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Athenaeum Mini-Concerts

Every Monday at 12 noon

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.

 

For more information, call us at (858) 454-5872.

The Mini-Concerts are supported, in part, by David and Joyce Abrams, Jack L. Brown and Jan Chatten-Brown, Florence Riford La Jolla Community Fund, Edwin and Ruby Gin, Luisa and Paul Larson, Rod Innes and Mary Jo McCall, Catherine and Bob Palmer, Marit Roman, Jack and Patti Schwellenbach, and Richard Vande Noord.

Support Mini-Concerts

JOAN & IRWIN JACOBS MUSIC ROOM
Athenaeum Music & Arts Library
1008 Wall Street
La Jolla, CA 92037

CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS

CONCERTS BEGIN AT 12 NOON.
DOORS OPEN AT 11:50 AM.
LAST ENTRY AT 12:15 PM.

Free admission.
Reservations are not necessary.

Featured
Gregory Page, guitar
Jan 27
Mini-Concert
Gregory Page, guitar
Mini-Concert

Monday, January 27, 2025
12 PM

Gregory Page is an eclectic, prolific, genre-bending performing songwriter, balladeer, recording artist, film maker, art activist, music producer, and published poet with an extensive discography. With endearing stage presence, evocative lyrics, masterful guitar work and warm voice, the London-born artist seamlessly draws from imagination and experience transcending traditions of folk, Celtic, Armenian, American Roots, ragtime, blues, swing and French Romanticism into his own signature idiom that has been described as “Americeltic.” 

Mini-Concert
Dmitry Kirichenko, piano
Feb 3
Mini-Concert
Dmitry Kirichenko, piano
Mini-Concert

Monday, February 3, 2025
12 PM

Dmitry Kirichenko began his musical education under a Soviet system that selected only the best, most talented students for artistic study. At the age of 7, he was accepted into the Stolyarsky School of Music. Upon graduation he was accepted to the Moscow Conservatory for college level studies under Professor Zemliansky. One of the leading educational institutions in the world, the Moscow Conservatory is reserved for the most talented music students.

Mini-Concert
Adam Wolff Trio
Feb 10
Mini-Concert
Adam Wolff Trio
Mini-Concert

Monday, February 10, 2025
12 PM

Adam Wolff has been playing the piano for most of his life. Starting at the age of 8, he spent ten years studying classical piano performance, music theory, and creative music expression. Raised in New York and Chicago, he returned to New York City in the 80s and spent many years playing music full-time in Manhattan. While living in New York, Wolff studied with several great pianists: Barry Harris (Keeper of the Bebop Flame), Mike Longo (Musical Director for Dizzy Gillespie), and Kenny Werner (Author of Effortless Mastery and a global music legend).

Mini-Concert
Duo Alloro, guitar & cello
Feb 17
Mini-Concert
Duo Alloro, guitar & cello
Mini-Concert

Monday, February 17, 2025
12 PM

Fred Benedetti was born in Sasebo, Japan, and began playing the guitar at the age of 9. In 1986 he was one of the 12 guitarists chosen worldwide to perform in the Master Class of Andres Segovia at USC. Erica Erenyi completed a Master’s degree and Performance Residency Program in cello performance at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as a student of Anne Martindale Williams. She received her Bachelor of Music from Biola University in La Mirada, California, as a student of Marlin Owen. More recently, she undertook a course of intensive study with Peter Thiemann in Barcelona, Spain. Erica has performed with International Opera Theater in Italy, Academia Internacional de Música de Solsona, Spain, and the Henry Mancini Institute in Los Angeles. She is active as a freelance musician in San Diego, playing in a variety of genres including theatre productions (with The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, and Broadway San Diego), California Chamber Orchestra, recording projects, and with jazz pianist Danny Green.

Mini-Concert
Mini-Concert
Billy Lee & The Gulf Coasters
Mini-Concert

Monday, February 24, 2025
12 PM

Check back soon for more info!

Mini-Concert
Aaron Larget-Caplan, guitar & Diana Tash, mezzo-soprano
Mar 3
Mini-Concert
Aaron Larget-Caplan, guitar & Diana Tash, mezzo-soprano
Mini-Concert

Monday, March 3, 2025
12 PM

Classical guitarist Aaron Larget-Caplan has premiered over 110 compositions, directs the New Lullaby Project and Spanish classical music & flamenco dance ensemble ¡Con Fuego! His groundbreaking arrangements and recording of the music of John Cage are the first to be sanctioned by the estate and issued by Edition Peters and the UK label Stone Records. He has eight acclaimed solo albums and multiple publications with the American Composers Alliance. He has awards from the Société Académique Arts-Sciences-Lettres of Paris, France for his trailblazing work in music, and was Musician in Residence at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Canada. His first album of compositions ‘honey cadence’ was released in April 2022.

Mini-Concert
Colin McAllister & Wayne Wilkinson, jazz guitar duo
Mar 10
Mini-Concert
Colin McAllister & Wayne Wilkinson, jazz guitar duo
Mini-Concert

Monday, March 10, 2025
12 PM

Colin McAllister is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, where he is a 2021–2022 Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Fellow. His performances as a guitarist and conductor have been hailed as “sparkling…delivered superbly” (San Francisco Chronicle), “ravishing” (San Diego Union-Tribune) and “an amazing tour de force” (San Diego Story), and he has recorded on the Summit, Innova, Centaur, Naxos, Albany, Old King Cole, Vienna Modern Masters, Carrier and Tzadik labels. His research interests include contemporary music performance and pedagogy, musical modernism, and the apocalyptic paradigm as manifested in varying phenomena—literature, music, and art. Wayne Wilkinson is a headliner guitarist that performs and tours across the country and internationally. Throughout his over four decade career, Wayne has shared the stage with iconic jazz musicians, world class performers and a President of the United States.

