The major events of this week's concert schedule are next weekend's twin concerts sponsored by Washington Performing Arts Society. If the price tag is too high, there are plenty of free concerts to hear, too.

THE BIG GUNS:
>> Alluring German violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter (pictured) will officially open the WPAS fall season on Saturday night (October 11, 8 p.m.), in a concert with Camerata Salzburg. Her program at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall will include three Bach concertos and the Tartini violin sonata known as the "Devil's Trill." The concert also serves as publicity for Mutter's latest album, released this month, which just happens to include the two Bach solo violin concertos on the program. Tickets: $42 to $107.

>> András Schiff, who is not exactly a looker but an excellent pianist, has been making a cycle of live recordings of the complete Beethoven sonatas. Schiff will play four of those sonatas at a concert on Friday night (October 10, 8 p.m.) for WPAS, in the Music Center at Strathmore. The program includes the three sonatas of op. 31 (no. 16 to 18) and no. 21, the famous "Waldstein" sonata. Tickets: $27 to $77.

THE FREE KIND:
>> The first Tuesday of the month means it is time for the Noontime Cantata presented by members of the Washington Bach Consort (October 7, 12:10 p.m.) at Church of the Epiphany (1317 G St. NW). Get your dose of severe Lutheran theology in a pleasing musical package with Die Elenden sollen essen (The wretched shall eat, BWV 75).

>> On Sunday (October 12, 4 p.m.) pianist Minju Choi will play a recital at the Phillips Collection (1600 21st St. NW). The concert is free, but entrance to the museum is not.

>> Even better, Swiss pianist Gilles Vonsattel will play a free recital later that evening (October 12, 6:30 p.m.) at the National Gallery of Art. The program includes music by Bach, Liszt, Muhly, Rorem, and Schubert. Enter the West Building at the Constitution Ave. entrance, at 6th St. NW.

FURTHERMORE:
>> On Wednesday (October 8, 7:30 p.m.) the ensemble Concertante will perform chamber music by Martinů, Dvořák, and Tchaikovsky in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Tickets: $38.

>> La Maison Française (4101 Reservoir Rd. NW) will host Baroque violinist Patrick Bismuth and his ensemble La Tempesta on Thursday (October 9, 7:30 p.m.). Tickets: $20.

>> Soprano Jennifer Ellis Kampani and harpsichordist J. Reilly Lewis will perform a concert in the Mansion at Strathmore on Thursday (October 9, 7:30 p.m.). Tickets: $25.

>> This week's program from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra features music by Rossini, Mendelssohn, and Mozart. Although the National Symphony is on break this week, the BSO will play on Saturday (October 11, 8 p.m.) in the Music Center at Strathmore. Tickets: $25 to $80.

>> For more concert information, go to Ionarts.