VALENTINE’S Day is almost upon us and the Queanbeyan Hive and Fleur-de-lys Vocal Talent are joining to present “Heart Music”. There’ll be opera, world music, belly dancing, poetry, love songs and a Turkish high tea. Artists are soprano/director Fleur Millar, pianist Sam Row, belly dancer Kirsty Duncan, guitarist/vocalist Barak Zelig and introducing vocalists Louise Jeffrey, Michael Row and Kim Goldsmith, with Persian poetry by Atoosa Kasirzadeh. The Hive, 274 Crawford St, Queanbeyan, 4pm, Sunday, February 14, bookings essential.

COMPOSER Stephen Leek and Joel Copeland from the Music Academy at Canberra Girls Grammar are establishing a new non-profit a cappella ensemble to fulfil a need they see in Canberra’s music community. “Voices of Canberra” is offering friendly and individual auditions by anyone aged 16-21 keen to sing music from the Renaissance through to contemporary classics. First rehearsal is on February 17 and auditions are now open. 

IN “You Want it Darker”, artist Stephen Harrison takes over the Pivot Gallery at Belco Arts to express his darker thoughts in drawings and sculptures that range from isolated evocative lighthouses to WW2 aeroplanes and lonely thylacines. Harrison is inspired by Shakespeare, animal rights, mythology, dreamscapes and comics and this show looks back to his exhibition immediately following a visit to Prague (Praha) in 2000. 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen, Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-4pm, February 5-March 21.

ROMANIAN band Super Rats are back at Smith’s Alternative with the promise of transporting audiences to other times and lands. 76 Alinga Street, Civic, 8pm, Friday, February 12. Bookings essential.

ARTIST Jane Gerrish has studied the way Matisse thought of his women as creative partners rather than objects. In “Observe” at Suki & Hugh Gallery, she takes viewers to the Côte d’Azur of the 1920s, revealing Matisse in his study. 38A Gibraltar Street, Bungendore, opens 10am, Saturday, February 13 and runs to March 21.

CANBERRA Symphony Orchestra has created free lesson packs for primary school teachers. Based on the CSO’s “Music in My School – Time Traveller” program, the lessons take students on a journey through music history. Beginning as a live experience, developed by music educator Anita Collins, Eloise Fisher and Nicola Bartasek, it was presented by Ginninderry and Icon Water and has been further developed in response to COVID-19. Lesson packs are accessible free.