Pianist Kenric Tam was a prize winner in the 2007 Mondavi Center Young Artists Competition, and now he returns for a concert of his own, in the Mondavi Center’s Debut series.

Last year he appeared at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as a Presidential Scholar. He has also performed with numerous orchestras throughout the United States, including his 2006 debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and toured eastern Europe with the San Jose Youth Symphony as the featured soloist. He attends Harvard University.

Like every program in the Debut series, Tam is scheduled to perform twice, an evening concert and a matinee the next day in the Vanderhoef Studio Theatre.

Tam's performance times and dates: 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16. Preperformance talks in the studio theatre are scheduled to begin one hour before each performance, with Ryan Brown, composer, in conversation with Lara Downes, artist in residence at the Mondavi Center.

More at the Mondavi

• UC Davis Clarinet Festival — 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20, and 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, Vanderhoef Studio Theatre. See separate story.

• Mark O’Connor’s Hot Swing with Julian Lage — This unique string pairing, on its first West Coast tour, represents two generations of string masters: O’Connor on violin, Lage on six-string guitar. They explore the soul of American music, contributing original compositions and concepts. 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, Jackson Hall.

• Itzhak Perlman, violin — The superstar’s Jan. 22 return to the Mondavi Center is already sold out.

• UC Davis’ Empyrean Ensemble: Americans in Rome — 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 23, Vanderhoef Studio Theatre. See separate story.

• Daniel Handler: Why Does Lemony Snicket Keep Following Me? — In the Distinguished Speakers series. 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, Jackson Hall. Followed by a question-and-answer session. See separate story.

• Focus on Film: 25th Hour — 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, Vanderhoef Studio Theatre. Talk by Don Roth, executive director of the Mondavi Center, 6:30 p.m., studio theatre. See separate story.

• Simone Dinnerstein and Tift Merritt: Night — Dinnerstein, a classical pianist, and Merritt, a singer-songwriter, present the story of a pianist and a folk singer who became friends in their search for common musical ground — which they found in their own works, and in a range of works by others, from George Harrison to Frederic Chopin. This is the second installment in a series called Studio Classics: Crossings, which explores “the fruitful intersection of classical and rock music.” 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 30, Vanderhoef Studio Theatre (cabaret seating). Preperformance talks in the studio theatre, one hour before each performance, featuring the performers in conversation with Lara Downes, artist in residence, Mondavi Center.

• MOMIX: Botanica — Moses Pendleton directs this troupe of dancer-illusionists in a new work that traces the unfolding of the earth’s four seasons. Botanica “continues a long tradition of athletic dance, riveting music, outrageous costumes, inventive props and pure talent to create an entertaining multimedia experience,” according to the Mondavi Center. 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 30, Jackson Hall. Also: 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 31, in the school matinee program. The matinee is recommended for grades 4-12; click here for more information, including a matinee ticket order form for teachers.

Tickets are available online, or by visiting or calling the Mondavi Center box office, (530) 754-2787 or (866) 754-2787.