VOCAL MUSIC David Hoose leads the Cantata Signers in works by Bach and Arvo Pärt on Friday night at First Church in Cambridge; and Boston Camerata devotes itself to early American folk hymnody in a program titled “The American Vocalist’’ on May 22 at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul. www.cantatasingers.org, www.bostoncamerata.org

NEW MUSIC Sound Icon with guest pianist Marilyn Nonken takes on Gerard Grisey’s masterwork “Vortex Temporum’’ on Thursday night at Tufts University; A Far Cry has a new Derek Bermel score titled “Murmurations’’ as part of an all-American program on Friday night in Jordan Hall; and Guerilla Opera unveils Hannah Lash’s new contemporary adaptation of “Beowulf’’ at Boston Conservatory’s Zack Box (May 20-28). www.soundicon.org, www.afarcry.org, www.guerillaopera .com

CHAMBER MUSIC The Chameleon Arts Ensemble offers a characteristically eclectic program of works by Bloch, Messiaen, Saint-Saens, Elena Firsova, and David Ludwig (May 21 at First Church in Boston, May 22 at the Goethe Institute). And Sarasa has music by Purcell, Britten, and Barber, as well as a premiere by Thomas Vignieri (May 21 at Friends Meeting House in Cambridge, May 22 at First Parish in Concord). www.chameleonarts.org, www.sarasamusic.org JEREMY EICHLER