The New York Times-20080127-Classical

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Classical

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Classical

Allan Kozinn

The 92nd Street Y's GUITAR MARATHON, an annual daylong celebration of the guitar repertory, looks like a good way to start the week. Assembled by David Spelman with the fraternal Brazilian guitar duo Sergio and Odair Assad, this year's program examines Brazilian music, including works that draw on Brazil's distinctive jazz, folk and popular styles. The Assads are not listed among the performers but their sister, Badi Assad, is a superb guitarist who will perform in both the afternoon and evening sessions, as will Yamandu Costa. Other performers include Arthur Kampela, Celso Machado, Fabio Zanon and Romero Lubambo with Pamela Driggs, in the afternoon, and Vinicius Cantuaria, Allison Carvalho with Thiago de Mello and Jonathan Singer, Stephan Crump's Rosetta Trio and Roland Dyens in the evening. Sunday at 2 and 7, the 92nd Street Y, at Lexington Avenue, (212) 415-5500, 92Y.org; $60 for both sessions; $35 each.

Among the celebrations counting down to Elliott Carter's 100th birthday, in December, is this year's FOCUS! FESTIVAL at the Juilliard School. Called All About Elliott, it offers a grand overview of Mr. Carter's chamber and vocal works, from early pieces like Warble for Lilac-Time (1943) to Catenaires (2006), with scores by Stravinsky, Varese and Boulez for context. For the full-orchestra finale, on Friday, James Levine leads the Juilliard Orchestra in Ives's Orchestral Set No. 1, and Mr. Carter's Cello Concerto (2000) and Symphonia: Sum Fluxae Pretium Spei (1996). Monday through Saturday, the Juilliard School,144 West 66th Street, Lincoln Center, (212) 769-7406, juilliard.edu; free, but tickets are required for the Saturday concert.