“We’ve programed the overture to Mozart’s ‘Marriage of Figaro’ as a primer for next season’s November presentation of ‘La serva padrona’ by Giovani Battista Pergolesi, as well as Beethoven’s seventh symphony, which is one of my favorites,” says Paul Chou, Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra Music Director.

Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra presents, “Masters & Aspiring Talent,” 7:30 p.m. April 5, with a pre-concert talk, 6:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, Allentown, and 3 p.m. April 6 with a pre-concert talk, 2 p.m., Williams Center for the Arts, Lafayette College.

“The Beethoven is a beautiful piece with great energy and well-paired with works by our student composers,” says Chou.

PSO collaborated with Akiva Zamcheck, Lafayette College Assistant Professor of Music, for music students to create orchestral works for the concert. Says Zamcheck:

“Although for a small college the number of students who are ready to devote their time to writing a large-scale orchestral piece is really quite limited, student composers Jackson Eshbaugh, Conrad Tilroe, Owen York and Edgar Lin were ready for the task.”

Guest conductor is Francesco Santelli, Founder, Artistic Director and Conductor, Garden State Opera.

“I engaged Francesco for his expertise, not just as a conductor, but as a composer to bring some important insights to the entire performance and most certainly to the students,” says Chou.

Says Santelli, “I met with each student to understand what they felt was most important about their piece and each composition says something emotionally special in the melodies and harmonies.”

Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra, “Masters & Aspiring Talent,” 7:30 p.m. April 5; pre-concert talk, 6:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 3231 W. Tilghman St., Allentown; 3 p.m. April 6; pre-concert talk, 2 p.m., Williams Center for the Arts, Lafayette College, 317 Hamilton St., Easton; Tickets: PSO office, 1524 W. Linden St., Allentown; 610-434-7811

“The Bel Canto Youth Chorus spring concert celebrates some of our youngest singers from Da Capo Treble Choir and Youth Chorale, as well as guests from Lincoln Elementary School, who join us as part of the Cantaré program in collaboration with the Bethlehem Area School District,” says Alaina Swartz, Youth Chorale Conductor and Director of Education & Community Engagement for the Bach Choir of Bethlehem.

The Bel Canto Youth Chorus of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem presents “Spring Concert: In Harmony,” 4 p.m. April 6, Cathedral Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem.

The Youth Chorale opens the program with the “Duet from Cantata No. 15,” attributed to Johann Ludwig Bach (1677-1731), third cousin of J.S. Bach.

Lincoln Elementary School Music Teacher Karen Carolan conducts the students of Cantaré in three selections by composers Mary Lynn Lightfoot (b. 1952), Ruth Watson Henderson (b. 1932) and Stephen Schwartz (b. 1948).

The Da Capo Treble Choir, directed by Erica Silver, presents international and traditional works such as “Dutch Spinning Song”; Tom Porter’s “What Color is the Music,” based upon the poetry of the Central Dakota Children’s Choir expressing the importance of music from a child’s perspective; an Argentinian folk song, and a traditional spiritual.

The Youth Chorale returns to the stage with a traditional Armenian folk song, a Zulu lullaby and selections from composers Reene Esmail (b. 1983) and Carolyn Jennings (b. 1936).

The concert closes with the Bel Canto Youth Chorus and Cantaré performance of Jim Papoulis’s 2005 work “Stand Together,” a song which conveys a message of unity and hope.

Bel Canto Youth Chorus of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, “Spring Concert: In Harmony,” 4 p.m. April 6, Cathedral Church of the Nativity, 321 Wyandotte St., Bethlehem; Tickets: Bach Choir office, 440 Heckewelder Place, Bethlehem; office@bach.org; 610-866-4382 ext. 110 or 115; https://bach.org/tickets

“Classical View” is a column about classical music concerts, conductors and performers. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus Editor, pwillistein@tnon-line.com