Art

Moraga Art Gallery’s exhibit "Light and Fire," opening Jan. 18, features the work of two celebrated member artists from Lafayette: Lucy Beck, an award-winning photographer and ceramicist Donna Arganbright. John Hopper of Walnut Creek is the featured guest artist. A free reception will be held on Saturday, Feb. 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. The gallery, in the Rheem Shopping Center at 432 Center Street, Moraga, is open Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. For more information visit www.moragaartgallery.com or call (925) 376-5407.

The Lafayette Public Art Committee announces the opening of “Movement,” an exhibit of paintings inspired by the Avant Garde movement in Kyiv by local Ukrainian-Canadian artist Yana Verba, at the Town Hall Theatre Gallery. The exhibition runs Jan. 18 to March 6. Verba will present a new site-specific chalk installation referencing the massacre at the Donetsk Regional Academic Drama Theater in Mariupol at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 29, as part of an opening reception from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre (3535 School Street in Lafayette). The event is free and opening to the public.

New exhibition at Valley Art Gallery: "WINTERMISSION" by Gallery Artists, through Feb. 4. Free, open to the public, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday. Valley Art Gallery: 1661 Botelho Drive, Suite 110, Walnut Creek, www.valleyartgallery.org; (925) 935-4311 or email us at valleyartgallery@gmail.com

Music

Cantare, an Oakland-based nonprofit community choral organization, presents “Songs by the Beatles,” performed by the 20-voice Chamber Ensemble with Director David Morales. A wonderful evening for you and your Valentine! Saturday, Feb. 11, at 7:30 p.m., Lafayette Community Center, Jennifer Russell Auditorium, 500 St. Mary’s Rd, Lafayette. General Admission: $30; Students: $10. Visit www.cantareconvivo.org for tickets and more information, including health/safety guidelines. Contact: info@cantareconvivo.org, (510) 836-0789.

“Chopin In Paris,” conducted by California Symphony’s Music Director Donato Cabrera, will be presented Saturday, Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 5, 4 p.m. at the Hofmann Theatre at Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. A 30-minute pre-concert talk and Q&A led by Cabrera will begin one hour before each performance. Information and tickets ($49-$79) are available at CaliforniaSymphony.org.

Ensemble for These Times presents “Call for Scores: Solo Piano” on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., at Berkeley Piano Club, 2724 Haste Street, Berkeley. Emerita pianist extraordinaire Dale Tsang returns to celebrate E4TT's 15th anniversary with works chosen from a new Call for Scores for solo piano. Cost: $0 - $30. For more info see https://e4tt.org/solopiano.html or call (510) 684-0505 or email info@e4tt.org.

Berkeley Chamber Performances presents Del Sol Quartet on Tuesday, Jan. 31, from 7:30 to 9 p.m., at Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley. Cost: $35 Regular Admission; $17.50 Student Admission. For more info see https://berkeleychamberper
form.org/season/2022-2023/del-sol-string-quartet or call (510) 525-5211 or email info@bcp1.org.

St. Paul's Concert Series is excited to present MusAlliance Duo, featuring Peter Omelchenko on Domra (mandolin) and Anna Kusner on Guitar, in a spectacular performance on Jan. 28, at 7 p.m. Joining this string duo is Marina Tolstova, Soprano Extraordinaire, adding her touch of magic on selected pieces during the performance. 1924 Trinity Avenue, Walnut Creek, Online broadcast: visit stpaulswc.org/concert-series to receive concert link. Donations graciously accepted at the door (avg. $20/$10 Students) and in our online registration. All are welcome regardless of donation!

Theatre

Town Hall Theatre Company presents “Nanay,” written by Molly Olis Krost, directed by Yari Cervas. Jan. 20 and 21, 27 and 28. Tickets: $25. Jan. 28 is the Pay-What-You-Can performance. 3535 School Street, Lafayette. 925.283.1557, www.TownHallTheatre.com.

Theatre for youth at Saint Mary’s College is back! Our January 2023 production will premiere an original script, "Earthchild and the Waking Up: An Eco-Drama for Young Audiences." The play tells the story of a young girl who receives a message from the trees — “Help us!” — and sets out on a mythic journey to the Center of Power to relay it. The show will run Jan. 24-27 at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Admission to those shows is $8 (all ages). Additional shows will run Jan. 25 at 6 p.m. and January 26 at 4 p.m., and admission to those shows is $12. For tickets, visit stmarys-ca.edu/earthchild. For field trip reservations, ADA & other questions, contact Tara Sundy at tms8@stmarys-ca.edu.

Literature

January 2023 event at Orinda Books:  Saturday, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. Andrea Mein DeWitt, will discuss her new book, “Name Claim & Reframe: Your Path to a Well-Lived Life.” DeWitt is a life coach and lives in Orinda. Her new book encourages readers to step into their power, their potential, and their truth. 276 Village Square, Orinda, (925) 254-7606, www.orindabooks.com, info@orindabooks.com

Other

Free Tax preparation will again be offered by AARP Tax-Aide. The service, provided by volunteer IRS certified tax counselors, is available starting in February. Tax-Aide does not have an income limit, but helps low to moderate income taxpayers of any age, with special attention given to seniors 50 plus. Starting mid-January, appointments and information are available by calling (925) 726-3199 for the Walnut Creek-Rossmoor site; (925) 272-0902 for the Danville-Veterans Memorial Bldg. of SRV site; (925) 973-3250 for the San Ramon Senior Center site. For general Tax-Aide information and other locations, call (925) 726-3199.

The American Association of University Women Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette branch (AAUW-OML) will hold its seventh STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Conference on March 25 at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga. AAUW-OML welcomes sixth through eighth-grade girls who are interested in learning about STEM to participate in three out of fifteen interactive STEM workshops, meet career professional women, hear exciting speakers, and network with like-minded girls. The registration fee is $50, with scholarships available. Registration opens on Jan. 23. https://oml-ca.aauw.net/stem-conference/

Garden

Moraga Garden Club—January 19. Dr. Lewis Feldman, PhD. will present "Berkeley’s Unexplored Treasures: UC Botanical Garden" via a virtual tour of the UC Botanical Garden, discussing its history, the background on the Garden’s special collection, and its future mission which includes education, conservation and research. We are open to the public and welcome new members. Join us for nibbles at 9:30 a.m., Program to follow, at the Holy Trinity Cultural Center, 1700 School Street. www.moragagardenclub.com