Wednesday, May 7, 2025
10:30 AM

The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library is thrilled to announce its newest offering for young families: Creative Storytime with Ms. Katia. This new program, held on the first Wednesday of each month at 10:30 AM, is designed to introduce children to the magic of storytelling while fostering an early love for music, art, and literature.

Wednesday, May 7, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Wednesday, May 7, 2025
7:30 PM

Join us for an exciting evening of musical premieres and celebrate the next generation of musical talent at San Diego New Music’s Emerging Composers Workshop concert. High school composers from across the San Diego area will showcase original new works developed through the annual workshop under the mentorship of Dr. Texu Kim, professor of music composition and theory at SDSU.

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 10, 1–8 PM
May 9–10, 2025

Celebrate Mother’s Day with us at the Athenaeum Art Center (1955 Julian Avenue, San Diego 92113)! Join us for a special pop-up exhibition opening, May 9 and 10, with a reception on Saturday, May 10, 1–8 PM, featuring live mariachi (1:30–3:30 PM) and printmaking demos. Submit artwork by Friday, May 2, to be included.

Saturday, May 10, 2025
VIP Hour: 5:30–6:30 PM
Main Event: 6:30–10 PM

Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, walk into the Athenaeum’s Talk of the Town: Casablanca, Annual Benefit Celebration.

Monday, May 12, 2025
12 PM

Pacific Woodwind Quintet is a group of experienced musicians who are enthusiastic about introducing audiences to both standard wind quintet literature as well as arrangements of orchestral music. Consisting of Janet Cherif (horn), Laura Ford (bassoon), Paul Goodman (clarinet), Ken Kahan (flute), and Kathi Bower Peterson (oboe), the quintet is looking forward to their Athenaeum debut.

Monday, May 12, 2025
7:30 PM

The series concludes Monday, May 12, with the New Orford String Quartet presenting works by Mozart, Dinuk Wijeratne, and Beethoven. Violinists Andrew Wan and Jonathan Crow, violist Sharon Wei, and cellist Brian Manker formed their ensemble with the goal of developing a new model for a touring string quartet: bringing four elite orchestral leaders and soloists together on a regular basis over many years to perform chamber music at the highest level. The Toronto Star has described this outcome as “nothing short of electrifying.” They have seen astonishing success, giving annual concerts for national CBC broadcast and receiving two Opus Awards for Concert of the Year and a 2017 JUNO Award for Best Classical Album. Recent seasons have featured return engagements in Chicago, Montreal, and Toronto, as well as their New York City debut on Lincoln Center’s Great Performers series.

Wednesday, May 14, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Friday, May 16, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Fridays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Friday, May 16, 2025
4 PM

Free Art Classes for Teens (13–18 years old) 

Free Teen Art, the Athenaeum’s free program for teens offers a rotation of multidisciplinary art instructors and curricular activities involving the use of the Athenaeum library resources and art exhibitions as starting points for projects.

Fridays, May 16, 23 & 30; June 6, 2025
7:30 PM

The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library is pleased to present the 2025 spring season of the Acoustic Evenings concert series, beginning May 16. The Acoustic Evenings series at the Athenaeum showcases some of the finest acoustic musicians in San Diego. Multiple acts fill each program, and attentive audiences delight in the intimacy of the unplugged storytelling format. San Diego Music Hall of Fame founder Jefferson Jay organizes and hosts the series. The project advances the Athenaeum’s commitment to support diverse San Diego talent. Acoustic Evenings is an unforgettable and personal experience for San Diego music lovers. The series, continuing through June 6, is set in the Athenaeum’s Joan & Irwin Jacobs Music Room.

Friday, May 16, 2025
7:30 PM

The series opens on Friday, May 16, with Wax, Cindy Lee Berryhill, and Gayle Skidmore. Gold-record recipient Wax is mostly known as a rapper with millions of views on YouTube to show for it. He is also a producer, songwriter, singer, and comedian. A founding member of the New York City Anti-folk movement, Cindy Lee Berryhill emerged as a distinctive voice in alternative music in the late 1980s. With a legacy of critically acclaimed albums, she continues to inspire with her signature mix of folk, rock, and social commentary. Seven-time San Diego Music Award nominee Gayle Skidmore has written over 2,500 songs since she began composing at age 8. A multi-instrumentalist trained in classical piano, Skidmore has mastered over 20 instruments and blends folk, pop, and classical influences into her award-winning songwriting.

