Chicago a cappella: The group’s annual “Holidays a cappella” potpourri gathers carols from Mexico to Scandinavia, folk songs, Hanukkah melodies and spirituals. 8 p.m. Friday at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 190 E. Delaware Place; and 4 p.m. Sunday at Pilgrim Congregational Church, 460 Lake St., Oak Park; $28-$35, $22 for seniors; 773-755-1628, chicagoacappella.org
Chicago Chamber Choir: The 40-voice choral ensemble under Timm Adams celebrates the Christmas season in Spanish with a selection of a cappella works spanning several centuries, from the sacred music of Tomas Luis de Victoria to Conrad Susa’s “Carols and Lullabies: Christmas in the Southwest.” 7 p.m. Sunday at Music Institute of Chicago, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston; and 7:30 p.m. Thursday at St. Pauls United Church of Christ, 2335 N. Orchard St.; $18-$20; 312-409-6890, chicagochamberchoir.org
Chicago Children’s Choir: Josephine Lee directs the spirited young choral ensemble in songs of the season from around the world. 3 p.m. Sunday at Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive; $15-$45; 312-334-7777, harristheaterchicago.org
Chicago Symphony Orchestra: The gifted British pianist Stephen Hough launches a cycle of the complete works for piano and orchestra by Tchaikovsky. Both concerts hold the Second Piano Concerto and Orchestral Suite No. 4 (“Mozartiana”). Friday’s program adds the unfinished Piano Concerto No. 3 (first movement); Saturday’s, the Concert Fantasy. Xian Zhang conducts. 1:30 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $23-$211; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass: The CSO’s peerless brass section steps front and center with its annual program of brass favorites plus symphonic works arranged for brass ensemble. 3 p.m. Thursday (repeated Dec. 17-18) at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $23-$211; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Civic Orchestra of Chicago: Xian Zhang directs the CSO’s remarkable training orchestra in works by Beethoven and Bartok. 3 p.m. Sunday at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; free, but tickets required; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Lakeside Singers: Classical and popular favorites make up the choir’s holiday program. 8 p.m. Monday at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut St. (repeated Dec. 20 in Naperville); $30, $20 for seniors, $10 for children under 12; 847-382-5085, lakesidesingers.com
Lyric Opera of Chicago — Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Mikado”: The most popular of the Savoy operas returns to the Lyric repertory in a new production staged by Chicago director Gary Griffin, set in 1920s Japan. Through Jan. 21 at Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $33-$207, lyricopera.org
Lyric Opera of Chicago — Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera” (“A Masked Ball”): A worthy revival of the Verdi staple. Asher Fisch conducts. 7:30 p.m. Friday at Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $33-$207, 312-332-2244, lyricopera.org
MusicNOW: CSO resident composers Mason Bates and Anna Clyne host a program of boundary-breaking new music by Derek Bermel, Paola Prestini, Edmund Campion, Jason Eckardt and Steven Mackey, performed by CSO musicians under Cliff Colnot. 7 p.m. Monday at Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive; $20; 312-294-3000, cso.org
William Ferris Chorale: Paul French leads the celebrated Chicago chorus in its annual Christmas program, a holiday grab bag of classical works and carols spanning three centuries, including the young Benjamin Britten’s rarely heard “A Boy Was Born.” 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Madonna della Strada Chapel, Loyola University, 1320 N. Sheridan Road; and 3 p.m. Sunday at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 203 S. Kensington Ave., La Grange; $20-$25; 773-508-2940, williamferrischorale.org
