Monterey Symphony
(831) 646-8511, www.montereysymphony.org
This week the biggest band in the land will perform three pieces nestled under an umbrella they are calling Insight: Mozart’s bassoon concerto, a Ravel homage to the war dead of WWI and the “Stairway to Heaven” of the symphonic canon: Beethoven’s 4th Symphony. In many ways the concerts they’ll perform in both Salinas and Carmel March 21-23 are textbook Monterey Symphony: part accessible, part challenging and definitely monumental. For the past 68 years this dedicated and involved collection of musicians and music lovers have been putting the classic in classical music.