Northwest BachFest: Beethoven's 250th Birthday

Never mind its namesake: Northwest BachFest’s upcoming roster of Winter Classics concerts will be paying tribute to another fixture of the classical canon. 2020 marks the 250th birthday of the great Ludwig van Beethoven, and the local organization is marking the occasion with four engagements heavy on Beethoven compositions, including his 16 string quartets. It’s quite an undertaking: The ensemble won’t make it through all of them until next year. These December programs are rounded out by pieces from contemporary Chinese composer Tan Dun, Hungarian master Béla Bartók, Dmitri Shostakovich and, naturally, Mozart.

Tue-Sun, Dec. 3-8; times and locations vary • $35-$40 • See nwbachfest.com for venue and showtime information