Some of Miami’s most talented voice students will perform in a recital at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 10 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Miami, 7701 SW 76th Ave.

The singers, all students of the Performer’s Music Institute are: Genesis Marichal, mezzo-soprano; 17-year-old Jose Vazquez, bass-baritone; Katarina Bakas, lyric mezzo-soprano; Rosie Herrera, lyric-coloratura soprano; 12-year-old Rachael Kravetz, soprano; Miguel Llerena, tenor; Melissa Ruiz, light-lyric soprano; Lucia Minervini, soprano, 15-year-old Eleonora Pons, mezzo-soprano; Bles Chavez-Bernstein, lyric-coloratura soprano, and Chai Lin Chien, lyric mezzo-soprano.

Oscar Diaz, Jr., executive director of Performer’s Music Institute, said the students will perform vocal selections from opera, musical theatre, art songs and popular music.

The singers will be accompanied by Gregory Szeto and Lin Chien. It’s free and the community is invited. For more information call Diaz at 305-757-7725. The Performer’s Music Institute is at 701 NE 72nd St.

Singers tackle classics, past and future

Singers from local high schools and the community have been rehearsing for months to present "Bridging the Classics of the Past with Classics of the Future," a free concert, to the community. Conducted by Dr. Nelson Hall, the concert will be presented at 4 p.m. on Dec. 11, in the sanctuary of Church of the Incarnation, 1854 NW 54th St., and will feature hip hop violinist Jeffrey Hughes, in the performance of Handel’s "Messiah" and hip hop arrangements of spirituals and other works. Hughes, who is from Denver, Colorado, has deep Bahamian roots right here in Miami.

Presented by the Historic Hampton House Community Trust, the program will also feature the 2011 Community Mass choir and Orchestra and the Florida Memorial University Voices and Steel Pan Ensemble.

The Trust, whose members include, Dr. Richard Strachan, Dr. Cynthia Clarke, the Rev. Hayden Crawford, Charlayne Thompkins, Dr. Enid Pinkney, Erslyn Anders, Alfreda Brown, Catherine Carter, the Rev. James Bell, Carolyn Stanford-Adams, Rosa H. Pratt, Dr. Herman Dorsett, Wayne Anderson, Stanley Johnson, Jr., and William E. Clarke III, would like to see the concert become an annual event.

Art show benefits TREEmendous Miami

An art show featuring the oil paintings of Linda Apriletti, will be from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. today (Dec. 4) at Miami Friends Meeting House, 1185 Sunset Dr. in Coral Gables. Admission is free, but a 10-by-12 oil painting of Cape Florida Lighthouse will be raffled. Raffle tickets are $5 each and $20 for five tickets. And you don’t have to be present to win.

The show will benefit TREEmendous Miami, a tree-planting organization that has planted more than 20,000 trees since 1999 with the help of volunteers.

To purchase raffle tickets you may go online at www.treemendousmiami.org or by calling 305-378-1863.

Send the spirit of the season

Feeding South Florida (formerly Daily Bread Food Bank) is offering special holiday cards as a way to celebrate the true spirit of giving during the holiday season.

The cards, great for sending to family, friends, clients, and co-workers include heartfelt greetings, but more importantly, will help to feed the many South Floridians who are struggle daily to get a decent meal.