CLASSICAL | "Kaddish" 

Allied Forces liberated the Nazi concentration camps in 1945, and the world became aware of the full extent of the Holocaust. To commemorate that 70th anniversary, the Rochester Philharmonic and Rochester Oratorio Society are presenting Lawrence Siegel's "Kaddish." This cycle of 15 songs, first performed in 2008, is based on the testimonies of Holocaust survivors. "A window is closing," Siegel says. "As the youngest Holocaust survivors now approach their 90s, it is more important than ever to hear their stories ... May the work create empathy, and may that empathy motivate those who hear it to take a stand against genocide." The "Kaddish" concert, conducted by Eugene Tzigane, also includes the Sinfonietta No. 1 by the Polish-Jewish composer Mieczyslaw Weinberg (1919-1996), who lost most of his family during the Holocaust.

Lawrence Siegel will talk with music students at School of the Arts on Wednesday, January 14, and lead a free "Lunch and Learn" at Nazareth College Arts Center, room A-14, on Thursday, January 15, at 12:05 p.m. — attendees may bring their own lunches while water, coffee, and cookies will be provided.

Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Rochester Oratorio Society present "Kaddish" on Thursday, January 15, at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. 7:30 p.m. $10-$65. 454-2100; rpo.org.