The Littleton Youth Symphony will offer a free “Side By Side” concert at 7 p.m. Jan. 31 at Littleton United Methodist Church, 5894 S. Datura St., Littleton. Professional musicians from the Colorado Chamber Orchestra (an expansion of the Mercury Ensemble) will pair with students in a varied program.

Sarah Richardson of Highlands Ranch is Artistic Director of the Littleton Youth Symphony, which rehearses Monday nights at Littleton First Presbyterian Church, 1609 W. Littleton Blvd.

Richardson is principal violist of the Mercury Ensemble, performs in the Central City Opera Orchestra, Colorado Symphony and other ensembles and teaches privately in her Highlands Ranch home studio.

Several area musicians serve as guest conductors. This free concert should give musical kids an idea about what membership would mean.

For information about auditions and program, see www.Littletonyouthsymphony.org or call 303-800-4LYS.

Orphan Train, a Dramatic Presentation” by Max Smith will be performed at 7 p.m. Feb. 4 at Bemis Library, 6014 S. Datura St., Littleton. The story is about orphans who were placed on trains and sent to rural communities in the Midwest and West between 1854 and 1926. Some ended up with loving families, while others were mistreated as servants. Max and Donna Smith and Kathy and Dick Peterson will perform in readers theater style. Free. (You might want to arrive early — it sold out at Buck Center last year). 303-795-3961.

“Some Northern Douglas County Ranches” will be the topic for a First Thursday Lecture, Feb. 5 at the Historical Museum, 6028 S. Gallup St. Max and Wayne Smith, history buffs who grew up on an Oklahoma Ranch will speak. Wayne lived near some of these ranches and Max met many owners through his wife Dona and her father, horseman Everett Dawson, longtime Littleton residents. With the aid of photographs by their late brother Dale, they will talk about former ranches that are now giant suburbs. (Can you say Highlands Ranch?) Tickets available at the museum desk. Limited seating. Admission: $4 for members of the Littleton Library/Museum; $5, nonmembers. 303-795-3950.

“An Evening With Kent Haruf” will presented by book club members, Feb. 13 at Littleton First Presbyterian Church, 1609 W. Littleton Blvd. at 7 p.m. Haruf (rhymes with sheriff) will talk about his writing, answer questions and autograph books. Tattered Cover will have copies for sale before and after the presentation, or he will autograph copies readers already own. Titles include: “Plainsong,” “Eventide,” “The Tie That Binds,” “Where You Once Belonged” and “West of Last Chance.” The event is free, but donations will be welcomed for Sunset House Hospice of Chaffee County, the Haruf’s favorite charity. (More next week). For information, call 303-798-1389 or e-mail fpcl@fpcl.org.

Sankofa, a 25-member ensemble from the Spirituals Project Choir, will perform at 2 p.m. Jan. 31 at Hampden Hall in the Englewood CivicCenter, 1000 Englewood Parkway, an event in Englewood Arts’ concert series. The Spirituals Project seeks to honor the sacred folk songs created by enslaved African Americans in the 18th and 19th centuries, presenting them in concert versions. Tickets: $10, $5. www.englewoodarts.org., 303-806-8196.

“Sons of Russia” is the title of the Arapahoe Philharmonic concert at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6 at South Suburban Christian Church, 7275 S. Broadway, Littleton. The program, conducted by Vincent C. LaGuardia Jr., includes: Kabalevsky’s “Colas Breugnon Overture;” Tchiakovsky’s “Symphony No. 2 (Little Russian); Shostakovich’s “Piano Concerto No. 2,” with pianist Jamie Shaak. Tickets: $20, $15, $10, $5. 303-791-1892, www.arapahoe-phil.org.

The Littleton Symphony presents “Russian Masterworks: Symphonic Dances” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13, at Littleton United Methodist Church, 5984 S. Datura St., Littleton. Peter Cooper, principal oboist of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, will be featured soloist in “Oboe Concerto” by David Mullikin. Rachmaninov’s “Symphonic Dances” and von Weber’s “Freischuetz Overture” are also on the program. Tickets: $12 and $10, free for anyone younger than 21, at the door or www.littletonsymphony.org.

