Hyemi Kwon
Eric Starr
Sarah Skuster
Monday, September 15, 2025
12 PM
Eric Starr maintains a multi-faceted musical career as a faculty member at SDSU, trombonist for Westwind Brass, board member for San Diego New Music where he was previously Executive Director (2012–22), and Community Engagement Partner with Art of Elan. At SDSU, Eric serves as studio artist teacher, lecturer, brass coordinator, internship coordinator and program advisor for the Music, Entrepreneurship and Business degree where he directs the Brass Chamber Music program and co-directs the Experimental Music Ensemble. He was named “Most Influential Faculty” in 2018 and 2023.
Dubbed a “trombone champion” with “stunning style” (San Diego Union-Tribune), Starr is a passionate advocate for contemporary music who has premiered dozens of solo and chamber works for the trombone. He has been a featured soloist at venues such as Copley Symphony Hall, Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, Spreckels Organ Pavilion, San Diego Museum of Art, and with the SDSU Symphony Orchestra and Wind Symphony. Eric has performed with the San Diego Symphony, San Diego Opera, La Jolla Music Society, Renga, Palimpsest and has appeared at the Ojai Music Festival and soundON Festival among others. Eric earned a BM from the University of Southern California, an MM and AD from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a DMA from Stony Brook University with additional studies at the Aspen Music Festival and Tanglewood Music Center.
Sarah Skuster joined the San Diego Symphony Orchestra as principal oboist in 2009 and has subsequently appeared as a featured soloist with the orchestra on several occasions. She previously served as interim second oboe with the Dallas Symphony, second oboe with the Akron Symphony and has appeared as a substitute with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony. Ms. Skuster enjoys performing with the San Diego Symphony Chamber Music Series, Art of Elan, Camarada, Palimpsest, Renga and San Diego New Music and has performed at the Ojai Music Festival and Festival Mozaic.
Skuster earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied with John Mack. Ms. Skuster also attended Mannes College as a student of Elaine Douvas with additional studies at the Aspen Music Festival and as a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center. She is also a graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy, where she studied with Dan Stolper. Ms. Skuster is a Lecturer of Music in oboe at San Diego State University, the adjunct oboe instructor at Point Loma Nazarene University and maintains a private teaching studio of all ages and abilities.
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 11:40 a.m. Last entry is at 12:10 p.m. or once capacity is reached. Seating is first-come; first-served. Reservations are not necessary, but seating is limited.