Boston Symphony Orchestra Concerts, March 31–April 16

BSO marks the 60th anniversary of Britten's War Requiem, under the direction of Antonio Pappano (3/31–4/2); BSO Assistant Conductor Anna Rakitina makes her formal Symphony Hall debut (4/7–9); Alan Gilbert leads world premiere of Bernard Rands work and Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with superstar violinist Joshua Bell (4/14–16)

The Tanglewood Festival Chorus returns to formal concertizing with performances of Britten's powerful War Requiem, also featuring soprano Amanda Majeski, tenor Ian Bostridge, baritone Matthias Goerne, and the Britten Children's Choir, under the direction of Antonio Pappano.

Thursday and Saturday, March 31 and April 2, at 8pm; Friday, April 1, at 1:30pm

French pianist Alexandre Kantorow makes his BSO debut with Tchaikovsky's Second Piano Concerto, led by BSO Assistant Conductor Anna Rakitina who herself conducts her first formal Symphony Hall program with works by Ellen Reid and Sibelius.

Thursday and Saturday, April 7 and 9, at 8pm; Friday, April 8, at 1:30pm

A favorite and frequent guest of the BSO, Joshua Bell plays Beethoven's popular Violin Concerto with conductor Alan Gilbert, who also leads the orchestra in the world premiere of Bernard Rands' Symphonic Fantasy and Debussy's La Mer.

Thursday, April 14, at 10:30am (Open Rehearsal); Thursday and Saturday, April 14 and 16, at 8pm; Friday, April 15, at 8pm