District Community Events Jan. 11-18, 2007

COMMUNITY SING, for all abilities, led by Ysaye Maria Barnwell of Sweet Honey in the Rock. 7 p.m., Levine School of Music, 2801 Upton St. NW. $5; reservations required. 202-686-8000, Ext. 0.

CECIL B. DE MILLE FILM,"The Whispering Chorus" (1918), a silent movie about a bookkeeper who embezzles money, plants his identification on a derelict's corpse and is later convicted of his own murder; a short film will also be shown. 7 p.m., Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 Seventh St. SE. $5. 202-547-6839.

FASHION AND PROPERTY RIGHTS, panel discussion of whether fashion design is an art worthy of protection or a craft whose practitioners should be free to copy one another. Panelists include Teri Agins, a Wall Street Journal writer; Chris Sprigman, a University of Virginia law professor; and Susan F. Wilson, director of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Office of Intellectual Property Rights. 7 p.m., Corcoran Gallery of Art, 500 17th St. NW. $20. 202-639-1774.

EMBASSY CLASSICAL RECITAL, violinist Joel Pitchon, violist Christof Huebner and cellist Ashima Scripp perform works by Bach, Mozart, Ernst Krenek, Arnold Schonberg and others. 7:30 p.m., Embassy of Austria, 3524 International Ct. NW. $15. 202-895-6776.

Thursday 18

ANACOSTIA AREA IMPROVEMENTS, representatives of the city's Department of Transportation discuss an $8 million project to improve Anacostia's streets, sidewalks, lighting and public spaces and invite residents to suggest final design details. 5:30-8 p.m., Thurgood Marshall Academy, 2427 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE. Free. 202-671-2542.

KING DOCUMENTARIES,"Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: A Historical Perspective" and "Martin Luther King Jr.: 'I Have a Dream'," 6:30 p.m., Takoma Park Neighborhood Library, 416 Cedar St. NW. Free. 202-576-7252.

CATHEDRAL WOODS WALK, cathedral horticulturist Maureen Alonso leads a tour of Olmsted Woods and discusses how to identify trees by examining bark and trunk patterns and by using other techniques. Wear sturdy, waterproof shoes. 10 a.m., meet at the George Washington statue on Pilgrim Road on the grounds of the cathedral, Massachusetts and Wisconsin avenues NW. Free. 202-537-2319.

A GUIDE ABOUT CONGRESS,"Understanding Congress: A Citizen's Guide," representatives from the U.S. Capitol Historical Society, the Center on Congress and the Schering-Plough Corp. discuss the revised booklet. 2:30 p.m., Mansfield Room of the Capitol (enter through the north Senate side of the Capitol). Free. 202-543-8919, Ext. 31.

MUSEUM RENAISSANCE PANEL DISCUSSION, archivist Allen Weinstein and National Archives Experience Director Marvin Pinkert lead a discussion about the many creations and re-creations of museums in the city. Panelists include Newseum Executive Director Joe Urshel, National Museum of American History Director Brent D. Glass, National Museum of African American Culture and History Director Lonnie Bunch, National Portrait Gallery Director Marc Pachter, Architect of the Capitol Alan M. Hantman and U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Exhibits Director Marty Sewell. 7 p.m., National Archives, Constitution Avenue NW near Seventh Street. Free; reservations required. 202-357-5000.

ARMY BAND CONCERT, the band's Capitol Messengers. 5-6:30 p.m., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F streets NW. Free. 202-633-1000.

JOAN OF ARC SHORT FILMS, a variety of works by the Lumiere brothers, Thomas Edison, George Melies and others, in conjunction with the Corcoran Gallery of Art exhibit "Joan of Arc." 6:30 p.m., National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW. $5; students and 60 and older, $4; reservations recommended. 202-783-7370.

-- Compiled by GERRI MARMER

To Submit an Item

E-mail:dcextra@washpost.com(to the attention of Gerri Marmer)

Mail: Community Events, District Extra, The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington D.C., 20071

Details: Announcements are accepted on a space-available basis from public and nonprofit organizations only and must be received at least 14 days before the Thursday publication date. Include event name, dates, times, exact address, prices and a publishable contact phone number.