If you can find a vantage point high enough to peer to the other side of the G-20 summit about to hit Pittsburgh, you will see a fertile valley for classical music here in the fall.

The Pittsburgh Opera season opens earlier this season, narrowly missing the summit, with Tchaikovsky's tale of hubris and missed opportunities in love, "Eugene Onegin," starting things off. Verdi's take on Shakespeare's lovable rascal, "Falstaff" arrives in October.

The Pittsburgh Symphony moved its opening-night concert to spring because of the summit, so outside of last night's gala concert, you will have to wait until November to hear Manfred Honeck embark on his second year as music director. He will reprise his evening of Strauss family waltzes during the Thanksgiving week and then present a theatrical version of Mozart's "Requiem" among other works.

Speaking of second season, Chatham Baroque is playing better than ever in the second year of having new violinist Andrew Fouts. It performs a concert of works by Purcell, Lawes and more with baroque violinist Stanley Ritchie in October, and then invites soprano Sherezade Panthaki and others for Handel's spectacular "Gloria."

Two events that push the boundary of traditional classical music come to Pittsburgh in September. The first is an appearance by 27-year-old violin soloist David Garrett, who has built an impressive following with his engaging concerts that mix rock with classical. The second is organist Cameron Carpenter, a super virtuoso who is re-configuring the very way the organ is presented.

Other notable fall concerts include the Orion String Quartet asking bassist Timothy Cobb to sit in for a performance of Dvorak's Quintet in G major. That's on the Pittsburgh Chamber Music Ensemble season, which has booked plenty of other top talent. The Renaissance & Baroque Society brings back the inimitable Chris Norman in December among other good offerings.

Two groups celebrate anniversaries this season with concerts: the Renaissance City Choirs (25th) and the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh (75th). The River City Brass Band, happy just to be having anniversaries at all after avoiding bankruptcy last spring, has its typical busy slate of lively concerts throughout the region as it tries out new conductor candidates.

ALIA MUSICA PITTSBURGH: Bellefield Hall Auditorium, Oakland. New vocal music from Pittsburgh composers, with soprano Kelly Lynch (Sept. 15). 412-361-0194.

BACH CHOIR OF PITTSBURGH: New Hazlett Theater, North Side. "The World of the Painter"?(Nov. 7-8). 412-394-3353.

BUTLER COUNTY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: Butler Intermediate High School Auditorium. "Coming to America," with multimedia work by Peter Boyer (Oct. 10); "Amber Waves," with concertmaster Galina Istomin and Katerina Istomin, viola (Nov. 7); "Holidays With Marianne," with mezzo-soprano Marianne Cornetti (Dec. 5). 724-283-1402.

CHATHAM BAROQUE: Various venues. "Fresh Ayre," with Stanley Ritchie (Oct. 9-11); "Gloria," with Sherezade Panthaki, soprano, Erika Cutler, violin, and Andrew Appel, harpsichord (Dec. 18-20). 412-394-3353 or 412-687-1788.

DAVID GARRETT: Byham Theater, Downtown. Violinist in concert (Sept. 19). 412-456-6666.

EDGEWOOD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: Jewish Community Center, Squirrel Hill: Musique Macabre (Oct. 17); First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood: Joyeux Noel (Dec. 12). 412-473-8880.

HEINZ CHAPEL CHOIR: Heinz Chapel, Oakland. Fall Concert (Oct. 11); Holiday Concert (Dec. 5-6); Holiday Concert (Dec. 11 and 13). 412-624-4125.

HEINZ CHAPEL RECITAL SERIES: Heinz Chapel, Oakland. Organ recitals: Jessica Baier (Sept. 20); Krista Shinew (Oct. 4); Michael Unger (Nov. 15); Doug Starr (Dec. 20). 412-624-4157.

MCKEESPORT SYMPHONY POPS: McKeesport High School. "All That Glitters" (Sept. 27); "Bells Are Ringing!" (Dec. 20). 412-664-2854.

MUSIC AT CALVARY: Calvary Episcopal Church, Shadyside. All Saints Day concert with commissions by Roger Zahab, Amy Williams and John Becker (Nov. 1); Durufle Requiem?with Calvary Choir (Nov. 6); Festival of Lessons and Carols with Chatham Baroque (Dec. 6).

MUSIC AT RODEF SHALOM: Rodef Shalom Congregation, Shadyside. Douglas Levine & Friends (Oct. 19); Shasha Cooke, soprano, and Ken Noda, piano (Nov. 16). 412-621-6566.

MUSIC IN A GREAT SPACE: Shadyside Presbyterian Church. Organist J. Christopher Pardini (Sept. 20) and pianist/singer Ken Medema with the Shadyside Chancel Choir (Oct. 25). 412-682-4300.

MUSIQUE ON THE BLUFF: PNC Recital Hall, Duquesne University. "Mixed Doubles" (Sept. 13); "Chausson Showcase" (Oct. 18). 412-396-6083.

NORTH SUBURBAN SYMPHONIC BAND: Greater Pittsburgh Masonic Center, Ross.?Fall concert (Oct. 25); holiday concert (Dec. 13). 412-366-1983.

OPERA THEATER: CAPA, Downtown. "Brundibar" (Nov. 6-8); "Beggar's Holiday" (Dec. 18-20). 412-456-6666.

ORGAN ARTISTS SERIES OF PITTSBURGH: St. Bernard Church, Mt. Lebanon: Cameron Carpenter (Sept. 27); Heinz Memorial Chapel, Oakland: Michael Unger (Nov. 15). 412-242-2787.

