VALENTINE'S DAY POETRY SLAM: Valentine's Day does not seem an appropriate day for slamming. But poetry slamming, well, that is a different story. So, if you care to share some romantic words, or if you want to pick up a few ideas that you can take home, then visit the Gorman Museum, 1316 Hart Hall, at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 14. The second annual poetry and story slam, free and open to the public, is billed as an open mic event, with people invited to "come pour your heart out!"

CELLO TO STAR WITH SYMPHONY: The UC Davis Cello Festival is scheduled to conclude Feb. 11 with artist-in-residence David Russell joining the university's symphony orchestra in a performance of a concerto by Laurie San Martin of the music faculty. The evening's program indicates that symphony conductor D. Kern Holoman will lead the San Martin work, and Fawzi Haimor will conduct Antonín Dvorák's Symphony No. 8 in G Major. The concert is set for 8 p.m. in Jackson Hall at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts.

13TH ANNUAL FESTIVITY OF BANDS: More than 200 performers from four bands are set to come together to perform Eric Whitacre's soundscape Lux Aurumque in the finale of the 13th annual Festivity of Bands concert. The UC Davis Department of Music event is scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 14 in the Mondavi Center's Jackson Hall, featuring the University Concert Band and UC Davis Wind Ensemble; the California State University, Sacramento, Wind Ensemble; and the Davis Senior High School Symphonic Band. On the program: University Concert Band and Wind Ensemble, Peter Nowlen, interim director — Music by Vincent Persichetti, Alfred Reed, Clifton Williams and Ralph Vaughan Williams. Davis High School Symphonic Band, Fredrick Lange, director — Percy Grainger's Children's March, Robert Russell Bennett's Symphonic Songs and Robert W. Smith's Inchon. Robert Halseth conducts the CSUS Sacramento Wind Ensemble; its Festivity of Bands program was not available by press time.

MORE AT THE MONDAVI CENTER:

Branford Marsalis Quartet --Saxophonist Marsalis, pianist Joey Calderrazo, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts. The quartet, whose Braggtown CD came out recently, filled the Mondavi Center for a performance in 2004, and now they are due back as a late addition to the center's 2006-07 calendar. 8 p.m. Feb. 17, Jackson Hall.

National Philharmonic of Russia --Ticket availability is limited for this concert, the Mondavi Center announced; make inquiries by calling (530) 754-2787 or (866) 754-2787. The orchestra's program lists Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 in B minor (Pathétique). 8 p.m. Feb. 24, Jackson Hall.