Mini-Concert
Mini-Concert
Mini-Concert TBA
Mini-Concert

Monday, March 17, 2025
12 PM

The mini-concert is TBA. Check back soon!

Mini-Concert
Mike Wofford & Joshua White, 2 pianos
Mar 24
Mini-Concert
Mike Wofford & Joshua White, 2 pianos
Mini-Concert

Monday, March 24, 2025
12 PM

Mike Wofford has recorded and performed with a long list of major artists, including Sonny Stitt, Stan Getz, Joe Pass, Quincy Jones, Benny Carter, Ray Brown, Lee Konitz, Chet Baker, Art Pepper, Joe Henderson, Benny Golson, and James Moody. He was also conductor and pianist for both Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald. With this extraordinary career, it is no wonder that DownBeat recognized him as “one of the outstanding pianists of our time.” Joshua White is one of the music scene’s most creative and technically accomplished pianists. Praised by legendary musicians like Herbie Hancock as having “immense talent” and lauded for his “daring and courageous approach to improvisation … on the cutting edge of innovation,” Joshua has distinguished himself as a formidable leader of distinct voice among his peers.

Mini-Concert
Kenneth Liao, violin & Igor Pandurski, piano
Mar 31
Mini-Concert
Kenneth Liao, violin & Igor Pandurski, piano
Mini-Concert

Monday, March 31, 2025
12 PM

Violinst Kenneth Liao will perform with his San Diego Symphony violin colleague Igor Pandurski, who will join him on piano. 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.

Mini-Concert
Mini-Concert
Mini-Concert TBA
Mini-Concert

Monday, April 7, 2025
12 PM

The mini-concert is TBA. Check back soon!

Mini-Concert
Seaside Quartet
Apr 14
Mini-Concert
Seaside Quartet
Mini-Concert

Monday, April 14, 2025
12 PM

Seaside Quartetis a virtuoso ensemble comprised of pianist Brenda Martin, violinist Philip Tyler, violinist/violist Päivikki Nykter and cellist Cecilia Kim. They are friends on and off stage, which is apparent in their seamless and graceful ensemble playing. Their deep love and desire to play chamber music was the main reason to form this quartet and take time from their busy schedules to make beautiful music together. Their collaboration and exquisite musical taste has produced highly acclaimed performances in San Diego area. Brenda and Phil serve as professors at the Point Loma University Music Department and Päivikki and Cecilia and freelance musicians.

Mini-Concert
Mini-Concert
Mini-Concert TBA
Mini-Concert

Monday, April 21, 2025
12 PM

The mini-concert is TBA. Check back soon!

Mini-Concert
Yale Strom, violin
Apr 28
Mini-Concert
Yale Strom, violin
Mini-Concert

Monday, April 28, 2025
12 PM

Yale Strom is a pioneer among revivalists in conducting extensive field research in Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans among the Jewish and Roma communities.  Initially, his work focused primarily on the use and performance of klezmer music among these two groups.  Gradually, his focus increased to examining all aspects of their culture, from post-World War II to the present.  From more than 3 decades and 75 such research expeditions, Strom has become the world’s leading ethnographer-artist of klezmer music and history. 

Mini-Concert
Aviara Trio
May 5
Mini-Concert
Aviara Trio
Mini-Concert

Monday, May 5, 2025
12 PM

Sheer passion for chamber music drives Aviara Trio. Comprised of pianist Ines Irawati, violinist Robert Schumitzky, and cellist Erin Breene, this exciting ensemble has been making an indelible impression on the musical landscape of Southern California for the past ten years. Most recently, the trio was invited to perform on Celebrate LA, Los Angeles Philharmonic's 100-year anniversary celebration, at the Hollywood Bowl. With performance degrees from the Juilliard School, Cleveland Institute of Music, Yale University, and Rice University, Ms. Irawati, Ms. Breene, and Mr. Schumitzky have studied and performed with some of the world’s finest musical pedagogues including Paul Katz, Claude Frank, Timothy Eddy, Fred Sherry, Joseph Silverstein, Jacques Israelievitch, Sally Thomas, Miriam Fried, Peter Oundjian, and the Juilliard, Miró, American, Tokyo, Cleveland, Borromeo, and Alexander Quartets.

Mini-Concert
Mini-Concert
Pacific Wind Quintet (flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet & horn)
Mini-Concert

Monday, May 12, 2025
12 PM

Check back soon for more info!

Mini-Concert
Brightfeather Duo, piano & violin
May 19
Mini-Concert
Brightfeather Duo, piano & violin
Mini-Concert

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.

Mini-Concert
Mini-Concert
No Mini-concert
Mini-Concert

Monday, May 26, 2025

There will be no mini-concert on Monday, May 26 in observance of Memorial Day. Thank you for understanding, and see you next Monday!

Mini-Concert
Folias Duo, flute & guitar
Jun 2
Mini-Concert
Folias Duo, flute & guitar
Mini-Concert

Monday, June 2, 2025
12 PM

“Theirs is a music that transcends genre and that ultimately brands itself as Folias Duo music, full stop” (textura on the recording Heartdance, 2023). Folias Duo is a distinguished musical ensemble, renowned for its remarkable fusion of classical and contemporary influences. Comprising flutist Carmen Maret and guitarist Andrew Bergeron, this married duo has cultivated a unique and enduring performer-composer collaboration spanning two decades. Their exceptional artistry breathes fresh vitality into classical music, infusing it with the rich tapestry of jazz, world music, and improvisation, crafting meticulously curated and evocative compositions. As accomplished composers and performers, Folias Duo continually explores the technical and sonic possibilities inherent in their intimate flute and guitar combination.

Mini-Concert