In this week's agenda, the focus is on contemporary music. Earlier this week, the opening concert in the Mobtown Modern contemporary music series, at the Contemporary Museum in Baltimore, prompted us to think about concerts in Washington in the same vein.

MAKE IT MODERN:
>> The Corcoran Gallery of Art has the best concert acoustic in Washington in their semicircular hall, where pioneering French pianist Benoît Delbecq will give a recital on Wednesday (September 17, 7 p.m.). His music has been described as a mixture of "ideas and techniques from contemporary, classical, jazz, Pygmy polyphony," with the piano altered by the use of "eraser bits and carved wooden twigs." Tickets: $25.

>> On Sunday (September 21, 4 p.m.) we will back at the Corcoran for the first concert in the series presented by the Contemporary Music Forum, now in its 35th season, featuring the Verge Ensemble. The program features music by Charles Wuorinen, Jefferson Friedman, John Drumheller, and Chinary Ung. Tickets: $20.

>> The Monday night recital (September 15, 7:30 p.m.) by this year's Marian Anderson Award winner, Indira Mahajan, is not exclusively devoted to contemporary music. Her program at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater will feature a set of Spanish songs by Fernando Obradors and another set by André Previn. Tickets: $18.

>> Washington Musica Viva will host the New York-based ensemble the Broken Reed Saxophone Quartet on Monday night (September 15, 7:30 p.m.) in its concert at the Ratner Museum in Bethesda. Their program includes music by Tailleferre, Wilder, and Gerard. Tickets: $20.

Photo of Benoît Delbecq by Roderick Packe

MAKE IT FREE:
>> Armonia Nova performs on the free Tuesday concert series (September 16, 12:10 p.m.) at the Church of the Epiphany (1317 G St. NW).

>> The Friday mid-day series of free concerts at Georgetown University's McNeir Hall (September 19, 1:15 p.m.) will feature soprano Jennifer Ellis Kampani.

FURTHERMORE:
>> Les Petits Chanteurs, a children's choir from Haiti's Holy Trinity School of Music, will give a concert at the Art Museum of the Americas on Monday (September 15, 6 p.m.).

>> The second production in the fall season from Washington National Opera is Bizet's Pearl Fishers. It opens on Saturday night (September 20, 7 p.m.) and runs through October 7 at the Kennedy Center Opera House.

>> The first regular concert of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra season comes to the Music Center at Strathmore on Saturday (September 20, 8 p.m.). Marin Alsop will conduct Gustav Holst's astrological suite The Planets.

>> Listen to talented amateur pianists and give something for the benefit of Critters for the Cure at the recital sponsored by the Piano Society of Washington at Calvary Lutheran Church in Silver Spring on Sunday (September 21, 3 p.m.).

>> For more concert information, go to Ionarts.