Photo by shawndc The Washington Post just launched Real Art D.C., which aims to show the best artists around the DMV area. Are the Post’s art critics involved in this operation at all? ABC7 has the story on the new library that opened at 3935 Benning Road NE — the first new library to open in the District in 20 years. Apparently, D.C. Public Libraries chief Ginnie Cooper has a “signature cheer” and you…

Your classical music schedule will be busy for the next two or three weeks, through Thanksgiving, and you have the chance to hear almost as much for free as you do buying tickets. BIG GUNS: >> Emmanuel Pahud is one of the leading flutists of the younger generation. He will be in Washington this week, beginning with a recital with his regular pianist collaborator, Eric Le Sage, at the Phillips Collection on Wednesday (November 7,…

Memorial Day has come and gone, and we are now officially in the summer hiatus of the Classical Music Agenda. Here are some highlights for this week: in a week or two, this feature will take a well-deserved rest until Labor Day, when the classical concert schedule returns to full power. TOPS THIS WEEK: >> On Wednesday night, the excellent NPR radio program From the Top will be recorded in front of a live audience…

Be a good son or daughter and call your mother today. Then you can start thinking about what concerts to hear this week. Maybe you can ask your mom to come with you. THE BIG GUNS: >> Joining the National Symphony Orchestra this week is Chinese pianist Lang Lang. He and composer Jennifer Higdon have parted ways about her new piano concerto, which he was supposed to premiere this week. Instead, Lang Lang will play…

April is a huge month for visual art in D.C. Friday marks the beginning of the twofive-week-long Artomatic, while later this month we’ll be treated to the first ever international art fair in the city with artDC, both of which we’ll tell you more about as they come closer. You’ve got plenty to keep you busy in the meantime. Believe it or not, Paris and New York don’t hold the monopoly on influential visual art…

>>Tomorrow is First Friday, so head over to Dupont for an evening of receptions with slightly buzzed gallery-goers. Stop by the Marsha Mateyka Gallery to wonder at Jae Ko’s gorgeously twisted paper sculptures. Studio Gallery opens a new show this week with Susan Cohen’s Frozen by Fire 2 that features her painted clay sculptures enriched with metals and other natural elements. Check out the map for other First Friday participating galleries. >>Kendall Buster will be…

June is finally here, and that means that this DCist can direct you to a few more concerts this week for your classical listening enjoyment (see more at Ionarts), after the lull of late May. You can plan your concert schedule for the entire month of June with our Classical Month in Washington (June), or your summer opera listening with Opera in the Summer 2005, both at Ionarts. Our activities will taper off again in…