This Midday Music event features affiliated Art of Elan artists, including Hanah Stuart, violin; Alex Greenbaum, cello; Andrew Hayhurst, cello; Jeremy Kurtz-Harris, double bass; and Max Opferkuch, clarinet.

“Midday Music” is a free, lunchtime concert series held in collaboration with the San Diego Public Library, taking place on select Fridays throughout the year in the Shiley Special Events Suite on the top floor of the Central Library @ Joan Λ Irwin Jacobs Common, where concertgoers are invited to bring their lunch and enjoy carefully curated chamber music along with gorgeous views of the city. This series and partnership is dedicated to the memory of James R. Dawe, a longtime arts advocate in San Diego and supporter of public libraries.

Claudia Lyra is a Brazilian Rhythmist and Portuguese Language Teacher at her own school, BRAPA, and has been working with performing arts in San Diego since 2007. She teaches and performs Brazilian music focused on rhythms and movement to help students and audiences of all ages develop critical thinking skills, plant seeds of self-worth, cultivate an appreciation of equality, and promote important social skills to interact successfully with others.

The Orff Music teaching philosophy is a strong part of her music teaching education. With that background, she has developed arts integration programs with various schools and universities, educated kids with non-profit organizations, and developed cultural assembly programs including the group Nós de Chita (2007–2022), Maracatu Jangada (2007–2016), and her newest project for kids and families called DO RE TREE (2022 to present).

“Midday Music” is a free, lunchtime concert series held in collaboration with the San Diego Central Library.

Art of Elan is thrilled to partner with San Diego’s premier contemporary ballet company, The Rosin Box Project, for two special performances of “Unified Harmonies,” a multidisciplinary production that features new choreography alongside the stunning string quartet works of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw. As part of the lead up to America 250, which celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, “Unified Harmonies” explores the crucial role of artists as changemakers and emphasizes the importance of collaboration in moving the nation forward.

Art of Elan is thrilled to partner with San Diego’s premier contemporary ballet company, The Rosin Box Project, for two special performances of “Unified Harmonies,” a multidisciplinary production that features new choreography alongside the stunning string quartet works of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw. As part of the lead up to America 250, which celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, “Unified Harmonies” explores the crucial role of artists as changemakers and emphasizes the importance of collaboration in moving the nation forward.

Art of Elan musicians premiere Young Artists in Harmony (YAH) student works in this free community concert that additionally offers a complimentary reception and a chance to meet the composers and musicians who bring these new works to life. 

Art of Elan partners with California Surf Museum this season for our “Sounds & Swells” series. This program features newly commissioned surfing footage created by McCracken Films, Joey Taylor, and Jimmy Wilson that showcases the natural beauty of the California coastline and its epic “swells” that attract visitors from all around the world. Videography and live classical music are synced in this engaging series that features the Hausmann Quartet playing works by California composers John Adams, Terry Riley and others.

Art of Elan’s popular Sounds & Swells series returns with an unforgettable cinematic and musical experience at the Fleet Science Center’s Giant Dome Theater. Newly commissioned surfing footage by McCracken Films, Joey Taylor, and Jimmy Wilson captures the breathtaking beauty of the California coastline and its iconic “swells” that draw surfers and visitors from around the globe. Set against this stunning backdrop, live classical music performed by the Hausmann Quartet, featuring works by California composers John Adams, Terry Riley, and others.

Anna May is an alternative Americana artist known for her poetic, emotionally rich songs that explore themes of connection, estrangement, and personal reckoning. Influenced by artists like Billie Holiday and Neil Young—and often compared to Jeff Buckley and Aimee Mann—her music blends raw lyricism with a soulful, introspective sound. She’s opened for acts like Kacy Hill and Amythyst Kiah, performed at festivals like Treefort and Wildflower, and has been featured by PBS, NPR, KUTX, Medium, and V13 Media. Her latest release, Elegy, continues to earn national attention.

“Midday Music” is a free, lunchtime concert series held in collaboration with the San Diego Central Library.