Saturday, May 17, 2025
11 AM

New Member Tours are given by the librarian on the third Saturday of every month at 11 a.m. Members and nonmembers alike are welcome to attend. The librarian will give a tour of the library's space, collections, and a brief history. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Saturday, May 17, 2025
4–5:30 PM

Please join us as students of the School of the Arts Writer's groups share their recent work—poetry and short prose. This is a free event.

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 17, 5–8 PM
May 17–July 26, 2025

The Athenaeum Art Center is proud to present an exhibition of artwork by graduate and upper-division undergraduate students of the School of Art and Design at San Diego State University. Since 2002, the SDSU Art Council has awarded scholarships to a select number of students who, in addition to the Council's financial support, receive the opportunity to present their artwork at the Athenaeum.

Monday, May 19, 2025
12 PM

Brightfeather is a dynamic and immersive violin-piano duo founded by violinist Benjamin Hoffman and pianist Irene Kim. Through deeply personal performances, Brightfeather is committed to bringing the light, hope, and strength of music to audiences across the globe. The duo has performed throughout the United States as well as in Europe, Asia, and Oceania, and presents repertoire spanning an extensive range of time periods and musical languages.

Wednesday, May 21, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Friday, May 23, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Fridays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Friday, May 23, 2025
7:30 PM

On Friday, May 23, the series continues with Jimmy and Enrique, Sue Palmer and Liz Ajuzie, and Walt Richards. Guitarist Jimmy Patton and percussionist Enrique Platas blend flamenco, Middle Eastern, salsa, calypso, Brazilian, and other world rhythms into their fiery, virtuosic performances. Their unique world-music style captivates audiences with intricate guitar passages and exotic percussive rhythms. Known as the Queen of Boogie Woogie, Sue Palmer has been a force in the San Diego music scene for over 30 years. Inducted into the San Diego Music Hall of Fame, Palmer teams up with powerhouse vocalist Liz Ajuzie, whose dynamic voice perfectly complements Palmer’s electrifying piano playing. An expert in guitar and banjo, Walt Richards has been performing and teaching music for over 50 years. He has worked with numerous musical groups, participated in live theater productions, and even won an Emmy for his television work.

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 24, 5–7 PM
May 24–June 14, 2025

The Student Exhibition will include works by students who have completed a class at the Athenaeum School of the Arts during the last two years. Artwork entries for this exhibition will be accepted between Monday, March 3–Friday, May 9, 2025. Each artist may enter up to one (1) artwork for this exhibition. Artists will be notified via email after May 12.

Wednesday, May 28, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Wednesday, May 28, 2025
5:30 PM

Walking tours leave from the Athenaeum at 5:30 p.m. Tours are free and registration is required. Tours are limited to a maximum of 35 guests and last for approximately 90 minutes.

Thursday, May 29, 2025
7:30 PM

in^set is a flexible chamber ensemble founded in 2018 by David Aguila (trumpet), Teresa Díaz de Cossio (flute), and Ilana Waniuk (violin), dedicated to creation, improvisation, and experimentation. Committed to expanding instrumental practice beyond the confines of contemporary classical music, in^set explores the sonic and visual possibilities of everyday objects, hacked electronics, graphic notation, and hybrid media.

Friday, May 30, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Fridays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Friday, May 30, 2025
7:30 PM

The series continues Friday, May 30, with Tim Flannery, Jeff Berkley, and Ashley Norton. A celebrated singer-songwriter with 14 albums to his name, Tim Flannery blends bluegrass, country, and rock into heartfelt narratives about love, travel, and life on the road. A three-time World Series champion coach with the San Francisco Giants, he and his wife also founded the Love Harder Project, a nonprofit with an anti-bullying focus. Jeff Berkley is a San Diego-based songwriter, musician, and producer known for his soulful style and collaborations with major artists like Jackson Browne and Ben Harper. A multi–San Diego Music Award winner and Hall of Fame inductee, he continues to create and produce across genres. Singer-songwriter-guitarist Ashley Norton is the leader of the all-female Americana band Lady Psychiatrist’s Booth and creator of the popular all-female songwriter showcase Songbirds. Her performances feature original compositions and unique renditions of beloved classics. 

