. Friday and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; $23-$233. Beethoven’s revolutionary Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”), Wagner’s “Centennial Inauguration March” and Carlos Chavez’s “Sinfonia India” make up Muti’s varied program at 8 p.m. Thursday (repeated Oct. 8-9); $23-$239. Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave. 312-294-3000, cso.org
Chicago Symphony Orchestra — Symphony Ball: The newly created CSO Women’s Board presents its annual gala, with violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter making a long-overdue return to Orchestra Hall to perform Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. Riccardo Muti also conducts Rossini’s “William Tell” Overture and Liszt’s “Les Preludes.” Gala packages include a pre-concert reception and post-concert dinner at Millennium Park (312-294-3185). 7 p.m. Saturday at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave. $63-$199 (concert only); 312-294-3000, cso.org
Fifth House Ensemble: New music concert. 2 p.m. Sunday at the Green Mill, 4802 N. Broadway. $5; 773-878-5552
MusicNOW: The Chicago Symphony’s dynamic contemporary music series begins its new season with resident composers Mason Bates and Anna Clyne as hosts. Principal conductor Cliff Colnot will lead CSO members in works by Bates, Clyne, Enrico Chapela, Ana Lara and Chicago composer Marcos Balter. 7 p.m. Monday at Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive. $20; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Newberry Consort: In works by Thomas Arne. 8 p.m. Friday at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut St.; 8 p.m. Saturday at Rockefeller Chapel, University of Chicago, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave.; and 3 p.m. Sunday in Lutkin Hall, Northwestern University, 700 University Place, Evanston. $28-$30; 312-255-3610
Orion Ensemble: The vibrant chamber group’s season opener holds works by Beethoven, Schumann and Piazzolla. 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Nichols Hall, Music Institute of Chicago, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston. $23-$26; 630-628-9591, orionensemble.org
Rembrandt Chamber Players: The splendid Chicago chamber group launches its new season with works spanning the Baroque era (C.P.E. Bach), Romanticism (Brahms and Dohnanyi) and the 20th century (Poulenc). Guest artists are Yukiko Uguro, viola, and Dennis Michel, bassoon. 3 p.m. Sunday at Nichols Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston. 312-360-3145, rembrandtchamberplayers.orgTokyo String Quartet: The acclaimed foursome opens the University of Chicago Presents series with quartets by Mozart and Schumann, along with Russian composer Lera Auerbach’s Quartet No. 2 (“Primera Luz”). 7:30 p.m. Friday in Mandel Hall, University of Chicago, 1131 E. 57th St. $32; 773-702-8068, chicagopresents.uchicago.edu
Vox 3 Vocal Music Collective: The group’s fourth season begins with a light-hearted cabaret consisting of popular and art music based on the theme of “Glorious Food.” 9 p.m. Friday at The North End, 3733 N. Halsted St. (free); and 9 p.m. Tuesday at The Spot, 4437 N. Broadway ($5). vox3.org
jvonrhein@tribune.com
