THURSDAY 5/31

UW CONTEMPORARY GROUP--Aside from the late Alan Hovhaness, our region has many fine composers, some of whom hide out at the UW. Part two of the "Celebrating UW Composers" series features John Rahn's Sea of Souls I, Sea, Richard Karpen's The Silence of Time for three percussionists and electronic sound, and Joël-François Durand's Le chemin, a solo piano piece extracted from his deliciously spiky Piano Concerto. Meany Theater, UW campus, 543-4880, 7:30 pm, $5-$8.

FRIDAY 6/1

SEATTLE LESBIAN & GAY CHORUS--With songs that stay in your head forever, Gilbert and Sullivan dominate the pantheon of Ancient Pop Music That Never Dies. Darling costumes and an anchor in tow, the SLGC will perform a quasi-concert version of HMS Pinafore. Three "morsels" in the style of G&S (as aficionados call them) by Eric Lane Barnes complete the program. Recital Hall at Benaroya, 200 University St, 860-7542, 8 pm, $12-$16. Also Sat June 2, 8 pm and Sun June 3, 2 pm.

SATURDAY 6/2

SEATTLE SYMPHONY--Conductor Gerard Schwarz saddles up for an evening of Russian warhorses: Shostakovich's Symphony No. 8 along with Prokofiev's Overture to War and Peace and Piano Concerto No. 2 with pianist Yefim Bronfman. The pre-concert lecture by violinist Mischa Schmidt, "Speaking of Shostakovich," starts one hour before the concert. Benaroya Hall, 200 University St, 215-4747, 8 pm, $10-$69. Also Thurs May 31, 7:30 pm and Sun June 3, 2 pm.

SUNDAY 6/3

MUSICIANS EMERITUS SYMPHONY--Emeritus of what I have no idea, but the meat and potatoes program serves up Ravel's Pavane, one of Dvorak's Slavonic Dances (op. 46 no. 3, for those keeping score), Bernstein's thrilling Overture to West Side Story, and the first movement of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 with 17-year old John Lee as the soloist. Ostrander Hall, University Congregational Church, 16th Ave NE and NE 45th, 3 pm, free.

SEATTLE CHINESE ORCHESTRA--The annual benefit concert of the Chinese Music and Arts Association presents a cavalcade of ensembles performing folk, classical, and contemporary Chinese music. The Seattle Chinese Orchestra features 40 musicians playing an array of traditional instruments including erhus, pipas, sheng, gongs, and bamboo flutes; if that doesn't intrigue you, there's also a drum corps, a youth orchestra, and a martial arts exhibition. Whew! Meany Theater, UW campus, 762-8899, 3 pm, $10.

BELLE MUSICA WOODWIND TRIO--This enterprising flute, clarinet, and bassoon trio has packed scads of composers into a single concert. Many of the composers on the program are unknown to me, but think of this gig as a potluck. Among pieces by Blythe Owen, Leonardo de Lorenzo, Scott Joplin, Robert Baksa, Elizabeth Gould, Stella Sung, and Seattle composer Leonard Berkowitz, there will be something here for you. Seattle Asian Art Museum, 1400 E Prospect, Volunteer Park, 440-7264, 2 pm, $6-$12.

OUT OF TOWN

NASHVILLE PUSSY, TRICKY WOO: Thurs May 31, Richard's on Richards, Vancouver, BC

THE POSIES: Thurs May 31, Berbati's Pan, Portland

SUPERSUCKERS: Fri June 1, Berbati's Pan, Portland

KRISTIN HERSH: Fri June 1, Aladdin Theatre, Portland

PROJECT LOGIC: Sat June 2, Crystal Ballroom, Portland

RICHMOND FONTAINE: Sat June 2, Cobalt Lounge, Portland

MIX MASTER MIKE: Sat June 2, Western Washington U, Bellingham

TORTOISE, NOBUKAZU TAKEMURA: Sat June 2, Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, BC; Sun June 3, Roseland Theater, Portland

RAFT OF DEAD MONKEYS: Sun June 3, Le Voyeur, Olympia

AFRO-CUBAN ALL-STARS: Tues June 5, Arlene Schnitzer Hall, Portland

TIM "LOVE" LEE, FANTASTIC PLASTIC MACHINE: Tues June 5, B Complex, Portland

CALEXICO, CARISSA'S WIERD, KINGSBURY MANX: Wed June 6, Aladdin Theatre, Portland

BARDO POND, MOGWAI: Wed June 6, Richard's on Richards, Vancouver, BC

Headed to Portland? Visit www.portlandmercury.com.