Monday, June 2, 2025
6:30 PM Cocktail Reception
7:30 PM Dinner

The Patron Dinner is held annually in June in honor of our members at the Patron level and above. The celebration includes a cocktail hour and dinner, where the signature Patron Gift and Order of the Olive members are presented. In 1994, the tradition of a Patron Gift was begun. Each year, an artist who has exhibited at the Athenaeum is commissioned to create a limited-edition artwork, often reflecting the character of the organization. The first reproduction becomes part of the Athenaeum's permanent collection. The others are given as gifts to donors who support the Athenaeum at the Patron level or higher. For more information on Patron membership, please visit our membership section.  

Wednesday, June 4, 2025
10:30 AM

The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library is thrilled to announce its newest offering for young families: Creative Storytime with Ms. Katia. This new program, held on the first Wednesday of each month at 10:30 AM, is designed to introduce children to the magic of storytelling while fostering an early love for music, art, and literature.

Wednesday, June 4, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Thursday, June 5, 2025
7:30 PM

*AT THE ATHENAEUM MUSIC & ARTS LIBRARY*
The series begins on June 5 with the Sasha Berliner Quartet, featuring Berliner on vibraphone, Javier Santiago on piano, Max Gerl on bass, and Myles Martin on drums. Berliner, who made her Athenaeum debut last fall with bassist Ben Williams, returns as the leader of her own band with music from her March 2025 release, Fantôme. Named winner of the 2020 DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star—Vibraphone category, she was both the first woman, and at 21, the youngest individual in the poll’s history to receive the award. She has been voted one of the top 10 vibraphonists in DownBeat Readers Poll every year since 2021. Sasha has headlined venues like the Newport Jazz Festival, The Blue Note, Montreal Jazz Festival, and Monterey Jazz Festival and has recorded and performed with such renowned musicians as Tyshawn Sorey, Nicholas Payton, Christian McBride, and Cecile McLorin Salvant.

Thursday, June 5, 7:30 PM—Sasha Berliner Quartet (at the Athenaeum)
Wednesday, June 11, 7:30 PM—Gillian Margot and Geoffrey Keezer (at the Athenaeum)
Monday, June 16, 7:30 PM­—Dave Holland and Lionel Loueke (at Scripps Research)
Saturday, June 21, 7:30 PM—Melissa Aldana Quartet (at the Athenaeum)

The Athenaeum’s jazz program returns with a four-concert mini-festival in June including performances in the library’s Joan & Irwin Jacobs Music Room (at 1008 Wall Street in La Jolla) and at the Scripps Research Auditorium (10620 John Jay Hopkins Drive). The series features internationally acclaimed artists and Athenaeum favorites. Seating is limited so order soon!

Friday, June 6, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Fridays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Friday, June 6, 2025
6 PM

Join us for ¡HOLA OLA! Bilingual & All Genres Open Mic & Showcase at the Athenaeum Art Center. Each act gets a four-minute spotlight to share your poetry, music, comedy, or any creative expression. Our host, Lucia (@luzzyluce), will be guiding the fun! This free event welcomes everyone in our vibrant, inclusive border town space—celebrating la vida fronteriza in a seamless blend of English and Spanish.

Friday, June 6, 2025
7:30 PM

The series concludes Friday, June 6, and we are expanding from our traditional three songwriters’ format for the first time ever for a special celebration of music and love. There are so many great talents in and around San Diego. For one night only, explore an array of excellent artists all assembled to deliver songs of love to you. Enjoy Acoustic Evenings exemplified, featuring Lee Coulter, Julia Sage, Dave Booda, Monette Marino, Santiago Orozco, Jesus Gonzalez, Jefferson Jay, Bri Schillings, and Michelle Lerach. One night only—and leave with a few new favorite artists.

