February 1, 2014 (El Cajon)--The play Annie goes on stage during the weekend of Friday, February 14 and for the following weekend ending February 23. Performed by the Christian Youth Theatre, with such songs as “Tomorrow” and “It’s a Hard-Knock Life,” this production of Annie is appropriate for the whole family.

January 31, 2014 (El Cajon) – Legends of rock and roll and country music will be taking the stage at Sycuan Casino's Live and Up Close theater this weekend.

On February 1, country western singer Ricky Skaggs will perform at Sycuan. Skaggs was named Country Music Hall of Fame’s 2013 Artist in Residence. In his long career, he’s won numerous Country Music Association Awards,a Grammy,and the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Album of the Year. His band, Kentucky Thunder, has been named Instrumental Group of the Year by the IBMA seven times.

January 29, 2014 (Spring Valley) – February is Black History Month. To celebrate, the Spring Valley Library will hold a free community event on Saturday, February 8 from 1 to 4 p.m. 

Entertainment will be provided by the Martin Luther King Jr. Choir and the WorldBeat Center’s drummers and dancers.  The public can also meet and greet legendary National Hockey League player Willie O’Ree.  In addition, crafts, refreshments and health screenings for all ages wil be provided.

January 17, 2013 (San Diego) – On January 25^th at 7 p.m., George Mann will perform a concert at Church of the Bretrhen, 3850 Westgate Pl., San Diego.  The concert will feature songs from the historic 1941 tour know as the “Almanac Singers” – activists who toured the nation bringing folk music back to the people and spreading a message of unionization.  

Songs featured include music of Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, and the Almanac Singers from these classic troubadours.

Program Includes Motets from the Florilegium Portense, Bach Motets, and Contemporary Works 

January 17, 2014 (San Diego)--Bach Collegium San Diego (BCSD), the city's premier early music performance ensemble, will collaborate with the San Diego State University Chamber Choir for performances on February 7 and 8, 2014.

While Bach maintained a backbreaking schedule producing weekly cantatas for his church, the motets sung at St. Thomas were likely taken from the Florilegium Portense, two volumes of early 17th-century compositions which Bach is known to have procured for his choirs, containing the music of Hassler, Lasso, Gabrieli, and others--some of the popular works of his day. These performances will explore motets contained in the Florilegium Portense, including Bach's own motets Komm, Jesu Komm and Lobet den Herrn. In addition, contemporary works by Copland, Lauridsen, Whitacre, and Montoya are on the program.

By Ariele Johannsen

January 9, 2014 (Lemon Grove)--Ballet Folklorico en Aztlan will be presenting free Sunday Zapateados on several dates from January to August this year at the Muevete Dance Studio in Lemon Grove. These presentations also provide information about the sampler or cuadro of dances performed, usually from one of the 32 regions of Mexico in each performance. The performances last about a half hour.

The first Zapateado performance in 2014 will be this Sunday at 2 p.m. on Jan.12 is from the region of Tamaulitas.

January 6, 2013 (Lemon Grove)--The Lemon Grove Historical Society, in cooperation with the San Diego County Library System, will present a new "Art Talk" showcasing the art of Kathleen Strzelecki on Saturday, Jan. 11 from 2 - 4 p.m. in the Rosemary Putnam Community Room of the Lemon Grove Library, 3001 School Lane. 

December 5, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – A wide variety of musical concerts are coming up in the Grossmont Union High School District during December, from madrigals to a jazz band, guitar and orchestral performances, and even a dance concert.  For a complete list of shows, scroll down.

December 4, 2013 (Rancho San Diego)--Cuyamaca College’s Annual “Winter Wonder Jam” takes stage this Friday, December 6  at 7 p.m. This event is to promote students' efforts in showcasing new local talent; the public is invited to come out and enjoy the music. These home-grown singer-songwriters will present a variety of acoustic, rock, jazz and hip hop genres

This concert takes place at the Performing Arts Theatre at Cuyamaca College, 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in Rancho San Diego.  The festival features four local artists performing their all-original music compositions. This event is FREE with a donation to the San Diego Food Bank and there is  plenty of free parking.

