At about 4:30 p.m. last Sunday, the sun was already so low on the horizon that the pedestrians on the Venice boardwalk had to squint to look toward the ocean. Read more...

Isamu Noguchi Japanese American National Museum Feb. 7 through May 30 To celebrate what would be Noguchi’s 100th birthday, an exhibition of modern Japanese ceramics organized by the Smithsonian is the perfect gift for the artist and museum-goers. Read more...

When Mark Carlson created the small chamber music ensemble Pacific Serenades, he never dreamed he’d still be performing with the group 22 years later. But somewhere along the line, Pacific Serenades found a niche in the Southern California classical music community. Read more...

Film School The Cooperage Feb. 6, 8 p.m. With a moody and dynamic palette of sounds, Film School is sure to win over the hearts of arty pretentious types everywhere. Read more...

Even though drums were banned in colonial Peru, African slaves living there refused to abandon the rhythms that were so integral to their culture. They grabbed anything they could beat or shake, transforming ordinary items like storage crates and chairs into tools that would preserve their musical tradition. Read more...

“Hidalgo” Ackerman Grand Ballroom Feb. 10, 8 p.m. If not for the pretty overt pro-American sentiment, this almost looks like a David Lean movie, Omar Sharif and all. Read more...

If you saw Axel Schmitt, a UCLA student currently working on his Doctor of Musical Arts degree, on campus, you’d never guess he is a renowned pianist who has played in front of crowds all over Europe and the United States. Read more...