Monday, June 9, 2025
12 PM

Join us for a captivating concert with Folias Duo, the celebrated pairing of flutist Carmen Maret and guitarist Andrew Bergeron. With over two decades of collaboration, they are renowned for their seamless fusion of classical, jazz, world music, and improvisation. Their original compositions, inspired by life on the road and the beauty of the natural world, transport audiences with vivid storytelling through music. This performance will feature highlights from their newest works, including pieces inspired by the Great Lakes.

Wednesday, June 11, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Wednesday, June 11, 2025
5:30 PM

Walking tours leave from the Athenaeum at 5:30 p.m. Tours are free and registration is required. Tours are limited to a maximum of 35 guests and last for approximately 90 minutes.

Wednesday, June 11, 2025
7:30 PM

*AT THE ATHENAEUM MUSIC & ARTS LIBRARY*
The series continues on June 11 with former San Diego residents vocalist Gillian Margot and Geoffrey Keezer (piano), featuring music from their eponymous new duo album. For this Athenaeum date, they are joined by Ben Williams on bass and San Diego jazz hero Peter Sprague on guitar. With an exquisite voice, a disarmingly wide vocal range, and a style that is deeply rooted in the tradition of the great jazz vocalists, Margot possesses a gift of storytelling and stunning lyrical delivery. A native of Toronto, Canada, Margot studied under a generation of jazz legends including Oscar Peterson, Freddy Cole, Carol Welsman, and Norman Simmons. Keezer is a GRAMMY-winning pianist, composer, arranger, and producer based in New York City, where he first moved in 1989 to become the final pianist with the legendary Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Keezer has toured and recorded with a galaxy of stars including Ray Brown, Roy Hargrove, Joshua Redman, Diana Krall, Wayne Shorter, Dianne Reeves, Sting, and Christian McBride.

Friday, June 13, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Fridays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Saturday, June 14, 2025
10 AM–4 PM

Get a gift for a friend or yourself at the Athenaeum's quarterly book sale on our patio! As usual, we will have a large selection of gently used books, CDs, vinyl LPs, and sheet music. Hundreds of recordings of classical, jazz, and popular music are just $1 per disc, making this a music lover’s paradise.

Monday, June 16, 2025
12 PM

Band leader and beloved piano player for many years in San Diego, Sue is known as the Queen of Boogie Woogie and always manages to entertain with fun and flair. She has won many San Diego Music Awards, with various bands, and toured the world with the late blues artist Candye Kane, for 8 years. In 2008 her album "Sophisticated Ladies" won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis for Best (unsigned) CD. The City of San Diego named a day after her, also in 2008.

Monday, June 16, 2025
7:30 PM

*AT SCRIPPS RESEARCH AUDITORIUM*
June 16 (at Scripps Research) features the all-star duo of bassist Dave Holland and Lionel Loueke on guitar and voice, playing music from their forthcoming release, United. Holland makes a long-awaited return to the Athenaeum series, having last performed at the Scripps Research Hall in 2007. Holland’s passion for musical expression of all styles has propelled a career of more than 50 years and earned him top honors, including multiple GRAMMY awards and the title of NEA Jazz Master in 2017. His virtuosic technique and rhythmic feel are widely revered and in much demand. To date, his playing can be heard on hundreds of recordings, with more than 30 as a leader under his own name. Loueke last appeared at the library in summer 2023. A native of Benin, he came to the United States on a scholarship to Berklee College of Music and from there gained acceptance to the Thelonious Monk [now Herbie Hancock] Institute of Jazz in Los Angeles. Praised by his mentor Hancock as “a musical painter,” Loueke combines harmonic sophistication, soaring melody, and conventional and extended guitar techniques to create a warm and evocative sound of his own.

Monday, June 16, 2025
7:30 PM

Born in 1886 in Illinois, Alice Barnett pursued advanced musical training in both Chicago and Berlin. Her diaries, correspondence, and surviving manuscripts from this formative period reveal a spirited and determined young musician whose talent was evident from an early stage. This lecture explores Barnett’s educational experiences, her travels throughout Europe, and the broader musical and cultural contexts that shaped her development. Selected performances of her early compositions—many unpublished and indicative of her evolving voice as a composer—offer insight into the foundations of her later, more mature work.