In partnership with Mingei International Museum, Art of Elan presents a colorful musical program that takes inspiration from the “Rosas y Revelaciones” exhibit featuring incredible handmade work by Mexican textile artists. With music composed by Gabriela Ortiz, as well as “In Memoriam” by Arnold Bax for English Horn, Harp and String Quartet, this highly imaginative program encourages reflection and a greater appreciation for the beauty that is all around us. Listen to the live concert recording here.

The world fusion duo Sädesärla performs original compositions and arrangements of folk music from Sweden, Thailand, and beyond. Batya MacAdam-Somer performs on violin, viola and voice, and Christopher Adler performs on the khaen, the bamboo free-reed mouth organ from Laos and Northeast Thailand. Sädesärla also features guest musicians including Supeena Insee Adler, performing on traditional Thai instruments.

“Midday Music” is a free, lunchtime concert series held in collaboration with the San Diego Central Library.

In partnership with ICA San Diego / North, Art of Elan presents a musical program that explores identity and how it informs our various roles as individuals, family members, and members of society in general. Featuring the San Diego premiere of Steve Reich’s “Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ,” all performed by percussionist Fiona Digney along with sound engineer Peter Otto, this not-to-be-missed event features a pre-concert talk with the artists as well as a chance to view the Ethan Chan / David Peña exhibit tied to themes of identity and healing. Listen to the live recording here.

Laevitas, founded by Kenneth Liao and Drew Butcher, is a violin-guitar duo based in San Diego. The ensemble’s artistic partnership formed from a shared passion of chamber music, and brings together contrasting musical backgrounds to deliver original arrangements of diverse repertoire across Southern California. The name, Laevitas, is Latin for fluency and facility, which describes their instant connection and natural music-making. The duo performs a diverse selection of violin and guitar arrangements, including pieces from classical, pop, and film score genres.

Art of Elan returns to the ICA San Diego / Central campus to present “A Collective Breath,” inspired by the colorful and imaginative exhibit by Afra Eisma that opens in February. The musical program includes the world premiere of an Art of Elan-commissioned work written for violinist Kate Hatmaker and cellist Alex Greenbaum by the New York-based composer and multi-instrumentalist Christina Courtin, as well as additional musical works by Shulamit Ran and Anna Clyne. Listen to the live concert recording here.

Presidio Winds, the resident woodwind quintet of the San Diego Winds, features Pamela Martchev, Sarah Skuster, Terri Tunnicliff, Ryan Simmons, and John Degnan. Known for their diverse repertoire spanning classical to contemporary works, the ensemble has performed at venues such as Pt. Loma Nazarene, Cuyamaca College, and Classics at the Merc. Recent programs have included music by Franz Danzi, Valerie Coleman, Paquito d'Rivera, and György Ligeti.

“Midday Music” is a free, lunchtime concert series held in collaboration with the San Diego Central Library.

Art of Elan was excited to bring the critically acclaimed NOW Ensemble back to San Diego for a colorful program that featured the world premiere of a new work written by composer/singer Mingjia Chen, co-commissioned by Art of Elan. The concert highlights additional works from NOW Ensemble’s vast commissioning catalog. Listen to the live concert recording here.

Tasha Smith Godinez is a San Diego-based harpist, composer, and educator dedicated to expanding the boundaries of her instrument. A champion of contemporary harp music, Tasha blends classical, jazz, and world influences in her performances and recordings, including Out of the Desert and A New Day.

“Midday Music” is a free, lunchtime concert series held in collaboration with the San Diego Central Library.

Following a highly successful performance at the Birch Aquarium in May 2024, co-presented by Art of Elan and ArtPower, the internationally renowned JACK Quartet returns to San Diego with an exciting program that features the world premiere of a new work by UC San Diego (UCSD) faculty member and composer, Rand Steiger, as well as the gorgeous “lines made by walking” string quartet by John Luther Adams. This one-night-only special event will take place in the acoustically superb Conrad Prebys Concert Hall on campus at UCSD and will offer a chance to meet the composer and musicians immediately following the performance.

Art of Elan musicians premiere Young Artists in Harmony (YAH) student works in this free community concert that additionally offers a complimentary reception and a chance to meet the composers and musicians who bring these new works to life. Listen to the live concert recording here.

