The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library in La Jolla and the Athenaeum Art Center in Logan Heights will be closed Friday, October 30 for a staff retreat. Both locations will reopen during regular hours on Saturday, October 31.
Saturday, October 31, 2026
12-4pm
Celebrate and commemorate your loved ones with an afternoon of craft. Write a letter, create a collage, or decorate a frame for your altar (ofrenda). Bring family photos, or we can print for you.
Free + All Ages.
Everyone welcome. Costumes encouraged!
Come join us at the Athenaeum Art Center for Open Print Studio. Some printmaking familiarity is helpful*, and limited technical support is available (We're happy to give you a refresher or help you find the right supplies). Our facility supports intaglio, screen print, relief and letterpress. Inks and miscellaneous scrap paper are available for use.
Monday, November 2, 12 PM
Julia Pautz, violin & Tina Chong, piano
Celebrate the 30th anniversary of Athenaeum Jazz at Scripps Research with a three-concert series featuring internationally acclaimed jazz artists in the exceptional acoustics of the Scripps auditorium.
Joshua Redman Quartet opens the series with the legendary saxophonist's long-awaited return to San Diego, leading his acclaimed quartet in an evening of masterful contemporary jazz.
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.
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.
Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone.
Members' Open Print Studio is private time for those who hold a current membership with the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. This members-only opportunity provides members a private open studio session without the busy nature of regular open studio. Light demonstrations are available and certain members' open studio dates will include workshops.
Location: Athenaeum Art Center
Monday, November 9, 12 PM
Danny Green | Free Mini-Concert
Athenaeum Music & Arts Library will be closed on Wednesday, November 11, in observance of Veteran’s Day. Regular hours will resume on Thursday, November 12 from 11 AM - 4 PM.
Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone.
12-4:00 PM
Location: Athenaeum Art Center (1955 Julian Ave.)
David Sánchez Quintet: Tambó showcases the GRAMMY® Award-winning saxophonist's powerful fusion of jazz with the African-rooted musical traditions of Puerto Rico and Colombia in a vibrant celebration of the African diaspora.
This unique group returns to the Athenaeum with a varied program showcasing the baryton (a rarely heard instrument that had its heyday as the “King of instruments” in the 18th century) with works old and new, by Joseph Haydn and three pieces written for the Valencia Baryton Project.
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.
Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone.
Members' Open Print Studio is private time for those who hold a current membership with the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. This members-only opportunity provides members a private open studio session without the busy nature of regular open studio. Light demonstrations are available and certain members' open studio dates will include workshops.
Monday, November 23, 12PM
Seaside Trio (piano, violin & cello) | Free Mini-Concert
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.
Members' Open Print Studio is private time for those who hold a current membership with the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. This members-only opportunity provides members a private open studio session without the busy nature of regular open studio. Light demonstrations are available and certain members' open studio dates will include workshops.
Gabrielle Cavassa makes her Athenaeum debut with an intimate performance showcasing the rising Blue Note Records vocalist, whose rich, expressive voice and captivating artistry have established her as one of jazz's most exciting new talents.
Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone.
Members' Open Print Studio is private time for those who hold a current membership with the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. This members-only opportunity provides members a private open studio session without the busy nature of regular open studio. Light demonstrations are available and certain members' open studio dates will include workshops.
Saturday, December 5, 2026
5:00–7:00 PM
Location: Athenaeum Music & Arts Library
Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone.
Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone.
Members' Open Print Studio is private time for those who hold a current membership with the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. This members-only opportunity provides members a private open studio session without the busy nature of regular open studio. Light demonstrations are available and certain members' open studio dates will include workshops.
Location: Athenaeum Music & Arts Library
Members $60/Nonmembers $65
San Diego New Music and the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library present
January 7-9, 2027
Performances by San Diego New Music’s ensemble-in-residence NOISE, with guest artists Myra Hinrichs, Marta Tiesenga, Ariana Warren, and Matt Kline
The Baumer Quartet returns to the Athenaeum after a warm reception at their first visit in 2023. They’ll share works by Mozart and Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate before joining our own Kate Hatmaker and Alex Greenbaum in Brahms’ beloved String Sextet in G Major.
