Jeff Kaliss

Mario Guarneri is no more a classical purist than he is a violinist. Instead, the Juilliard-trained trumpeter, who spent 15 years with the L.A. Philharmonic, is a proponent of both the jazz and classical repertoires, as he’ll demonstrate with his appearance for the Healdsburg Jazz Festival.

Six youth orchestras, 575 players, six charities, one incredible event: the BAYOF Hope festival returns to Davies Symphony Hall.

Like London, Vienna, and Venice in the Old World in times gone by, the San Francisco Bay Area is a treasure trove of creative music talent, as well as a favored destination for artists from elsewhere. Here’s some of what will be worth going outside classical conventions to get to, during the first half of 2011.

If this album garners the Grammy it’s been nominated for, it will not only properly reward Matt Haimovitz and his self-described big band of cellos, it will also help legitimize the concept of the award category “Classical Crossover.” Either way, it leaves us cheering for that Grammy — and for more quality crossover.

Matt Haimovitz, the Montreal-based cellist, celebrated for his spirited approach to genre-bending and performance, is a mere 40. A week after a Grammy nod, Haimovitz spoke with SFCV about his visit, the Grammy-worthy album, and his wide-ranging musical mission.

Terrance Kelly and his Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir showcase their infectious spirit at the Oakland East Bay Symphony's holiday celebration, “Let Us Break Bread Together.”

A new CD from the Turtle Island Quartet featuring eight songs by the late rock legend Jimi Hendrix may have some applauding the cross-over effort. Others are likely to come away less than satisfied, if not outright irritated.

A preview of the season opener at the Oakland East Bay symphony and a one-of-a-kind chat with Carlos Santana, who is bringing people together across musical lines, and is right in tune with the orchestra.

Celebrated pop singer and songsmith Rufus Wainwright tells SFCV why he's turned towards composing arias and settings of Shakespeare, and why writers of opera and snarky critics are uneasy bedfellows.

Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir looks forward to a gig with the Marin Symphony and the opening of his new music recording studio — just a hint of the new projects he’s lining up involving classical orchestras.