Weekend Arts Planner: Last week for Hopper, a musical benefit for Turkey and Syria and a celebration of Black American composers

WNYC's Culture and Arts Editor Steve Smith is back with our latest Weekend Arts Planner. Speaking with Weekend Edition host David Furst, he has some musical recommendations and reminds us that this week is our last chance to catch one of the year's biggest art shows in New York City.

STEVE'S PICKS:

1. "Edward Hopper's New York"

This week is your final chance to see one of the year's biggest art shows: "Edward Hopper's New York" is at the Whitney Museum of American Art through March 5.

It's really what you might call a quiet blockbuster... Hopper is known for melancholy images like "Nighthawks," a moody view of a handful of people seen through the plate-glass window of a diner on a dark city street -- it's an image you've almost certainly seen if if the name doesn't ring a bell. Hopper lived and worked in New York City for most of his career, and this Whitney show is the first to focus specifically on his images of what he called "the American city that I know best and like most."

You'll need to book your tickets ahead of time, and they're reportedly going quickly. Head to the Whitney Museum's website for details.

2. Benefit for Disaster Aid in Turkey and Syria

Regular listeners will recall that we recently spoke about the composer and improviser John Zorn, who rallied musicians for a Ukraine benefit just a few weeks ago. Zorn is back in action this weekend at Roulette in downtown Brooklyn, this time raising funds for relief efforts in Turkey and Syria following the devastating recent earthquake. Zorn is playing with Laurie Anderson and Sean Ono Lennon, and the bill also includes the brilliant jazz quintet Sound Prints, featuring Dave Douglas and Joe Lovano. It's happening Sunday, Feb. 26 at 8pm.

3. Dreamer's Circus

On Monday, Feb. 27, you can get your week off to a beautiful start with a trio called Dreamers' Circus. The group features violinist Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen of the Danish String Quartet, a very highly regarded young classical ensemble. This group is kind of his rustic side hustle -- he's playing in a jazzier vein with a keyboardist and a third musician playing a Nordic lute called a cittern. The music is rooted in Danish and Swedish folk styles, but they stretch out quite a bit.

The concert is part of the free Music Mondays series at Advent Lutheran Church on the Upper West Side. You can register in advance at Music Mondays, or just show up on Monday, Feb, 27 at 7:30 pm.

4. The New York Philharmonic - "The March To Liberation"

Next Thursday and Saturday the New York Phil is presenting a very special celebration of Black American composers. The program is titled "The March to Liberation," and it was conceived by the stage director and librettist Tazewell Thompson. The program includes major works by William Grant Still and Adolphus Hailstork, along with a new piece by the incredibly gifted composer Courtney Bryan, with words provided by Thompson himself. Leslie B. Dunner is conducting, and the concert includes a rich slate of distinguished guests. That's at David Geffen Hall, and you can learn more at The New York Philharmonic.