Happy independence day: Congregation Kol Ami will host a concert tonight at 7 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Israel's Independence Day, Yom Ha'atzmaut. The program features two renowned Israeli cantors, Arianna Brown and Laurence Loeb, performing a variety of Yiddish tunes, traditional cantorial and stage numbers. The concert is at Congregation Kol Ami, 2425 E. Heritage Way (2760 South), Salt Lake City. Tickets are $25, $15 for students and seniors; call 801-484-1501 or go to www.shalomutah.org.
Messiaen celebration: The Madeleine Festival continues tonight at 8 with a free concert celebrating French composer Olivier Messiaen's centennial. Organist Douglas O'Neill will perform "L'Ascension: Quatre Méditations Symphoniques" and "Les corps glorieux: Sept visions brèves de la vie des ressuscités." Cathedral music director Gregory Glenn will lead a lecture on Messiaen's work. The Cathedral of the Madeleine is at 331 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City.
Jubilee Chorus: The Mountain Jubilee Chorus, comprising 100 women from along the Wasatch Front, will sing in the annual regional chorus competition Friday at noon and Saturday at 1 p.m. at Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City. Tickets are $15-$20, $12-$15 for students and seniors, available by calling 801-355-ARTS or online at www.arttix.org.
Indian classics: The Thyagaraja Music Festival is Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday from 7:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the LDS Salt Lake 11th Ward, 951 E. 100 South, Salt Lake City. The event features classical Indian works, such as Carnatic music, with performances by more than 20 professional musicians from India and the U.S. For a full schedule, visit www.thagarajafestival.com or call 801-583-7531. Free.
On the Square: The LDS Church continues its free Temple Square concerts at 7:30 p.m. in the Assembly Hall.
* Friday, the Intermoun- tain Children Strings will perform classical selections and folk tunes with newly appointed director Melissa Thatcher.
* Saturday, the 50 female voices of Schubert Singers will perform selections by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Alain Boblil and Claude Schonberg as well as spiritual pieces under the direction of Harold Stokes.
Jazz at BYU: SCERA Center for the Arts will host a concert by Brigham Young University jazz band Synthesis, Friday at 7 p.m. at the center, 745 S. State St., Orem. On the bill are Big Band jazz, American swing, blues, pop, funk and fusion. Tickets are $10, $8 for students, seniors and children by calling 801-255-ARTS or online at www.scera.org.
Children's Choir: The Salt Lake Children's Choir, under the direction of Ralph B. Woodward, will perform Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 12 C St., Salt Lake City. The program includes works by Bach, Schubert and Randall Thompson. Accordionist and jazz pianist Steve Keen will accompany. Tickets are $8, $5 students at 801-537-1412 or www.childrensing.org.
O Fortuna: Orchestra and Chorus of Sandy City, under the direction of Joel Rosenberg, will perform Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Good Shepherd Church, 8600 S. 700 East, Sandy. On the program are Mozart's Overture to "The Magic Flute" and Orff's "Carmina Burana." Soloists are soprano Melissa Heath, tenor James Miller and baritone Greg Pearson. Tickets are $10, $7 for students.
'Elijah' at the U.: Salt Lake Choral Artists brings its season to a close with a performance of Mendelssohn's "Elijah" Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Libby Gardner Hall on the University of Utah campus, 1375 E. Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City. Brady Allred conducts; soloists are Darrell Babidge, Kiersten Gunlogson and George Dyer.
Tickets are $18.75, $12.75 for students by calling 801-581-7100.
