Last week, this column focused on I Cantori di Carmel’s debut at Carmel’s Sunset Center, a significant milestone for the 45-year-old chorus, a regional offshoot of the Carmel Bach Festival chorus. But after months of preparation and a week of intensive orchestral rehearsals, the ensemble had to postpone its spring concert series, “Songs of Destiny,” due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the chorus. I Cantori’s distinguished German conductor Daniel Henriks says that there are no bad cases so far but that the virus affected about a third of the chorus members.

The planned program features over 100 singers and orchestra members performing works by Brahms, Debussy, Ravel, Lili Boulanger and Vaughan Williams. Despite the challenging setback, I Cantori remains committed to bringing this music to life and sharing it with the community in the near future. The Sunset performances were booked for May 6 and 7. They are working on a plan to reschedule the concerts. Stay tuned for updates.

Monterey Peninsula Voices

Monterey Peninsula Voices presents Celestial Voices on Mother’s Day weekend with performances Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m. The program explores the stars, the heavens, the mysteries of the celestial sky and their connection to the human spirit. The diverse repertoire ranges from sacred to secular to jazz and includes the works of Hayden, Ola Gjeilo, Elaine Hagenberg, Morten Lauridsen, Christopher Tin and others, even popular tunes, such as “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Rewrite the Stars.” A small instrumental ensemble will accompany the 60-member community choir. The concerts take place at the First United Methodist Church in Pacific Grove. For tickets see www.mpvoices.org/tickets.

At the Sandbox

Hear works of Beethoven and Brahms performed by classical artists violinist Livia Sohn, cellist Luigi Piovano, and pianist Bernadene Blaha May 15 from 7-9 p.m. at the Sandbox in Sand City. They will play Beethoven’s A major Cello Sonata, a work of warmth and innovation, alongside Brahms’ lush and lyrical Piano Trio in C major. Together, these musicians bring to life music that traverses the emotional spectrum. For tickets and more information see www.sandboxsandcity.com.Monterey Symphony season finale

Monterey Symphony closes their 79th season this month with performances on May 17 at 7:30 p.m. and May 18 at 3 p.m. at Sunset Center. Conductor Jayce Ogren says, “We close with one of the most beloved and powerful pieces of classical music, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, featuring the Monterey Symphony debut of star pianist Joyce Yang. I’m very honored to be sharing one of my own compositions, ‘Intertidal,’ inspired by the murmuration of shorebirds on the Pacific coast. The program will also feature our very own president and CEO, Nicola Reilly, as violin soloist on Tchaikovsky’s ‘Melodie,’ as well as Respighi’s dazzling works, ‘The Fountains of Rome’ and ‘The Pines of Rome.’”

Pre-concert lectures take place with musicologist Christopher Anderson-Bazzoli on May 17 from 6:30-7 p.m. and with Ogren May 18 from 2-2:30 p.m. in the Sunset Center auditorium. These are free and open to the public. There will be a Saturday Night Talk Back with Ogren immediately following the concert, to which all ticket holders are welcome and can enjoy a complimentary glass of wine. On Sunday, the Symphony offers Lobby Sessions with Live Music before the concert, also free and open to the public.

The Symphony presents a one-time experience, “Overlapping Halos,” on May 19 at 5 p.m. at Sunset Center as part of its commitment to music and healing. On the heels of a panel discussion about music and wellness at Tonkin House (in partnership with Montage Health Foundation), the organization is eager to present unique opportunities for people to connect deeply with music. As a new partner with Art Pharmacy, the Symphony is proud to present Edwin Huizinga, Deva Munay, and Damaris (Penny Vieregge), a collaboration that was born out of a desire to connect through sound, music and poetry during the isolation of the pandemic. The three artists began their commitment to this project under a flowering plum tree in Big Sur Canyon.

For tickets and more information on these two events, see montereysymphony.org or call 646-8511.

Monterey County Pops!

For its free Memorial Day concert, Monterey County Pops! returns to the Colton Hall lawn with the historic Monterey City Hall as their backdrop. This year’s concert opens at 12:45 p.m. with performances by Heartstrings Monterey and the Soquel High School Jazz Singers. The Pops 40-piece orchestra follows with a program of popular and patriotic music for all ages, led by award-winning conductor Carl Christensen.

Seaside High School Band will also take part. Director Jessica Baudot says, “The Monterey County Pops Ensemble has been an important part of our growth at Seaside High this year; we are excited to perform alongside them once again to honor this holiday.”

Monterey Peninsula College Orchestra

The Monterey Peninsula College Orchestra, directed by David Dally, will perform a concert on May 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the MPC Theatre. The 50-piece ensemble will play Mozart’s “Magic Flute Overture,” Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony, and Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony. Tickets are available at the door.

Sunkiss’d Mozart Summerfest

Cindy Wu, violinist extraordinaire and artistic director, presents Sunkiss’d Mozart Summerfest 2025 from June 11-15, another spectacular lineup of world-class chamber musicians performing in intimate settings around the Monterey Peninsula. This year’s theme is “Metamorphosis.”

“Through the concerts and conversations of the festival week,” she says, “we travel through meditative darkness to the splendor of dawn; delve into illuminating reflections of heart, art and being; and arrive at a joyful celebration of the fruitfulness of harvest. …The fireworks of the 2025 Summerfest musicians’ performances will be stunning to behold.”

This year’s events take place in an art-filled room of the Pacific Grove Art Center, a room at Asilomar Conference Grounds with its coastal majesty, a treasure room in Pebble Beach forest, and fragrant wine cellar in the hills of Corral De Tierra. Summerfest 2025 also hosts two Canvas Events that invite ticketholders inside the creative process in action. Wu leads in-depth conversations with international bestselling writer Alka Joshi and composer-in-residence Daixuan Ai, sharing insights and inspirations, artist to artist.

Last year’s debut Summerfest was a great success, an exclusive experience featuring top players, rising stars and a budding composer in beautiful settings throughout our region.

Wu says, “At Sunkiss’d Mozart, we craft every programming detail with the highest artistic and technical mastery. Every moment you experience is a piece of a musician’s mind from a lifetime of devotion.” For tickets and more information see www.skmozart.com.