Okay, today marks the Day of 27th-itude. We have declared it a holiday because there are simply not enough holidays out there. On this day, it is righteous to give thanks to those upon whose backs we make our desperate capitalist reach toward the starry skies of independent wealth. Or something. We just love making up holidays. CHRIS ROCKS THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC That's right, folks, the man himself descends upon the city. We're......

Monday As part of Swarthmore's Midday Monday Concert Series, Dolce Suono's Metal and Wood Band will play a free concert of Handel, Dowland, Johnson, Schulhoff, Kreutzer and Piazzolla. Lang Concert Hall (Swarthmore College); 12:30pm; FREE Tuesday Hear the opera singers of tomorrow duke it out today at the Academy of Vocal Arts' Giargiari Bel Canto Competition. Perelman Theater (Kimmel Center); 7:30 PM; $34 The Philadelphia Orchestra continues its run of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (Phillyist's......

Monday As part of the Music and Conversation series, Andrea Ceccomori and Elitza Harbova will perform and discuss works for flute and piano by living Italian and American composers. Roberts Hall (Haverford College); 4:15 PM; FREE Tuesday The Philly Orchestra continues its run of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, now paired with works by Rihm and Reinecke. Check out Phillyist's review here. Verizon Hall (Kimmel Center); 8 PM; $38-$113 Friday As part of the Last......

Yes, it's back! Classical music concerts have returned to Philadelphia after a much-deserved break. Get excited for the upcoming year. Monday The Momenta String Quartet presents a free lunchtime concert, mixing some of its new season with some old favorites. Swarthmore College; 12:30 PM; FREE Tuesday Rob Mazurek's Exploding Star Orchestra Sextet combines jazz sensibilities with unexpected sound clips and visuals. Catch them on tour as they stop at Philadelphia's International House. International House Philadelphia......

We'll grant you that paleontology probably hasn't been a "cool" career to get into since the Victorian era (and heaven knows Ross on "Friends" didn't do much for the dinosaur hunter's IQ rating), but as jobs with viability go, it's not extinct just yet. The University of Pennsylvania and Swarthmore College scientists have recently published a study saying there are way more bones lying about, just waiting to be unearthed, reassembled in a museum and......