Live Music / Concerts

Stern Grove welcomes an annual favorite, the renowned San Francisco Symphony (SFS) with Associate Conductor James Gaffigan. The concert begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 5, with an opening performance by Inouye Jazz, led by SFS Principal Trumpet Mark Inouye.

The third of 10 summer concerts, this admission-free performance will take place in Sigmund Stern Grove, located at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard in San Francisco.

SACRAMENTO — Sacramento Taiko Dan will present its 20th anniversary concert, “Kokorozashi,” blending the rhythm and spirit of traditional and contemporary Japanese drumming with Okinawan music and dance, at the Sacramento Community Center Theater, 13th and L streets in Sacramento, on Saturday, July 25, at 7 p.m.

The concert will feature special artists from Japan — Chabo, artistic director of Shidara and master shinobue flute artist; pre-eminent female taiko drummer Chisato Arikaki; and Nanako and Sayuri Tokuda, award-winning performers of traditional Okinawan music and dance.

SANTA ROSA — Celebrating 31 years of “Harmony from the roots up” and continuing its focus on progressive ideals, community activism, and uplifting music, this year’s Harmony Festival will be held at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa from Friday to Sunday, June 12-14.

Japanese keyboardist Hiromi Uehara and her group Sonicbloom will perform with guitarist David Fiuczynski at the Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness in San Francisco’s War Memorial Veterans Building, on Friday, June 19, at 8 p.m.

Uehara first mesmerized the jazz community with her 2003 album “Another Mind,” co-produced by piano legend Ahmad Jamal, which went gold in Japan. Since then she has combined with bassist Tony Grey and drummer Martin Valihora to create a dynamic electro-acoustic sound as the group Sonicbloom.

ROSEVILLE — Several Placer Buddhist Church members — Amy Hamada, Etsuko Kohagura, Isabel and Bob Meyer, Tsuneko and Roy Matsumoto, Kimiko Aoyama, Susie Storm, Aki Matsuda, Martha Miyamura and Fusae Miyamoto — attended the Harmonicoots’ Fifth Jamboree at the Timberlake Ballroom in Sun City, Roseville on May 12.

The Harmonicoots is a group of about 50 members who get together to have fun playing the harmonica. The group has beginners as well as advanced, and near professional players.

The senior violin recital of Brendan Ozawa Burns will take place on Sunday, May 24, at 3 p.m. at Calvary Presbyterian Church, 2515 Fillmore St., San Francisco.

The recital will feature guest artists Sylvia Lambert and Caitlin Ozawa Burns, and members of the Suzuki Music Studio of San Francisco.

A reception will follow.

RSVP to (415) 921-7240 with number attending.

BERKELEY — The San Francisco Chamber Orchestra will present “Classical at the Freight” with violinist Kay Stern and pianist Joan Nagano on Tuesday, May 19, at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse, 1111 Addison St. (near San Pablo Avenue).

“Hear great classical music in the friendliest venue in the Bay Area, Berkeley’s Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse,” said a SFCO spokesperson. “Designed to ‘unstuffify’ and ‘demystify’ your classical experience, these 75-minute presentations include informal explanations from the performers (and) a Q&A session.”

Chamber Music San Francisco will present a concert by pianist Jon Nakamatsu on Sunday, May 17, at 7 p.m. at the Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave. at McAllister (in the Veterans Building), San Francisco.

One of the most sought-after pianists of his generation, Nakamatsu is a frequent concerto soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and solo recitalist throughout the U.S., Europe and Japan.

BERKELEY — At First Congregational Church of Berkeley, 2345 Channing Way, Kent Nagano leads Berkeley Akademie Ensemble in two programs examining works by Bach, Brahms, Beethoven, and more on Sunday, May 17, and Sunday, May 31, at 7 p.m.

This is the second season for Berkeley Akademie, a program of Berkeley Symphony founded to explore repertoire for small orchestra in intimate settings. These performances officially mark the conclusion of Nagano’s 30-year tenure as music director with the orchestra.

BERKELEY — To celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Berkeley Public Library presents a concert of traditional and contemporary Japanese koto music on Thursday, May 7, from 12:15 to 1 p.m. at the Central Library, 2090 Kittredge (at Shattuck).

Koto players Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto and Brian Mitsuhiro Wong will perform in the Art and Music Department, on the fifth floor.