Mondays, June 16, 23 & 30, 2025
7:30 PM

Within the classical tradition, even the most sophisticated female musicians receive less enduring celebration than their male contemporaries, and Alice Barnett (1886–1975), later known as Alice Barnett Stevenson, a renowned female art song composer who spent her life in San Diego, deserves rediscovery. Despite national praise during her lifetime—when her works were performed from local schools to New York stages—her name has faded into obscurity.

Wednesday, June 18, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Friday, June 20, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Fridays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Deadline to Enter: Friday, June 20, 2025 by 11:59 p.m. PDT.

The call for entries for the Athenaeum's33rd Annual Juried Exhibition will open April 1 through June 20, 2025. Artists may enter up to three different works for juror consideration for this exhibition, which will open July 26. Our juror this year is art historian and curator Malcolm Warner. Entry fee per artist is $15 for members and $20 for non-members. 

Saturday, June 21, 2025
11 AM

New Member Tours are given by the librarian on the third Saturday of every month at 11 a.m. Members and nonmembers alike are welcome to attend. The librarian will give a tour of the library's space, collections, and a brief history. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Saturday, June 21, 2025
7:30 PM

*AT THE ATHENAEUM MUSIC & ARTS LIBRARY*
The series concludes on June 21 with the return of the Melissa Aldana Quartet, with Aldana on tenor sax, Fabian Almazan on piano, Pablo Menares on bass, and Kush Abadey on drums. Aldana’s last Athenaeum performance was in March 2020, when she played music from her album Visions for Frida Kahlo, which earned her a first-ever GRAMMY nomination for Best Improvised Jazz Solo. Her program this June will feature music from her 2024 release on Blue Note Records, Echoes of the Inner Prophet. A native of Chile, Aldana moved to the United States to attend Berklee College of Music. In 2013, at age 24, she became the first female instrumentalist and the first South American musician to win the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition.

Monday, June 23, 2025
12 PM

Guitarist Jimmy Patton and percussionist Enrique Platas have combined their talents to form this award-winning duo. Their music can be described as having an international flair as they incorporate flamenco, Middle-Eastern, salsa, calypso, Brazilian, and other world rhythms into their compositions and arrangements. Jimmy and Enrique's musical collaboration has given creation to their unique, fiery world-music style that has captivated audiences from all over. Listeners will experience virtuosic guitar passages accompanied by exotic percussive rhythms, which together produce a sound that will grab your soul.

Monday, June 23, 2025
7:30 PM

When Alice Barnett returned from Europe and settled in early-20th-century San Diego, the city was a modestly sized but rapidly growing community of approximately 40,000 residents. Amid this evolving cultural landscape, she quickly emerged as a prominent composer, performer, and advocate for the arts. During this time, she divorced and became a single mother and sustained herself and her family through her musical endeavors before remarrying. Her influence was far-reaching: in addition to co-founding the San Diego Symphony Association, she taught at San Diego High School, delivered public lectures, authored program notes, and actively collaborated with fellow musicians and civic leaders. This lecture features performances of Alice Barnett’s compositions from this chapter of her life (some published by G. Schirmer, others preserved only in manuscript), offering a glimpse into the musical and professional world she helped to shape.

Wednesday, June 25, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Wednesday, June 25, 2025
5:30 PM

Walking tours leave from the Athenaeum at 5:30 p.m. Tours are free and registration is required. Tours are limited to a maximum of 35 guests and last for approximately 90 minutes.

April 26–July 19, 2025
Panel Discussion: Wednesday, June 25, 6:30 PM (5:30–6 PM members-only reception; 6 PM general reception; 6:30 PM lecture)

Please join us for a panel discussion with the members of Harvest & Gather. They will share a special presentation on their Athenaeum show, missed connections, and how it connects to their careers and processes. A members-only reception will take place from 5:30–6:00 p.m. The reception for all ticketholders will take place at 6:00 p.m., followed by a lecture at 6:30 p.m.

