One of the best things about the start of a new semester is figuring out all the activities you can do outside of class.

Every semester, the School of Music offers an amazing selection of events and concerts with discounted prices for students, and spring 2013 is no exception. Here are five of the Daily Wildcat’s most anticipated happenings at the School of Music.

“Part Monk, Part Rascal” — Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m., Crowder Hall

Start the year off right with this piano recital dedicated to the works of the great 20th century composer Francis Poulenc.

Renowned both for his lighthearted work with Les Six earlier in his career and his late-career religious compositions, “Part Monk, Part Rascal” aims to paint a comprehensive picture of Poulenc’s enigmatic legacy.

The task of bringing Poulenc’s works to life falls on School of Music faculty artist John Milbauer, who also plans to perform a selection from Manuel M. Ponce’s “Mazurcas” along with the Poulenc material.

An Evening of Love Songs — Feb. 1, 7:30 p.m., Westin La Paloma Resort

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the UA Studio Jazz Ensemble will be coming together to perform several popular love songs with a variety of singers from across Southern Arizona. Song selections are expected to vary, but the event will undoubtedly be a romantic evening for anyone looking for something to do on a Friday night.

Better yet, the special event will be using its proceeds to benefit the UA jazz program and Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance’s education programs, ensuring that merely attending will be a good cause.

The John Denman Memorial Concert: “Benny Lives!” — March 8, 7:30 p.m., Crowder Hall

January 16 will mark the 75th anniversary of conductor and clarinetist Benny Goodman’s legendary 1938 Carnegie Hall concert, a show credited by many as the apex of the swing era in the public consciousness.

To commemorate Goodman’s inimitable impact on popular music, conductor Frank Guldseth and Tucson Swings will pay tribute to the Carnegie Hall show with their own unforgettable night of swing. Few artists are more deserving of a tribute like this, so “Benny Lives!” is not to be missed.

David Russell, guitar — April 6 and 7, Holsclaw Hall

April at the School of Music will get off to a rousing start with two performances by David Russell, a Grammy Award-winning classical guitarist whose album, Aire Latino, won for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance without an orchestra.

Apart from the clear achievement of winning a Grammy, Russell’s brand of classical guitar is sure to inspire anyone remotely interested in the instrument, whether they are a classical music fan or a metalhead.

La Clemenza di Tito by Mozart — April 11 and 14,Crowder Hall

After last semester’s excellent run of Verdi’s La Traviata, UA Opera Theater is back this spring with performances of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s penultimate opera.

Set in the political sphere of first century Rome, La Clemenza di Tito will no doubt be as expertly staged as La Traviata, with the UA’s premiere opera singers looking to close out the semester on a high note.