In the year that saw one of the most disastrous Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concerts in recent memory -- the balloon artillery barrage at the opening-night gala -- 2005 managed a stellar lineup of concerts. It was a year that saw compelling new music and Jewish music festivals and some relaxed concerts at Club Cafe. It provided an auspicious PSO debut, Norwegian conductor Arild Remmereit, and the effective return of others (Semyon Bychkov, Yan Pascal Tortelier and Peter Oundjian). The best new works heard live were Randy Woolf's "Everything Is Green," performed by the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, and Eric Moe's "Tri-Stan," performed by Sequitur.

1. PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, 'THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS'
Heinz Hall, June 10

Sir Andrew Davis had to convince the orchestra, the chorus and the audience of the value of this lesser-known work by Edward Elgar. He did that and then some, serving up a masterful and thoughtful interpretation of the opus that traces the path of a soul's travels after death. Never has the Mendelssohn Choir sounded better; Davis paid it strict attention, and its singers responded with rounded timbre. Singers Michelle DeYoung, Alan Held and Marcus Haddock impressed in solo roles, and the Pittsburgh Symphony responded to Davis' desire to pare back to a more chamber music atmosphere. It resulted in supernal playing of a heavenly work.

2. PITTSBURGH OPERA, 'ARIADNE AUF NAXOS'
Benedum Center, Oct. 22

When turning to an opera that a company hasn't done often, the tendency is to play it safe and traditional. The Pittsburgh Opera eschewed that and in the process hit a home run with this production of Richard Strauss' "Ariadne auf Naxos." The opera about a troubled opera performance was not only superbly cast with Jane Eaglen, Suzanne Mentzer, Lyubov Petrova, Michael Hendrick and more, but its conception was refreshing. Director Chris Alexander set it in a public museum in Pittsburgh (perhaps the Carnegie?), in which a party or fund-raiser was taking place, made obvious by local celebrities on stage who "watched" the opera with us.

3. PSO, LEONIDAS KAVAKOS
Heinz Hall, Nov. 10

The Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos did more than play in his PSO debut, he delivered a manifesto. His charged performance of Tchaikovsky's warhorse, the Violin Concerto, made the work fresh and almost new to the ear, facilitated by his remarkable bowing arm. Italian guest conductor Gianandrea Noseda added a credo of his own with two compelling performances of works by countryman Respighi: "Pines of Rome" and "Metamorphoseon Modi XII."

4. PITTSBURGH CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY, BARTOK FESTIVAL
Carnegie Music Hall, Feb. 27-28

Bartok's string quartets are masterworks each, but the six taken as a cycle must be counted as one of the great achievements of the 20th century. The Takacs Quartet presented the entire group over two days with stunning artistry, one performance building on the next. The ensemble's ability to adapt to Bartok's varied techniques impressed and brought out the core of these touching works.

5. PSO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, WILLIAM CABALLERO
Squirrel Hill JCC, April 26

This was a heady concert all the way round, led by the PSO's meister horn player, Caballero. His performance of a triptych of horn movements by Mozart showed another side to his already multifaceted gem of artistic talent. Violinist Andres Cardenes soloed in and conducted Alonso-Crespo's "Concierto en tiempo de tango," and the concert had a strong reading of Bruch's String Octet.

6. PSO, MICHAEL RUSINEK
Heinz Hall, Dec. 9

It's not good for a classical music critic to sound like a broken record, but I had to once again sing the praises of the PSO's principal clarinetist Rusinek after this concert. Performing Mozart's Clarinet Concerto, his technique was spectacular, never exposing the changing of registers and impressing with his artistry in phrasing. Mozart's sublimity works only when an artist can match it, which Rusinek did. Guest conductor Peter Oundjian also presented the first performance locally of Mahler's exquisite "Blumine" and a vibrant Beethoven Symphony No. 4.

7. PITTSBURGH NEW MUSIC ENSEMBLE, ALICE IN SOUTH SIDE-LAND
City Theatre, Aug. 5-6

Capping off a tremendous season, its best yet, PNME expanded its concept-concert format to encompass an entire evening: a fantastic intermission-less night of music thematically related to "Alice in Wonderland." All equipment changes were planned ahead of time, so that the night progressed with the seamless splendor of a pop concert or an opera. A modest set included an Alice figure traipsing about in the periphery. The musicians poetically performed such works as "Jabberwocky" (given animated vocalization by Timothy Jones) by David Cutler in this total artwork.

8. CHATHAM BAROQUE, VALENTINE'S DAY REBUFF
Synod Hall, Feb. 12

Pittsburgh's period group was on target but not on its best behavior at this Valentine's Day concert, presenting works of unrequited love and broken hearts. Joined by Laurie Heimes, the group followed a melancholy trail of songs by John Dowland, Henry Purcell, George Handel and others. It wasn't the typical fare from Chat-ham, but its excellence showed that its members had finally recovered musically from their own heartbreak, the death of violinist Emily Davidson in 2003.

9. MARIANNE CORNETTI, LIBRARY BENEFIT CONCERT
Carnegie Free Library, Nov. 20

Post-Gazette freelance reviewer Eric Haines couldn't stop raving about this benefit concert of opera arias by the talented mezzo-soprano Cornetti (a Cabot, Butler County, native): "Cornetti dramatically vented and shaded her voice to the nuances of text and score. Her physical interpretations, especially her facial expressions, masterfully conveyed the lyrics.

10. (TIE) MUSIC ON THE EDGE, WU MAN
Bellefield Hall Auditorium, Nov. 14

Why the pipa isn't better known in America probably has more to do with China's political relations with the Western world than anything musical. But if more people witnessed the accomplished Wu Man perform and talk about the guitar-like folk instrument as she did this night, its popularity might soar. Eric Moe's "The Sun Beats the Mountain Like a Drum" was a highlight in this fascinating concert of traditional and new music for the pipa.

10. (TIE) BACH AND THE BAROQUE ENSEMBLE, BERTALI 'PREMIERE'
Heinz Chapel, March 20

Antonio Bertali is hot stuff these days, and Pittsburgh was the place to be as Antonio Bertali's "Missa Novi Regis" received its first hearing in 350 years. Don Franklin's Bach and the Baroque Ensemble and an all-star group of extras (from Spiritus Collective, Chatham Baroque, the PSO and Fortune's Wheel) performed it wonderfully. The Mass itself was sumptuous, befitting its premiere at the coronation of Leopold I in Vienna.