CLASSICAL NOTES

Winter revisited from afar. The Crossing choir, under the direction of Donald Nally, makes its debut at Longwood Gardens at 8 p.m. Saturday in a Nordic program that celebrates the Northern Lights rather than the temperature. The concert's title is "Winter Light," and it's reflected throughout a program of modern works, including Edwin Fissigner's Lux aeterna, Ko Matsushita's O lux beata Trinitas and, in the program's strong Baltic presence, Peteris Vask's Plainscapes and Eriks Esenvalds' Northern Lights. Information: 215-893-1999 or www.longwoodgardens.org.

- David Patrick Stearns

Rarest of Stokowski. With a cover photo showing Philadelphia Orchestra music director Leopold Stokowski looking like a psychic medium, you wonder whether parents thought twice about entrusting the All-American Youth Orchestra to him. Whatever. This three-CD set titled Leopold Stokowski and the All-American Youth Orchestra and the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra (Music & Arts) includes a great 1940 Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 that strangely captures an older-world performing style than what normally hears. Even with a disc of ephemera and some iffy sound quality, Stoky fans will want this. - D.P.S.

Arts Advocacy Day. In terms of vitality and economic stimulus, the city benefits enormously from having a bustling arts scene. But how much money does Philadelphia invest to keep it all going? Mayor Nutter is proposing a 40 percent cut for the Philadelphia Cultural Fund in fiscal year 2016 - $1.84 million, down from $3.14 million. The budget won't be set until mid-June, though, so the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance is campaigning to restore the proposed allocation to $3.14 million, and is holding with a demonstration at City Hall Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Mayor said, through a spokesman: ". . . while school funding is clearly the most important issue facing our city this spring and while we can't fund every worthy program at the level we might like, we'll see how the issues develop during budget process in the coming months." GPCA is also encouraging concerned citizens to e-mail City Council president Clarke (darrell.clarke@phila.gov) and other City Council members, and to tweet #SavePHLArts messages. - Peter Dobrin

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