Marvelous music lineup

From May 1 through June 3, the Department of Music offers all this for your listening pleasure:

UC Davis Baroque Ensemble, with the Davis High School Baroque Ensemble — Lully’s Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (The Bourgeois Gentleman) and J.S. Bach’s Concerto for Four Harpsichords in A Minor, BWV 1065. 3 p.m. May 1, Rumsey Rancheria Grand Lobby, Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts.

Early Music Ensemble — Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610, with the Whole Noyse and members of the UC Davis Baroque Ensemble. 8 p.m. May 15, Davis Community Church, 412 C St. 

Symphony Orchestra — Beethoven: Overture and incidental music to “Egmont,” with Susannah Biller, soprano, and Bella Merlin, narrator; and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 in E Minor. 8 p.m. May 16, Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center.

Jazz Bands — 7 p.m. May 19 (see “Choice of Jazz,” below.)

Gospel Choir — 7 p.m. May 22, Freeborn Hall.

Concert Bands — Program includes Johan de Meij’s Symphony No. 1 (The Lord of the Rings); Pedro Iturralde’s Pequeña Czarda, with Keith Bohm, saxophone; Roger Nixon’s Mondavi Fanfare (2003); Gustav Holst’s First Suite in E-flat Major; and Steven Bryant’s Suite Dreams. 7 p.m. May 26, Jackson Hall.

University Chorus — Brahms’ 4 Gesänge, op. 17; Duruflé’s Messe Cum Jubilo; and Rutter’s Requiem. 7 p.m. May 28, Jackson Hall.

Empyrean Ensemble: New Music from Davis — Works by graduate student composers Hendel Almétus, Ben Irwin, Scott Perry, Garrett Shatzer, Liam Wade and Ching-Yi Wang. 7 p.m. June 2, Vanderhoef Studio Theatre, Mondavi Center. Preperformance lecture, “Demystifying the Music,” 6 p.m.

Symphony Orchestra: Family Concert — Works by Piazzolla and Liadov, and the winning composer of the 2010 Composition Competition. Also featuring violinist Shawyon Malek-Salehi and violist Andy Tan (2010 Concerto Competition winners) in the Presto from Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante. 7 p.m. June 3, Jackson Hall.

Tickets for all events except the Early Music Ensemble concert are available through the Mondavi Center box office: (530) 754-2787 or (866) 754-2787, or mondaviarts.org. (Purchases for the Gospel Choir concert can be made only in person or by phone, not online). The Early Music Ensemble suggests donations at the door.

Choice of jazz

Tough choice for jazz fans May 19: the UC Davis Jazz Bands in one part of the Mondavi Center and tenor sax man Sonny Rollins in another part:

Jazz Bands: Organ and Big Band — 7 p.m., Vanderhoef Studio Theatre.

Sonny Rollins — DownBeat magazine describes him like this: “Rollins, who has continued to walk his own course during his more than 50-year career, is arguably the greatest saxophone player since Charlie Parker’s explosion on the scene in the ’40s.” 8 p.m., Jackson Hall. Preperformance lecture by Jeremy Ganter, associate director for programming, Mondavi Center, 7 p.m., AGR Room, Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center.

Tickets are available through the Mondavi Center box office: (530) 754-2787 or (866) 754-2787, or mondaviarts.org.