HELEN MUSA takes her weekly swing around the local arts scene with the latest Arts in the City column. 

Neil Diamond’s albums, Hot August Night, The Jazz Singer And Jonathan Livingston Seagull, will be brought to life by Irish-Australian singer Peter Byrne and a 30-piece version of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. Canberra Southern Cross Club, Woden, August 10.

The CSO is busy. Marking the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the orchestra, led by Jessica Cottis, will perform the entire work, including its famous final movement, the Ode to Joy, with singers Emma Pearson, James Egglestone, Adrian Tamburini and the CSO Chorus. But they’ll open with a world premiere from composer and sound artist Miriama Young, whose Kinds of Blue was commissioned and premiered by the CSO last year. Llewellyn Hall, August 7-8.

Canberra Potters is preparing for its annual Fired Up event. After afternoon hands-on clay experiences (such as the “Have a Go, Have a Throw” wheel-throwing sessions), there’ll be music, performances, fire-twirlers and the grand unveiling of the custom-built petal kiln under the winter night sky. Watson Arts Centre, August 10.

The Alpenrose Piano Trio – Canberra pianist Bernice Chua, Australian violinist Fiona Qiu, and Polish cellist Jan Łomozik – was formed at the Mozarteum University in Austria while they were pursuing their music master’s degrees and they’ve already performed in concert halls across Austria. They will perform Haydn, Faure, and Shostakovich at DW Music, Fyshwick, August 7. 

John Shortis once co-wrote with Brian Simmons (Shortis and Simmons) the radio programs that went with the ABC Sing Books to accompany ABC music education radio broadcasts beamed into classrooms across Australia. Now, after a suggestion by Smith’s Alternative sound man Bevan Noble, Shortis and Simpson will hold a singalong of gems from the books. Requests are welcome. Smith’s in Civic, August 10.

Luminescence Chamber Singers, joined by Aperion Baroque, will perform music by Monteverdi and Cavalli, while its children’s choir will pay homage to the composers of the Ospedali Schools of Venice. Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest, August 4.