Award winning jazz guitarist and composer Peter Sprague teams up with pianist Danny Green and bassist Mack Leighton on November 22nd to play music that jumps around jazz, samba, The Beatles, tango, Carole King, Hoagy Carmichael, John Coltrane, and a few songs by Peter. They frequently start one song, make up some new sonic material, improvise weaving melodies and then attempt a safe landing in another aural vista. Freedom is one of the perks of being just a trio.

Art of Elan’s popular downtown series returns with an evening of genre-defying music that features the ever-innovative Jesus Gonzalez in collaboration with Art of Elan musicians. This unique concert will be held at Union Hall Gallery in Golden Hill. Listen to the live concert recording here.

“Midday Music” is a free, lunchtime concert series held in collaboration with the San Diego Central Library.

Tied to the powerful "Blue Gold: The Art and Science of Indigo" exhibit on display at Mingei International Museum, this colorful concert featured the playful music of Xavier Foley and Paul Wiancko, alongside the angular and rhythmically charged String Quartet No.1 by Alberto Ginastera, performed by the HAWK Quartet. Listen to the live concert recording here.

“Midday Music” is a free, lunchtime concert series held in collaboration with the San Diego Public Library, taking place on select Fridays throughout the year in the Shiley Special Events Suite on the top floor of the Central Library @ Joan Λ Irwin Jacobs Common, where concertgoers are invited to bring their lunch and enjoy carefully curated chamber music along with gorgeous views of the city. This brand-new series and partnership is dedicated to the memory of James R. Dawe, a longtime arts advocate in San Diego and supporter of public libraries.

Tied to the environmentally focused work of artist Fernando Casasempere, Art of Elan and The San Diego Museum of Art are proud to present Ocean Music Action for an interactive family concert of music inspired by the beauty and wonder of our natural world. For this hour-long program in the May S. Marcy Sculpture Garden, children were encouraged to get up and move to the music, to ask questions, and to meet the musicians. The program included a singalong and a chance to experience the instruments up close. Listen to the live concert recording here.

Join the Ocean Music Action artists on Saturday June 1 from 9-11am for a beach cleanup with Surfrider San Diego. Surfrider Foundation does critical work to protect our oceans and waterways, and we can all pitch in!

Ocean Music Action’s ‘Everlasting’ program was inspired by the interconnectedness of all living things and the evolution of this relationship over time. A quartet of internationally renowned musicians (Megan Conley, harp; Shawn Conley, bass; Christina Courtin, violin/vocals; and Colin Jacobsen, violin) as well as dancer Maile Okamura performed music that honors our forests, oceans, and the creatures that depend on them. This program was centered around a newly commissioned work by Christina Courtin and serves as a beautiful and poignant reminder of our deep connection to nature and to one another. Listen to the live concert recording here.

Art of Elan’s Young Artists in Harmony composition program celebrated its Spring 2024 cohort with world premiere works by student composers, performed by Art of Elan musicians. This free concert took place at A Reason To Survive in National City. Listen to the live concert recording here.

Tied to George Rickey's sculpture "Two Lines Oblique: San Diego," this diverse program featured music by Arthur Honegger, Nahre Sol, Reena Ismail, and Osvaldo Golijov. Alyssa Morris' "Motion" for winds added a playful element to this musical mosaic which was held in the rotunda of the museum. Listen to the live concert recording, here.

Art of Elan and ArtPower’s first-ever collaboration brought the renowned JACK Quartet to San Diego for an evening of music titled “Modern Medieval,” where connections of musicality and thought between European composers of the past and the voices of American music today were explored in this one-hour program that included music by Caroline Shaw as well as Gabriella Smith. Listen to the live concert recording, here.

Tied to a cross-border exhibit (LA FRONTERA) that showcases handmade jewelry from artists on both sides of the U.S. / Mexico border, this program amplified a variety of voices, and featured the world premiere of an Art of Elan commissioned work by composer Michi Wiancko for solo harp, in addition to works by Sarah Kirkland Snider and others. Listen to the live concert recording, here.