Latvian-born Mariss Jansons is one of the giants among classical conductors of our time. After pioneering work for the Oslo Philharmonic and the Pittsburgh Symphony, he was named chief conductor of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam, one of the oldest and most highly esteemed musical organizations in Europe. In his concerts and recordings, he has distinguished himself with innovative and stylistically sensitive readings, beyond the Russian repertory of his early training (at the Leningrad…

Well, it wasn’t the storm we had in 2003, but after a January that struggled to hit the freezing point, it was nice to see that we haven’t completely gotten rid of winter. Yet. Also, coming this Friday, a high in the 60s. This week in DCist, we brought you our tips for doing Valentine’s Day right. There was plenty to discuss regarding the District’s ongoing attempt to build the new baseball stadium on South…

You could hear a lot of good classical music this week, much of it at no cost other than the trip to the concert hall. The biggest events this week are not going to be cheap, but the performances of these visiting musicians do promise to be extraordinary. We will be bringing you reviews, of course. For more concerts, go to our Classical Week in Washington feature at Ionarts. LOOK WHO’S IN TOWN: >> The…

We hope that some of you classical music fans heeded our advice in last Sunday’s Classical Music Agenda and went to hear renowned pianist Alfred Brendel at the Kennedy Center last night. I was there, enjoying two hours of concentrated musical bliss, thanks to the Washington Performing Arts Society, which had brought him to Washington for twelve concerts before this one. Brendel is one of the most widely recorded pianists of all time, and he…

Classical music listeners in Washington are going to be busy this month, since we are tracking an imposing number of must-see concerts and performances in February. We will pick the best of the best for you every Sunday here at DCist. If you want more information, go to our Classical Week in Washington feature at Ionarts. THE BIG NAMES: >> Without a doubt, the main event this week is the recital by legendary pianist Alfred…