Friday, June 27, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Fridays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Monday, June 30, 2025
12 PM

Comprised of Anna Grigorian and Natasha Gubenko, the award winning Grigorian Gubenko Piano Duo was formed in 2016. The duo has been featured numerous times at the MTAC conventions and continues to perform extensively at various professional and community functions. Both pianists lead busy piano teaching careers, conduct masterclasses, serve as adjudicators, and have leadership positions in the state and national professional music teachers associations.

Monday, June 30, 2025
7:30 PM

Alice Barnett’s most mature and substantial work is her song cycle In a Gondola, published by G. Schirmer. This lecture explores the artistic and historical contexts that shaped the composition, examining both its poetic inspiration and its musical innovations. Drawing on contemporary sources, including letters, newspaper reviews, and journal accounts, the lecture also traces the early reception of and critical response to her song cycle. The program concludes with a complete performance of In a Gondola, offering audiences the opportunity to experience Alice Barnett’s distinctive compositional voice in its fullest expression.

Wednesday, July 2, 2025
10:30 AM

The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library is thrilled to announce its newest offering for young families: Creative Storytime with Ms. Katia. This new program, held on the first Wednesday of each month at 10:30 AM, is designed to introduce children to the magic of storytelling while fostering an early love for music, art, and literature.

Wednesday, July 2, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Sunday, July 6, 2025
4 PM

We are pleased to announce the dates for the 26th Athenaeum Summer Festival, a series of four concerts that will feature virtuoso pianist Gustavo Romero. Continuing a beloved tradition, this summer Gustavo Romero will celebrate and focus on the piano music of Sergei Rachmaninoff, including his preludes, etude-tableaux variations, and sonatas, accompanied by select pieces by his Russian contemporaries. For 25 years, the Athenaeum has presented unforgettable festivals featuring Gustavo Romero performing the complete piano repertoire of a specific composer. Whether you have been with us all 25 years or have yet to experience the wonder of this artist—who plays from memory—you will not want to miss our upcoming 26th Summer Festival.

Sundays, July 6, 13, 20 & 27, 2025
4 PM

We are pleased to announce the dates for the 26th Athenaeum Summer Festival, a series of four concerts that will feature virtuoso pianist Gustavo Romero. Continuing a beloved tradition, this summer Gustavo Romero will celebrate and focus on the piano music of Sergei Rachmaninoff, including his preludes, etude-tableaux variations, and sonatas, accompanied by select pieces by his Russian contemporaries. For 25 years, the Athenaeum has presented unforgettable festivals featuring Gustavo Romero performing the complete piano repertoire of a specific composer. Whether you have been with us all 25 years or have yet to experience the wonder of this artist—who plays from memory—you will not want to miss our upcoming 26th Summer Festival.

Monday, July 7, 2025
12 PM

Naomi Hobbs was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. She earned her music degree at the Musashino Academia Musicae in Tokyo, where she also taught for 10 years. In 1998, the year before she moved to San Diego, she performed Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Piano Concerto with the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra. She was a music and piano instructor at San Diego Community College district for 10 years. Hobbs won first prize at the Seventh Annual International Piano Competition in Mexico in 2012 and was the gold medalist of the Sixth Annual. Seattle International Piano Competition in 2015. Yumiko Oya grew up in Tokyo, Japan. She began playing piano at age three. After moving to the US in 1990, she began studying music theory at Orange Coast College and was invited to play as a soloist on Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.4 with its orchestra at their annual concert. Further study earned Oya her Master’s degree in Piano Performance at the California Institute of the Arts. Since then she has actively performed as a soloist and with various ensembles. 

Wednesday, July 9, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Friday, July 11, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Fridays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Sunday, July 13, 2025
4 PM

We are pleased to announce the dates for the 26th Athenaeum Summer Festival, a series of four concerts that will feature virtuoso pianist Gustavo Romero. Continuing a beloved tradition, this summer Gustavo Romero will celebrate and focus on the piano music of Sergei Rachmaninoff, including his preludes, etude-tableaux variations, and sonatas, accompanied by select pieces by his Russian contemporaries. For 25 years, the Athenaeum has presented unforgettable festivals featuring Gustavo Romero performing the complete piano repertoire of a specific composer. Whether you have been with us all 25 years or have yet to experience the wonder of this artist—who plays from memory—you will not want to miss our upcoming 26th Summer Festival.

