Art

Moraga Art Gallery’s exhibit "Light and Fire," opened 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.

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.

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.

Orinda native Juliana Athayde, daughter of former Stanley Middle School music director Bob Athayde, returns to the Bay Area to perform Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto with the Diablo Symphony Orchestra on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 26, at the Lesher Center for the Arts. Beginning at 2 p.m. the program will be conducted by music director and conductor Matilda Hofman as well as “conduct the orchestra” auction winners Kathryn Crandell and Bill Rudiak. Advance tickets are available at the Lesher Center for the Arts box office (925) 943-7469 or by visiting www.diablosymphony.org/. Tickets are $40 for adults and $10 for youth 13–17. Children 12 and under are free but need a ticket, and a discounted ticket price of $30 is available for groups of 10 or more seniors ages 62 and up. Tickets will also be available at the door.

“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.

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.

Celebrate Valentine's Day and help a local high school fundraise for future events with a delicious family dinner from Casa Turing, Moraga's new Cal-Mex restaurant from the owners of Town Bakery! Boxed and ready for pickup on Tuesday, Feb. 14, you'll enjoy 12 mouth-watering street tacos (4 carnitas, 4 steak, 4 chicken), a generous tray of 8 chicken enchiladas, and a delicious dessert. Order by Feb. 9 via the Campolindo High School webstore: https://campolindo.revtrak.net/

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Scottish Country Dancing Classes. Adult Beginner’s Thursday nights 7 to 8:30 p.m. lessons are $8 each. Experienced Dancers continue until 9:30 p.m. All Lessons are with the Lafayette class of the San Francisco Branch located at The Danville Grange 743 Diablo Road, Danville. Come and enjoy the music, and friendly people. Please wear comfortable clothes and soft shoes. No partner required. (Proof of Covid-Vaccination required.) For more information, please call: Kathleen – (925) 934-6148 or Monica (925)575-7637.

Shawl-Anderson Dance Center presents Queering Dance Festival’s Queer Valentines Day on Sunday, Feb. 12, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the John Muir Elementary School blacktop, 2955 Claremont Ave, Berkeley. Queer Valentine's Day is an all-ages, outdoor event that celebrates love in all forms! Free. For more info see www.eventbrite.com/e/qdf-presents-queer-valentines-an-all-ages-outdoor-celebration-tickets-512325498357 or call (510) 654-5921 or email jessi@shawl-anderson.org.

Brasarte presents Yemanja Arts Festival 2023 in Berkeley Feb. 11, 8 p.m., San Francisco Feb. 12, 7 p.m., at BrasArte, 1901 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley and Dance Mission Theater San Francisco. Special Brazilian music and dance performance in honor of Yemanja. BrasArte.com Cost: $35 in advance, $45 @ door. For more info see www.Brasarte.com or call (510) 528-1958 or email BrasarteBerkeley@gmail.com.

Garden

Moraga Garden Club - Feb. 16. “Healthy Soil, Healthy Plants” is Master Gardener Mike Corby’s topic. No better time than now to prepare for your healthy spring planting. Please, join us at 9:30 a.m. for nibbles, Program to follow, at 1700 School Street. We are open and free to the public. moragagardenclub.com

The Feb.17 meeting of the Montelindo Garden Club will feature Lori Palmquist, professional irrigation specialist, speaking on “Water in the Garden - Taking Control.” Membership is open to all, and interested people are welcome to visit montelindogarden.com/meetings.html for meeting and club details. Location is the Lafayette Library Community Hall, 3491 Mt Diablo Blvd, Lafayette. The hall opens at 9:30 a.m., with club meeting at 10 a.m. and speaker at 10:45 a.m. Free.

The Walnut Creek Garden Club will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, Feb. 13 at the Elks Lodge, 1475 Creekside Dr, in Walnut Creek. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., followed by a brief business meeting, social time and an educational program, “Bees, Bees, and More Bees,” given by the Mount Diablo Beekeeper’s Association (MDBA). MDBA has a dedicated group of novice and expert volunteers who are determined to promote beekeeping, support best practices and create habitats for honeybees and pollinators. Learn how you can “bee” a part of the process through your own garden. We welcome the public to visit our meetings and to become a part of the Walnut Creek Garden Club. For more information, please visit: www.walnutcreekgardenclub.org. MDBA Website: www.diablobees.org