West metro arts briefs

Author presents book on watershed district Author Deborah Morse-Kahn will talk about her new book, "The Nine Mile Creek Watershed District: Preserving Heritage and Environment" at 1 p.m. Saturday at Hennepin County Library-Penn Lake, 8800 Penn Av. S., Bloomington.

The book marks the 50th anniversary of the watershed district and the cities it contains -- Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina, Hopkins and Minnetonka. Books will be available for purchase and to be signed by Morse-Kahn.

MacPhail specialists to work with kids Pre-schoolers can explore music in a program at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Hennepin County Library-Eden Prairie, 565 Prairie Center Dr.

Early childhood music specialists with the MacPhail Center for Music will direct families through hands-on musical play -- singing, rhyming, reading, moving. To sign up for the program, call 952-847-5375.

Poetry jam set for next Tuesday As part of its year-long celebration of poetry and to mark National Poetry Month, St. Louis Park's Friends of the Arts holds a poetry jam on Tuesday at the Bean Good Café, 5101 Minnetonka Blvd, from 7 to 9 p.m.

Community Poet Diane Pecoraro will emcee the event, which is open to anyone who wants to share family-friendly poetry. Participants have five minutes on stage to recite their own poetry or poems they enjoy. Advance reservations required by e-mailing Sara at info@slpfriendsofthearts .org or calling 952-928-6422.

The poetry jam is part of the project "Our Town: Verses and Voices," which will include a May performance of a town poem that Pecoraro will create using ideas from residents and publication of a calendar with 12 favorite poems suggested by residents.

Russian art, history pay visit to library Russia's history will be told through its art in a lecture and slide show of Russian masterpieces at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Hennepin County Library-Ridgedale, 12601 Ridgedale Dr., Minnetonka.

The program will be presented by a curator for the Museum of Russian Art, Minneapolis. A drawing for free admission to the museum will be held. To register for the program, call 952-847-8840.

Primavera Arts fete set for April 16-20 The 14th Annual Primavera Fine Arts Celebration is set for April 16-20 at the Plymouth Creek Center, 14800 34th Av. N.

The event will showcase juried works of more than 100 artists in a variety of media, including oils, watercolors and acrylics, metal sculpture, ceramics, photography and mixed media.

Author and humorist Michael Perry, author of the memoir "Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time," also will appear from 7-9 p.m. April 19 for "Literary Night," the culmination of the city's first Citywide Read.

Music at Trinity features U professors Two University of Minnesota music professors will perform in the Music at Trinity series at 4 p.m. April 18 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 322 Second St., Excelsior.

The duo recital will feature professors Tanya Remenikova on cello and Alexander Braginsky on piano, performing music by Brahms, Kodaly and Prokoviev. The concert is free and open to the public.

Southwest State choir to perform at church The concert choir from Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall will perform Saturday at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 3745 Shoreline Drive, Navarre.

The choir, directed by Russell Svenningsen, will present a variety of choral literature from the 16th century to 20th century art music.