Bach and Beethoven Ensemble: The group plays music of J.S. Bach, including the “Wedding” Cantata. 7:30 p.m. Friday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1235 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette; and 8 p.m. Saturday at the Chicago Temple, 77 W. Washington St.; $20, $10 for seniors; bachandbeethoven.org
Camerata Chicago: Drostan Hall leads the chamber orchestra in Mozart’s “Haffner” Symphony and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, with Linc Smelser playing Saint-Saens’ Cello Concerto in A minor. 7:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Michael Catholic Church, 310 S. Wheaton Ave., Wheaton; $20, $10 for seniors; cameratachicago.org
Chicago Choral Artists: The 36-voice ensemble under Charles Brown looks to spring with a program of Byrd, Barber, Debussy and Karen Ball’s “A light exists in spring.” 7:30 p.m. Friday at St. Paul United Church of Christ, 2335 N. Orchard St.; and 7:30 p.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church, 324 N. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park; $15-$20; 708-848-1762, chicagochoralartists.org
Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Esa-Pekka Salonen directs the Chicago premiere of Violin Concerto (a CSO co-commission). The extraordinary violinist Leila Josefowicz, for whom the work was written, is soloist on a program that includes Debussy’s “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun” and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2; 8 p.m. Saturday, $24-$207. Salonen’s second and final subscription program of the season consists of Wagner’s “Die Meistersinger” Prelude, Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 and Franco Donatoni’s “Esa”; 8 p.m. Thursday (repeated March 4-6), $23-$239. Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000, cso.org
CSO All-Access Chamber Music Series: The Camilli Trio plays sonatas for violin (Mozart) and cello (Debussy), along with Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 1. 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in Buntrock Hall, Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; free, tickets required; 312-294-3000, cso.org
CSO Chamber Music Series at the Art Institute: The Reingewirtz Band performs works by Bach, Bartok and Max Raimi. 2 p.m. Sunday at Fullerton Hall, Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave.; $26; 312-294-3000, cso.org
CSO Friday Night at the Movies: The orchestra under Richard Kaufman salutes Chicago film critic Roger Ebert. 8 p.m. Friday at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $34-$125; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Civic Orchestra of Chicago: Esa-Pekka Salonen directs the CSO’s splendid young training orchestra in music of Sibelius and Scriabin. 8 p.m. Monday at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; free, tickets required; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Evgeny Kissin: The formidable Russian pianist performs an all-Liszt recital that includes the daunting Sonata in B minor. This is the first of three appearances he will make under CSO auspices this month and next. 3 p.m. Sunday at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $37-$150; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Lyric Opera of Chicago — Wagner’s “Lohengrin”: For its first production of the masterpiece in 31 years, Lyric has assembled a terrific cast of A-list Wagnerians, including Johan Botha as the mysterious swan-knight; Emily Magee as the innocent Elsa; Greer Grimsley as the ambitious Telramund; and Michaela Schuster as the scheming Ortrud. Andrew Davis conducts. Through March 8 at Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $33-$207; 312-332-2244, lyricopera.org
Scharoun Ensemble of the Berliner Philharmoniker: An octet from the famed Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is joined by colleagues from the CSO to perform chamber works by Beethoven and Mendelssohn. 8 p.m. Tuesday at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $19-$85; 312-294-3000, cso.org
