Michael Zwiebach

I'm not normally one to recommend complete sets of anything. The complete choral works of Samuel Barber, an odyssey that Voices of Musica Sacra and their music director, John Kendall Bailey, undertake beginning this weekend, is a bit different. The real reason to seek out these concerts is that you probably haven't heard most of the works that are being given a rare outing here.

Sign of the times: The Berkeley Festival and Exhibition is going mostly local this year. That’s in response to the depressed funding cycle that coincided with the serious recession of the past two years. Questions linger about the festival’s stability and long-term organization, but fortunately they stop at the concert hall doors.

The Irene Dalis Vocal Competition may not ring bells of recognition in your head, but young singers are way ahead of you. That’s because the four-year-old competition, which kicks into gear May 22 at the California Theatre in San José, puts a lot of cash in singers’ pockets.

The Young People's Symphony Orchestra concludes their season with the always-surprising concerto competition winners.

Les grâces is a small chamber music group you may not have heard of, but they have a growing reputation. Their upcoming concerts featuring world-class musicians are worth a visit.

When a choral group with “Bach” in its name meets the St. John's Passion, you expect all the stops to be pulled, and California Bach Society is doing just that.