Cathy Blickenstaff
Laura Vaughan
Päivikki Nykter
Monday, November 4, 2024
12 PM
Päivikki Nykter, violin and viola
Cathy Blickenstaff, flute
Laura Vaughan, harp
A versatile recitalist and chamber musician, violinist/violist Päivikki Nykter, is equally at home with standard repertoire as well as contemporary music. A native of Finland, she is a graduate of the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Ms. Nykter served as an Artist-in-Residence at the University of California San Diego Music Department from 1994 to 2006. She is now a freelance violinist maintaining a busy concert schedule as well as teaching the Alexander Technique both in the US and Europe. Ms. Nykter is an artistic director of a Chamber Music Concert Series in Lappeenranta, Finland. She has recorded on Neuma, Aucourant Records, CRI, Old King Cole, Omega Editions and mode labels.
Cathy Blickenstaff holds a Master’s Degree in Flute Performance from the University of Colorado where she studied with Maralyn Prestia. Cathy has been a participant in the Aspen Music Festival and has studied with several world-renowned flutists including Julies Baker, Willaim Bennett, and Sylvia Greenfield. Concert appearances include: The Merc Classical Music Series, The National Flute Association Convention, Palomar College, concertos in Oakland, California, and Beaver Creek, Colorado, the La Jolla United Methodist Church Family Concert Series, Point Loma Nazarene University Music Series, the Music Recital Series at Southwestern College, the Christ Lutheran Church Concert Series, UCSD Soiree for Music Lovers, Pacific Beach Presbyterian Church, St. Mark's United Methodist Concert Series, and the First Baptist Church of San Diego Concert Series.
Laura Vaughan began her study of music on the piano at age five with her mother, harpist and pianist, Donna Vaughan. She excelled on the harp at an early age and started studying with Sheila Sterling, former principal of the San Diego Symphony, at age nine. As a young adult, she took lessons with Elena Mashkovtseva, current principal harpist of the San Diego Symphony. Ms. Vaughan has also studied under the direction of Lou Anne Neill, principal harpist of the L.A. Philharmonic. As part of her formal studies as a student at the University of Oregon, Laura traveled abroad to enhance her mastery of the harp. She studied at the Universität die Musik in Vienna, Austria with Adelheid Blovsky-Miller, former harpist of the Vienna State Opera. Ms. Vaughan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Harp Performance from the University of Oregon School of Music.
Free concerts at noon every Monday year-round . . . 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 Monday at noon and last about an hour.
The concerts will be in person at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. There are no physical tickets for these events. Doors open at 11:50 a.m. Seating is first-come; first-served. These events will be presented in compliance with State of California and County of San Diego health regulations as applicable at the time of each concert.