This exciting duo’s first visit to the Athenaeum will feature works by Beethoven, Schnittke and Chopin in a virtuosic tour de force.
Blending original works with music from the 1600s to today, Owls creates bold, genre-defying performances that are uniquely their own.
Through music and narration, the Formosa Quartet examines refuge, belonging, and America's complex history.
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.
Apertura
Members' Open Print Studio is private time for those who hold a current membership with the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. This members-only opportunity provides members a private open studio session without the busy nature of regular open studio. Light demonstrations are available and certain members' open studio dates will include workshops.
Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone.
Lizzie Zelter; Photo credit: Annie Denton
Murals of La Jolla and the Athenaeum present Lizzie Zelter, with a special presentation of her career, process, recent projects, and 2026 mural Southeast Exchange for Murals of La Jolla. The reception begins at 6 p.m., followed by an artist talk at 6:30 p.m.
On Thursday, October 22, 2026, Lizzie Zelter will give an artist talk at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. Presented by Murals of La Jolla and the Athenaeum, the evening begins with a reception at 6 PM, followed by the talk at 6:30 PM. Zelter will discuss her career, recent projects, and 2026 mural, Southeast Exchange, for Murals of La Jolla.
Mural Members and Makers will receive an email to RSVP for the lecture.
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.
Members' Open Print Studio is private time for those who hold a current membership with the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. This members-only opportunity provides members a private open studio session without the busy nature of regular open studio. Light demonstrations are available and certain members' open studio dates will include workshops.
Please join us for an artist talk with Sylvia Fernández at 5:30 PM. An opening reception will take place after the artist talk.
Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone.
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.
The concerts will be in person at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. There are no physical tickets for these events. Your name will be on an attendee list at the front door. Doors open at 7 p.m. Seating is first-come; first-served. Priority seating will be given to Donor level members and above.
Your reservation is not complete until you receive an email confirmation. If you do not receive a confirmation email, your tickets have not been reserved. Please check your inbox and spam/junk folder or contact us at info@ljathenaeum.org or (858) 454-5872 to ensure your booking is finalized. Thank you!
All ticket sales for Athenaeum Music & Arts Library events are final. Cancellations made within 48 hours of the scheduled event start time are not eligible for a refund, regardless of the reason for cancellation.
Guests who are unable to attend may:
Transfer their ticket to another individual, or
Request that the ticket price be converted into a tax-deductible charitable contribution to the Athenaeum, provided no goods or services (e.g., meal, entertainment) were received.
For cancellations made more than 48 hours prior to an event, please contact Anira Abreu, Program and Administrative Associate, to discuss options: aabreu@ljathenaeum.org
We appreciate your understanding and support. Ticket proceeds help sustain the Athenaeum's cultural programming and enable us to present exceptional performances, lectures, and events throughout the year.
Have you ever watched an orchestra performance and wondered what the conductor was actually doing?
Join Sameer Patel, Music Director and Orchestra Conductor of the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus and Artistic Director of the San Diego Youth Symphony, as he pulls back the curtain on the art and craft of conducting and the multifaceted role of the modern conductor.
In this presentation he will explore the leadership skills required on and off the podium, the artistic demands of interpreting both classic and contemporary works, and the personal journey that led him to pursue this unique career. He will also share his passion for nurturing the next generation of musicians and discuss the challenges of advocating for symphonic music in the 21st century.
Recognized for his "profound artistry" (The San Diego Union-Tribune), Sameer Patel has established himself as one of America’s most exciting and versatile conductors. Whether leading world premieres or traditional masterworks, Patel brings an infectious enthusiasm for music-making that resonates with musicians, audiences, and students alike.
