Austin Area Arts has a gift for you to open: a preview of arts programming coming to Austin in 2019.

Emmy-Award-winning a cappella quartet Tonic Sol-fa returns to the Paramount Theatre on Friday, March 1.

With a largely pop-music-oriented repertoire, their CDs have sold over one million copies, and the Twin-cities-based group has toured throughout the US and abroad. Tonic Sol-fa began at St. John’s University in Central Minnesota and includes lead vocalist Shaun Johnson, tenor and vocal percussionist Greg Bannwarth, and bassist Jared Dove.

Together the group reached national prominence with appearances on NBC’s Today Show and in Newsweek magazine. Along the way, they shared the stage with performers including Jay Leno, Jeff Foxworthy and Lonestar, and were part of Garrison Keillor’s 30th anniversary celebration of “A Prairie Home Companion.”

Tickets are available now.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s day with Katie McMahon: Celtic Rhythm on Saturday, March 16, at the Paramount Theatre.

McMahon, a native of Dublin, Ireland, first rose to prominence as a featured soloist in the original Riverdance. Classically trained in voice and harp, McMahon will bring Celtic rhythms to life for those of Irish heritage — by blood or by interest. A cash wine and beer bar will be available for the show. Tickets are available now.

In April, the Paramount will host a show that is “Just a Little UnCONVENTional”— the St. Andrews Sisters.

Alice Holst, Penny Kinney and Coni Nelson, the talented singer/comediennes behind the nun habits, will play two shows: Saturday, April 27, and Sunday, Apri 28. Audiences will laugh and sing along to favorite St. Andrews Sisters material and new music as well. Tickets will go on sale March 1.

An incredible dance experience, “Nocturne,” will take the Paramount stage on Wednesday, May 8. Through grant funding, Austin Area Arts is able to present this original dance piece by Ragamala Dance Company. Ragamala was founded in 1992 and is under the direction of mother and daughter Ranee and Aparna Ramaswamy. As first generation Indian-American artists, Ranee and Aparna’s aesthetic is deeply influenced by their culture.

They present the South Indian dance form of Bharatanatyam. Described as “soulful, imaginative and rhythmically contagious,” (The New York Times), Ragamala’s work has been commissioned by the Walker Art Center, Lincoln Center Out of Doors and Opening Nights Performing Arts at Florida State University. Tickets will go on sale March 1.

At the ArtWorks Center, Saturday $5 Kids Studio sessions return on Jan. 5 and Family Art Studios continue on the second Saturday of the month, Jan. 12.

On an early release school day, local high school students can sign up for Teen Clay Handbuilding with Jenna Grabau on Feb. 13. Painter Lori Tapani returns to Austin to teach a painting class on Green Eyed Girls on Feb. 23.

Festival exhibitor Lori Biwer-Stewart will teach a class on Gelatin Printmaking Workshop on April 4.

Melinda Wolff will teach Watercolor Botanicals, a painting class for beginners on April 30. Wolff also sells handcrafted wood jewelry and stained glass in the retail space. Local photographer Hannah Rosholt will teach Learn Your Camera on May 7. Find more information on these and a variety of other courses online at www.austinareaarts.org.

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Coming soon at the Paramount Theatre

• $5 Movie: “The Music Man” at 3 and 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 26.
• $5 Movie: “Fail Safe” at 3 and 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 2

Coming soon at the ArtWorks Center

• Clay Handled Mugs with John Sullivan: 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 10
• Family Art Studio: 1-3 p.m. on Jan. 12