The Bermuda Festival 's six-week cultural spree kicks off tomorrow night at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts, when the Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra will join forces with the Ethos Percussion group to present the music to Shchedrin's Carmen Ballet Suite in the first half.

This will be followed in the second half by Ciannini's Concerto Grosso for String Orchestra, conductor Daniel Spalding's special arrangements of Liszt's `Mephisto Waltz,' and Khachaturian's `Sabre Dance,' played by Romanian pianist Gabriela Imreh, who is described as being "well known for her beauty, brilliance and extraordinary stage presence''.

On Friday evening, the chamber orchestra and pianist will move to City Hall to present Hermann's musicfrom the Hitchcock film, `Psycho;' Liszt's `Malediction' for piano and strings, Josef Suk's `Serenade for Strings,'and Piazzolla's Four for Tango.

On Saturday evening, the Ethos Percussion Group will combine with the local choral group, Word, at Ruth Seaton to present `The Missa Luba' -- a Congolese-style mass for mixed chorus with tenor soloist and percussion. On this occasion, Dr. Gary Burgess will be the soloist, and the work will be conducted by fellow Bermudian Lloyd Matthew.

For those who love the music of Africa, the event promises to be "very special, inspiring and uplifting''.

All three concerts will begin at 8 p.m. For ticket information telephone 292-8572. The Festival box office is located next to the Ferry Terminal on Front Street, and its hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Earmark March 9 and 10 for Charles Bascome 's tenth anniversary Evening of Jazz, to be presented at City Hall.

This year, Mr. Bascome has lined up such world-renowned musicians as the Christian McBride Band, jazz saxophonist Ron Blake, multi-percussionist Terreon Gully, modern jazz musician Peter Martin, and singer Terry Lynn Thompson, who currently works with Tony Bari at the Elbow Beach Hotel.

Performances will begin at 8 p.m. each night, and tickets are $60 per person for Patron's Night on March 9, $50 per person on March 10. Patron's night will include a reception in City Hall lobby. For further information or to place advance orders by January 29, telephone or fax 234-0453.

Contributions to the Charles Bascome Music Scholarship Fund, which aims to send a young Bermudian to the famed Berklee College of Music in Boston, are also welcomed. Cheques made payable to the scholarship fund should be mailed to CMB Enterprises, 18 Benny's Bay Road, Sandys SB03.

Bermudian dub poet Ras Mykkal is not only well known here, but is now making a name for himself abroad.

In the December-January issue of `The Beat,' an international magazine for reggae, African, Caribbean and world music, his second album, `Dem Call Mi Controversial,' received a positive review, with the song `And So It Go' about the killing by the New York Police of Amadou Diallo being particularly recommended by writer Chuck Foster.

"Ras Mykkal joins a small international club (which also includes some marvellous women poets) who create a new tradition as they speak,'' Foster wrote.

As a result, interest in bookings abroad for Mr. Mykkal, as well as sales for both his albums, has picked up.

The rap poet is presently looking for an international licensing contract for his albums, which are currently only sold in Bermuda.

FESTIVAL 2001: AN ECLECTIC ODYSSEY Bermuda debut: Members of the Ethos Percussion Group (Michael Sgouros, Joseph Gramley, Eric Phinney and Yousif Sheronick) will perform on a wide array of instruments during their Bermuda Festival performance.

Sweet strings: The Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra will open the Bermuda Festival tonight with works by Shchedrin, Ciannini, Liszt and Khachaturian. Its second concert on Friday night will include works by Hermann, Liszt, Suk and Piazzolla.