Monday, July 14, 2025
12 PM

Acclaimed flutist and three-time Global Music Award recipient, Brooklyn native Lori Bell is a flutist and composer of admirable depth and broad musical sympathies. A resident of San Diego, she has contributed to raising the standards of performance while earning acclaim from both peers and critics for her artistry on stage and in recordings.

Wednesday, July 16, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Friday, July 18, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Fridays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Saturday, July 19, 2025
11 AM

New Member Tours are given by the librarian on the third Saturday of every month at 11 a.m. Members and nonmembers alike are welcome to attend. The librarian will give a tour of the library's space, collections, and a brief history. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Sunday, July 20, 2025
4 PM

We are pleased to announce the dates for the 26th Athenaeum Summer Festival, a series of four concerts that will feature virtuoso pianist Gustavo Romero. Continuing a beloved tradition, this summer Gustavo Romero will celebrate and focus on the piano music of Sergei Rachmaninoff, including his preludes, etude-tableaux variations, and sonatas, accompanied by select pieces by his Russian contemporaries. For 25 years, the Athenaeum has presented unforgettable festivals featuring Gustavo Romero performing the complete piano repertoire of a specific composer. Whether you have been with us all 25 years or have yet to experience the wonder of this artist—who plays from memory—you will not want to miss our upcoming 26th Summer Festival.

Monday, July 21, 2025
12 PM

David Beldock and Ian Vatet are guitar players in the band Friends and Enablers. They play original music, folk, rock, and blues songs while having fun doing so. When Ian and David play guitars together, there is magic in the room. David Beldock performs original acoustic folk, blues and jazz. Beldock is a guitar player and singer/songwriter. He has played in two of San Diego’s most renowned bands, Bordertown and Wooden Angel. His songs have won various awards, most notably from the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and from Dr. Demento (which especially pleased him). His solo CDs have received favorable reviews. He enjoys writing songs and making music. Ian Vatet has been playing guitar for almost 50 years, and he continues to actively gig. Vatet has extensive experience performing, recording, composing, and teaching.

Wednesday, July 23, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

Friday, July 25, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Fridays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.

July 26–October 18, 2025
Opening Reception: Friday, July 25, 5:30–7:30 PM

One of the most prestigious juried shows in San Diego, selected artists will exhibit their work in our galleries, receive excellent exposure, and mingle with both artists and art lovers at an opening reception. Prize winners, including the recipient of the Leslie Von Kolb Memorial Award, will be announced at the opening reception.

Sunday, July 27, 2025
4 PM

We are pleased to announce the dates for the 26th Athenaeum Summer Festival, a series of four concerts that will feature virtuoso pianist Gustavo Romero. Continuing a beloved tradition, this summer Gustavo Romero will celebrate and focus on the piano music of Sergei Rachmaninoff, including his preludes, etude-tableaux variations, and sonatas, accompanied by select pieces by his Russian contemporaries. For 25 years, the Athenaeum has presented unforgettable festivals featuring Gustavo Romero performing the complete piano repertoire of a specific composer. Whether you have been with us all 25 years or have yet to experience the wonder of this artist—who plays from memory—you will not want to miss our upcoming 26th Summer Festival.

Monday, July 28, 2025
12 PM

Violinst Kenneth Liao will perform with Drew Butcher, who will join him on guitar. Violinist Kenneth Liao joined the San Diego Symphony in 2019 after spending two seasons as a Fellow with the New World Symphony. Born in Maryland, Mr. Liao received his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Southern California, where he studied with Midori Goto, and subsequently completed a Master of Music degree at The Juilliard School under the tutelage of David Chan.

Wednesday, July 30, 2025
3 & 3:30 PM

Bring your children or grandchildren to the Athenaeum's free Children's Storytime at 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Great for children ages 1 through 9. This is a free event. Reservations are not necessary.