November 27, 2013 (San Diego) – Greg Dunne, best known to our readers as our “Bird Talk” columnist, sent us these photos and review comments on the Pearl Jam concert at San Diego State University.

“The show had everything. All the great songs to name a few: Even Flow, Black, Just Breathe, a Who song Baba O'Riley (We all know as Teenage Waste Land). A great rendition of Star-Spangled Banner by lead guitarist Mike McCready. Was it as good as the classic by Jimi Hendrix? Dare I say yes?” he wrote, adding that while “not as iconic as the great Jimi's rendition,” the concert was “a love fest between Pearl Jam and the fans. The audience knew just when to jump in and sing along with Eddie.”

Display spotlighting works of the organization’s san diego chapter members will also feature educational programs for art enthusiasts

Photo: Grace Schlesier at her show at the Wieghorst Museum in 2012.

November 13, 2013 (El Cajon) – Members of the California Art Club’s San Diego Chapter and the Olaf Wieghorst Museum unveiled the “Landscapes of the West” exhibition with a gala opening at the Museum on October 5. The display will be on view through January 11, 2014.

Art enthusiasts at the opening enjoyed hors d’ oeuvres and wine, while viewing over 35 juried works by some of San Diego’s finest painters.  The event was also coveted by collectors, who appreciated the opportunity to have a first look at the paintings, all available for acquisition. A portion of proceeds from sale of artwork will benefit both the Club and the Museum.

Educational programming during the exhibition will include a November 14 presentation by CAC Artist Member Mark Fehlman on California Art Club’s history. Reservations are suggested for the lecture and the reception that will precede Fehlman’s talk, as space is limited.

November 6, 2013 (Lemon Grove) – The Lemon Grove Historical Society will present a special edition of "History Alive" on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. in the H. Lee House Cultural Center, 3205 Olive Street, Lemon Grove when theater pros Anne Charlotte and Michael Harvey will recall in words, music, and images their production of the four-act melodrama "The Drunkard," presented during the glory days of the Lemon Grove Players.

In Lemon Grove in the late 1970s, along with a brand new city (1977), a revamped school district (1978), and a fledgling historical society (1978), there was a new theatrical troupe with big dreams.  The Lemon Grove Players, spearheaded by such talents as Dorothy Dubois, Dr. Robert Burns, Robert and Donna Adams, Victoria and Michael Dietrich, Estelle Lauer, pianist Anona Bolieu, and a platoon of volunteers, presented everything from melodrama to Molière in local school auditoriums for the next five years.

Photo: Dog Dreaming, by Marc Kitaen

October 22, 2013 (El Cajon) – East County artist Marc Kitaen, El Cajon, won third place in the 10 annual Digital Art Show of St. Mark's United Methodist Church.

The show, which has the theme "Visions of Peace," includes 28 works by 12 San Diego County artists. It will run October 13 to November 10 in the church sanctuary, 3502 Clairemont Drive. The juror was Professor Craig Carlson, SDSU.

The other winners are: first place, Michael Sussna, La Jolla; second place Rachelle Farber, Carlsbad; and Honorable Mention T. Antoinette Fassel, University City, and John Valois, Mission Hills.

September 30, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego Festival Chorus is a non-audition, 70-member chorus with singers from all across East County.  Beginning its 13th season, the group has performed everything from Beethoven to Broadway and everything in between.  The chorus has two concerts in December and May with its 45- piece orchestra for audiences of up to 1200.  The chorus also does outreach performances.

By Paul Kruze

It has been said that the opera isn’t over until the fat lady sings.  Those who had hoped El Cajon’s East County Performing Arts Center would be open by December may have a bit more waiting to do until the proverbial fat lady sings.

While El Cajon City Councilman Gary Kendrick had set a target date of December 1, 2013 for the much anticipated reopening of the theater which has been shuttered for nearly three years, it may be at least another year until the curtain opens and the stage lights come on.