“Heart and Sol” at Pinon Fine Art, 2510 W. Main St., downtown Littleton, will feature art by Lorenzo Chavez, Julie Oriet, James Biggers. An opening reception is planned from 6-9 p.m. Feb. 6. 303-733-3133.

Painter Joellyn Duesberry has work exhibited at Gallery 1261, 1261 Delaware St., in Denver’s Golden Triangle. The international and national artist lives in Greenwood Village and is a new artist with this fine gallery. Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. 303-571-1261.

“Lucia Di Lammermoor” by Donizetti will play in the Metropolitan Opera’s Live in HD screening at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7 at Highlands Ranch 24, Greenwood Plaza, Belmar and other theaters in the metro area. (Mary Zimmerman’s production). Tickets: $22, $20, $15.

Kids Bowl IV, an interactive children’s sporting event, is scheduled 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 31 at Wildlife Experience, 10035 S. Peoria St., Parker. Sports-themed games and activities will be offered throughout the museum. Included in the regular price of admission: $9, $8, $6 and free if younger than age 2. (Members free). 720-488-3300, thewildlifeexperience.org.

Hear Live Jazz at the Parker Library, 10851 S. Crossroads Drive from 1-3 p.m. Jan. 31. The free concert features musicians from the Castle Rock Orchestra, an ensemble that has been performing for two years. The CRO Jazz Ensemble includes trombone, sax, bass, drums, trumpet and piano. (Visit CastleRockOrchestra.org) No registration needed. For information, 303-791-READ or see DouglasCountyLibraries.org/programs and events.

Wendy Woo and Nina Storey will perform Jan. 30 at Swallow Hill Music, 71 E. Yale Ave., Denver. Singer-songwriter Krista Detor will open for them at 8 p.m. Tickets: $23 advance/$26 day of show, 303-777-1003, www.swallowhillmusic.org.

“American Print 2009,” a national juried printmaking exhibition, runs through March 22 at Foothills Art Center, 809 15th St., Golden. Printmakers were challenged to make a statement about this moment in history. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays; 1-5 p.m. Sundays. www.foothillsartcenter.org, 303-279-3922.

Mark your calendars: “The True Grit of Historic Preservation” will be explored in a pair of public forums sponsored by the Littleton Historical Preservation Board and Historic Littleton Inc. at 7-9 p.m. Feb. 12 and 26 at the Buck Recreation Center, 2004 W. Powers Ave., Littleton. Preservation and planning guru Nore Winter will speak and facilitate discussion about the future of Littleton’s “past.” Plan to attend both to combine background and future planning. For information, see www.littletongov.org or contact preservation specialist Andrea Mimnaugh, amimnaugh@littletongov.org, 303-795-3719.

Call for artists: Colorado Art Open, 2009 at Foothills Art Center, open to artists in all media, living in Colorado. Juried by Christoph Heinrich, Polly and Mark Addison Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at Denver Art Museum and Michael Chavez, Curator at Foothills Art Center. (Last presented in 2005. Deadline is Feb. 9. For prospectus, see www.foothillsartcenter.org or call 303-279-3922.

Call for Entries: The 2009 Lone Tree Photographic Art Show and Sale invites artists to submit up to three photos to be considered for the seventh annual Lone Tree show. Jurors: Russ Burden, Jim Cannata, Greg Cradick. Categories: color; special effect color; monochrome; special effect monochrome. $6,000 in cash awards. $25 Entry fee. Deadline Feb. 27. Download prospectus, entry form at www.cityoflonetree.com/ photoshow. April 5 to May 2.

Call for sculptors: the Douglas County Art Program invites submissions to its Art Encounters public art sculpture program. Artists older than 18 can submit designs for sculptures that are weather-resistant, to be displayed for a year in Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Parker and Castle Rock, June 2009 through June 2010. www.douglas.co.us/artencounters for details.