Monday, September 13, 2021
12 PM
Free concerts at noon every other Monday from fall through spring . . . no wonder the Mini-Concerts are the longest-running and one of the most popular classical music series at the library! This series was founded by Glenna Hazleton in 1970 at the Athenaeum, and has been going strong ever since. The concerts feature both local and touring musicians, prize-winning students, university music faculty members, local chamber ensembles. . . and the repertoire also includes jazz, folk and world music. There are no reservations, no tickets . . . just line up at the side door of the Athenaeum before noon. (Donations are always welcome!) Mini-Concerts take place every other Monday at noon and last about an hour.
Artonic
noun
Art that is 1) invigorating and healing in effect 2) the key note of a musical scale 3) a fun mixer.
As members of the San Diego Symphony, long time friends Jing and Julia were thrilled when kismet sent the matched set of long time friends Abraham and Nathan to join the orchestra at the same time. Through the pandemic the four discovered a remarkable shared musical chemistry, and recently have performed for a wide range of San Diego audiences - from thousands of migrant children housed at the convention center to symphony donors onstage at The Rady Shell.
Julia Pautz, violin
Jing Yan Bowcott violin
Abraham Martín viola
Nathan Walhout cello
Hailed as “a genuine virtuoso” by the Dallas Morning News, Julia Pautz has been a member of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra since 2010. A native of the tiny town of Blanco, Texas, Ms. Pautz was a National Merit Scholar, and earned a Bachelor of Music degree with honors from the Cleveland Institute of Music, a Master of Music degree with honors from the University of Southern California and a professional studies certificate from The Colburn School. Following her studies Ms. Pautz joined the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. In Texas she served on faculty of the preparatory department at Texas Christian University and now maintains a private teaching studio near La Jolla.
An enthusiastic chamber musician Julia co-founded the non-profit Texas based Hall Ensemble. She co-founded and serves as an artistic advisor for the chamber music series Blanco Performing Arts, based in her hometown and now celebrating its 12th season. With the Artonic Quartet, during the pandemic she started Backyard Beethoven, a series of concerts bringing chamber music performed by her colleagues to outdoor spaces in San Diego.
Julia Pautz now happily splits her time between making beautiful music with her colleagues and mothering her busy first grader Jackson who attends Bird Rock Elementary.
A Chinese native, Ms. Jing Yan Bowcott’s musical talent has taken her throughout China, Europe and the United States. Encouraged by her musical parents, Ms. Bowcott began playing violin at age six and won her first competition at age 10. She later entered Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music and continued her studies with a full scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London. After graduating with top honor “Distinction” and Royal Academy’s highest Diploma for her outstanding final performance, Ms. Bowcott continued her study in the US with world-renowned Violin professor Mauricio Fuks at Indiana University. As an orchestra musician, Jing Yan has worked with orchestras including Beijing Symphony, London Philharmonic, New World Symphony, Spoleto Festival Orchestra, Elgin Symphony and Chicago Civic Orchestra. Her chamber music collaborations include Chicago Symphony Orchestra MusicNOW, La Jolla Music Festival, Orchestra Nova and California Chamber Orchestra. She is the winner of the 1st Neimeng Violin Competition, Winifred solo competition and the “Royal Academy Soloist” award. Ms. Bowcott joined San Diego Symphony in 2006. Aside from music, Jing has a great interest in teaching, fashion, and interior design.
Venezuelan violist Abraham Martín has studied at the New England Conservatory and Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. Mr. Martín’s teachers include Assistant Principal Viola of the BSO, Cathy Basrak and James Dunham from the Cleveland String Quartet. During his time at NEC, Mr. Martín acted as Principal Viola in multiple occasions and was a member of the prestigious NEC Chamber Orchestra. As a chamber music player, Mr. Martín has received training from the Borromeo String Quartet, Juilliard String Quartet, Merry Peckham and members of the Cleveland Quartet. He has played as a soloist with Arcos Juveniles de Caracas and Virtuosi De Caracas. He was invited to play in the 42nd International Viola Congress organized by the British Viola Society. Mr. Martín has attended the Tanglewood Music Center, Aspen Music Festival and the Texas Music Festival. He has worked with renowned conductors such as Andris Nelsons, Gustavo Dudamel, David Loebel, Robert Spano and Leonard Slatkin. He has served as Principal Viola with Hugh Wolff, Thomas Ades, Cristian Macelaru, Mei-Ann Chen and Ulyses Ascanio.
Abraham Martín plays on a 1988 Helmuth Keller Viola and a gold Siefried Bow generously on loan from The Maestro Foundation. He joined the viola section of the San Diego Symphony after winning his audition in 2020.
Nathan Walhout is a 24 year-old cellist from the Chicagoland Area. Mr. Walhout received his Masters in Music performance at Rice University in May 2021 while studying with Brinton Smith. He received his Bachelors Degree from the University of Michigan in 2019 studying with Richard Aaron. Mr. Walhout has enjoyed various chamber and orchestral performances at the 2018,'19 New York String Orchestra Seminars, the Sarasota Music Festival, the Spoleto USA Festival, and five summers at the Aspen Music Festival and School. Mr. Walhout recently joined the Artonic String Quartet when he moved to San Diego in January, 2021 as a new member of the San Diego Symphony cello section. In addition to cello, Nathan enjoys playing chess and biking.