Sameer is currently the Music Director and Orchestra Conductor of the La Jolla Symphony and Chorus and Artistic Director of the San Diego Youth Symphony, where he is deeply devoted to innovative programming, championing contemporary music, and nurturing the next generation of musicians and music lovers.
His extensive guest conducting credits include prominent orchestras across North America and abroad, including the Symphony Orchestras of Chicago, Toronto, Detroit, St. Louis, Baltimore, and many others. His honors include recognition from Musical America, the Solti Foundation U.S., the League of American Orchestras, and The White House. A graduate of the University of Michigan, he counts as his mentors Daniele Gatti, Gianandrea Noseda, Paavo Jarvi, and the late maestros Bernard Haitink and Kurt Masur.
Athenaeum Music & Arts Library will be closed on Monday, October 12 in observance of Indigenous People’s Day. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, October 13 from 11 AM - 4 PM.
Join composer and sound artist Ess Whiteley for an artist talk and guided walk-through of listening materials. The conversation will explore sound, material, and listening, with an opportunity to experience how frequencies, matter, and the space itself come together to create an evolving sonic environment.
Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone.
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
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.
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.
Groundbreaking violinist Johnny Gandelsman opens our season with an exciting solo recital, combining his own original compositions, works he commissioned and premiered as part of his This is America project, and monumental works by J.S. Bach.
The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library is pleased to present the 2026–2027 season of the Barbara and William Karatz Chamber Concert Series, beginning October 5, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. Set in the intimate Joan & Irwin Jacobs Music Room, this beloved series invites you to experience chamber music in the warm, personal setting of our historic library. From rarely heard works to cherished masterpieces, each program offers music that will surprise, delight, and move you, performed by some of the finest chamber musicians working today. This season welcomes back audience favorites alongside exciting new artists making their Athenaeum debuts.
The series continues through April 19, 2027, with each concert preceded by a 6:45 p.m. pre-concert talk and followed by a reception with the artists in the Sharon & Joel Labovitz Entry Hall.
The concert will be in person at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library (1008 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037). There are no physical tickets for these events. Your name will be on an attendee list at the front door. Doors open at 7 p.m. Seating is first-come; first-served. Priority seating will be given to Donor level members and above.
Your reservation is not complete until you receive an email confirmation. If you do not receive a confirmation email, your tickets have not been reserved. Please check your inbox and spam/junk folder or contact us at info@ljathenaeum.org or (858) 454-5872 to ensure your booking is finalized.
All ticket sales for Athenaeum Music & Arts Library events are final. Cancellations made within 48 hours of the scheduled event start time are not eligible for a refund, regardless of the reason for cancellation.
Guests who are unable to attend may:
Transfer their ticket to another individual, or
Request that the ticket price be converted into a tax-deductible charitable contribution to the Athenaeum, provided no goods or services (e.g., meal, entertainment) were received.
For cancellations made more than 48 hours prior to an event, please contact Anira Abreu, Program and Administrative Associate, to discuss options: aabreu@ljathenaeum.org
We appreciate your understanding and support. Ticket proceeds help sustain the Athenaeum's cultural programming and enable us to present exceptional performances, lectures, and events throughout the year.
Thank you!
Members' Open Print Studio is private time for those who hold a current membership with the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. This members-only opportunity provides members a private open studio session without the busy nature of regular open studio. Light demonstrations are available and certain members' open studio dates will include workshops.
Open Print Studio at the Athenaeum Art Center invites local printmakers and artists to utilize the equipment and space in the printmaking studio. Prior knowledge in printmaking and equipment familiarity is required as open studio time is not for learning a new printmaking process or one on one lessons. The Athenaeum Art Center offers printmaking courses throughout the year for those wanting to learn a new craft or wanting to enhance their art practice. Open Studio is free for everyone.
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.
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.
The Athenaeum Art Center’s 10 Year Anniversary Party & Secret Sale is coming up on Saturday, September 26 and we’re excited to announce the evening’s vinyl DJ lineup and food partner.