PITTSBURGH AREA THEATER ORGAN SOCIETY: Keystone Oaks High School, Dormont. Recitals on the mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ: Chris Gorsuch (Sept. 5); Ken Double and Skip Stine (Oct. 24); Jelani Eddington (Dec. 19). 724-446-9744.

PITTSBURGH CAMERATA: St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Highland Park; Sixth Presbyterian Church, Squirrel Hill; and Mt. Lebanon United Lutheran Church. "Journey to the Manger" (Dec. 5, 11-12). 412-421-5884.

PITTSBURGH CIVIC ORCHESTRA: Upper St. Clair High School. "Italy" (Oct. 17); "A Polish Christmas" (Dec. 19). 412-279-4030.

PITTSBURGH CONCERT CHORALE: Ingomar United Methodist Church, Franklin Park, and Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church. "Gloria!" (Dec. 4-6). 412-635-7654.

PITTSBURGH CONCERT SOCIETY: Kresge Recital Hall, Carnegie Mellon University, Oakland. Major audition winner recitals: Jonathan Beyer, baritone and Elizabeth Stern, flute (Sept. 27); Danielle Pastin, soprano, and Gerald Lee, piano (Oct. 25); Lara Lynn Cottrill, soprano, and Kathryn Thomas Umble, flute (Nov. 15). 412-279-2970.

PITTSBURGH CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY: Carnegie Music Hall, Oakland. Orion String Quartet, with bassist Timothy Cobb (Oct. 12); Brentano String Quartet (Nov. 23). 412-624-4129 or 412-394-3353.

PITTSBURGH OPERA: Benedum Center, Downtown. "Eugene Onegin" (Sept. 26 and 29, Oct. 2 and 4); "Falstaff" (Oct. 24, 27, 30, Nov. 1). Free Brown Bag Concerts at the Opera building, 2425 Liberty Ave., Strip District (Sept. 12, Oct. 10, Nov. 14, Dec. 12). 412-456-6666.

PITTSBURGH PHILHARMONIC: North Hills Jr. High School Auditorium, Ross and Butler County Community College Succop Theater. "Unsolved Mysteries: Vienna" (Oct. 24, 30); "A Winter's Eve" (Dec. 11-12). 412-394-3353 and 412-818-7262.

PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: Heinz Hall, Downtown. Conductor Andres Cardenes and cellist Anne Martindale Williams (Oct. 1-4); conductor Leonard Slatkin and soprano Angela Brown (Oct. 16-17); conductor Leonard Slatkin and William Caballero, horn (Oct.23-25); conductor Marek Janowski and violinist Chee Yun (Nov. 5-7); conductor Andres Nelsons and Stefan Jackiw (Nov. 13, 15); East Liberty Community Engagement Concert (Nov. 14); Honeck and pianist Sa Chen (Nov. 28-29); Honeck and soprano Chen Reiss with the Mendelssohn Choir (Dec. 4-6); Handel's "Messiah" with the Mendelssohn Choir (Dec. 11-12). 412-392-4900.

PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY POPS: Heinz Hall. Conductor?Marvin Hamlisch and vocalist Shirley Jones (Oct. 8-11); Chris Botti (Dec. 13); Holiday Pops with Hamlisch (Dec. 17-20). 412-392-4900.

PITTSBURGH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY: Hicks Memorial Chapel, East Liberty. Christmas concert with the PTS Choir (Dec. 15). 412-362-5610.

PSO FIDDLESTICKS FAMILY CONCERT: Heinz Hall. Lawrence Loh, conductor.?"Musical Travels and Traditions" (Oct. 24); "Tiny Tots" (Nov. 20). 412-392-4900.

RENAISSANCE & BAROQUE SOCIETY: Synod Hall, Oakland. Aulos Ensemble (Sept. 26); The Medieval Beasts (Oct. 24); Apollo's Fire (Nov. 7); Chris Norman & David Greenberg (Dec. 5). 412-361-2048.

RENAISSANCE CITY CHOIRS: Carnegie Music Hall, Oakland. 25th Anniversary Holiday Concert?(Dec. 19). 412-362-9484.

RIVER CITY BRASS BAND: Various venues. "And the Band Played On" (through Sept. 20); "Oktoberfest" (Sept. 29-Oct. 11); "American Classics" (Nov. 4-15); "The Bells of Christmas" (Dec. 2-13). 1-800-292-7222.

STEINWAY SOCIETY: CAPA, Downtown. Angelin Chang (Sept. 13); John & Richard Contiguglia (Oct. 11); Barbara Nissman (Nov. 22). 412-559-8210.

SOUTH HILLS CHORALE: South Park. South Hills Chamber of Commerce. "Crusin'?Oldies Fest"?(Oct. 4); Holiday "Sounds of the South Hills Chorale," Westminster Presbyterian Church (Dec. 18-19). 412-347-0175.

TUESDAY MUSICAL CLUB: St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Highland Park. President's Day program (Sept. 15); Fall Xtravaganza (Oct. 13); American music (Nov. 17); Holiday concert (Dec. 8). 412-682-0439.

WASHINGTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: Trinity High School, Washington, Pa. Yugo Ikach, conductor. "Fall Fantasies" (Oct. 10); "Ho Ho Ho With the WSO" (Dec. 5). 724-223-9796.

WESTMORELAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: Palace Theatre, Greensburg. "Autumn Hues" (Oct. 24); "Home for the Holidays" (Dec. 19). 724-837-1850.