Mark MacNamara

February 9 at First Congregational Church of Berkeley: Young People’s Symphony Orchestra Winter Concert. On the program: Brahms’ Double; Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4. Amos Yang, from the S.F. Symphony, does the solo honors on cello. Along with 95 young musicians, ages 12 to 21, conducted by David Ramadanoff.

We’re adding a new feature to the Kids Around the Bay column, in which we report on what’s going on in the schools. It’s an effort to give parents a close look at the resources and philosophy that different schools offer. We begin with the San Francisco Waldorf School and a chat with David Weber, a humanities and music teacher in the Waldorf High School.

Feb.

January 31, Thursday (tonight!) The Oshman Family Jewish Community Center in Palo Alto presents “The Music and the Mirror … Broadway’s Reflection of Our American Life" – Sing-along.

The East Bay Center for the Performing Arts (EBCPA) was established in Richmond following the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968.

It is the Year of the Snake, sometimes called the Year of the Little Dragon; the year for people who are intuitive and graceful, and both cunning and wise. New Year’s day is February 10. “Of course the new year is always associated with luck,” Chunming Mo told us. She’s been a violinist with the San Francisco Symphony for more than 20 years, and is originally from Shanghai.

The SFJAZZ Center has opened: Praise be the lord.

January 19, Saturday: Ragazzi Boys Chorus presents Singfest, a 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.