Join us at the Art Center in Logan Heights for an evening of music, food, drinks, and a special Secret Sale featuring donated artwork by more than 30 artists.
Members' Open Print Studio is private time for those who hold a current membership with the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. This members-only opportunity provides members a private open studio session without the busy nature of regular open studio. Light demonstrations are available and certain members' open studio dates will include workshops.
The Athenaeum Art Center’s 10th Anniversary Celebration brings together a free Print Fair, live demonstrations, an anniversary party, and a Secret Sale featuring 20+ mystery artworks by local and internationally known artists.
Tiffany Wee, Violin
Chi-Yuan Chen, Viola
Jeffrey Ho, Cello
Jeremy Kurtz-Harris, Double Bass
Chris Warren - Electronics
Mean Time - By Tommy Dougherty
Waltzes - By Fred Lerdahl
Glissade - by James Tenney
Take a string quartet. Remove the second violin. Add a double bass.
That single swap is the idea behind this season-opening program. Fred Lerdahl's Waltzes sets the terms with a "low" string quartet, his own term for a group where the viola and cello are pushed into unfamiliar high registers while the bass holds down a floor no quartet usually has. James Tenney's Glissade narrows the group further, to viola, cello, and bass, running their glissandi through a live delay system until pitch stops feeling like steps and starts feeling like a slide. Tommy Dougherty's Mean Time strips it down to its two outer edges: a duo for violin and double bass alone, highest and lowest voice facing each other with nothing in between.
Violin, viola, cello, double bass: Tiffany Wee, Chi-Yuan Chen, Jeffrey Ho, and Jeremy Kurtz-Harris.
A glissade is a gliding step in ballet and a controlled slide down a snowfield in mountaineering — momentum without falling. This program moves the same way: one instrument added, removed, or isolated at a time, until an entire register of the string quartet opens up beneath it.
San Diego New Music is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the public performance of notated music of the highest integrity and artistic caliber from the 20th and 21st centuries. We seek to advance the art form by promoting music composed with conceptual rigor, passionate energy and singular artistic vision. SDNM enriches the artistic culture of San Diego through the presentation of an annual concert series and the soundON Festival of Modern Music, and through fostering its resident performing ensemble, NOISE.
In 1994, the only place in San Diego where you could hear an entire concert of 20th-century music was on a college campus. San Diego New Music pitched the idea of a concert series devoted to modern music and 20th-century classics at the Athenaeum. The concerts of modern music perfectly complement the exhibitions of modern art held in the Athenaeum’s galleries. In 1996, San Diego New Music presented its first season. The series was called "Noise at the Library," and the ensemble would later adopt the name, as well. San Diego New Music and the Athenaeum have been happily co-presenting concerts of new music ever since.
For more information on the organization go to www.sandiegonewmusic.com.
The concerts will be in person at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. There are no physical tickets for these events. Your name will be on an attendee list at the front door. Doors open at 7 p.m. Seating is first-come; first-served. Priority seating will be given to Donor level members and above.
Your reservation is not complete until you receive an email confirmation. If you do not receive a confirmation email, your tickets have not been reserved. Please check your inbox and spam/junk folder or contact us at info@ljathenaeum.org or (858) 454-5872 to ensure your booking is finalized. Thank you!
All ticket sales for Athenaeum Music & Arts Library events are final. Cancellations made within 48 hours of the scheduled event start time are not eligible for a refund, regardless of the reason for cancellation.
Guests who are unable to attend may:
Transfer their ticket to another individual, or
Request that the ticket price be converted into a tax-deductible charitable contribution to the Athenaeum, provided no goods or services (e.g., meal, entertainment) were received.
For cancellations made more than 48 hours prior to an event, please contact Anira Abreu, Program and Administrative Associate, to discuss options: aabreu@ljathenaeum.org
We appreciate your understanding and support. Ticket proceeds help sustain the Athenaeum's cultural programming and enable us to present exceptional performances, lectures, and events throughout the year.
