Busy fall includes concerts and lectures at Athenaeum

It’s going to be a busy fall at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library with art lectures, new art and two concert series.

Beginning Sept. 15 and continuing on the following four Tuesdays, art history lecturer Linda Blair will present a new series, “Van Gogh and Cezanne.” Blair, one of the Athenaeum’s most popular speakers, will examine the two artists’ art, the meaning of art in their lives and the possible relationship between their burdened personalities and their art.

The lectures take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Athenaeum, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla. Series cost is $50 for members and $75 for nonmembers. Individual lectures are $12 for members and $17 for nonmembers.

The Athenaeum will also be presenting some of its new additions this fall, especially in the Erika and Fred Torri Artists’ Books Collection. From Sept. 26 through Nov. 7, the Main and North Reading Room galleries will feature works added to the collection over the last two years. A reception will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 25.

Gallery hours are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, until 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Admission is free.

On the music front, the library has announced the opening performers for the 40th anniversary season of its Mini-Concert Series. The free jazz, classical and world music concerts are presented in the Joan & Irwin Jacobs Music Room at noon on alternating Mondays from September through April.

The opening performances this year will be: Sept. 21, Ian Tordella Jazz Trio; Oct. 5, The Jazz Pigs; Oct. 19, Michael Sellers, piano; Nov. 2, Jaeryoung Lee Jazz Piano Trio; and Nov. 16, Mary Barringer, harpsichord.

Then beginning on Oct. 27, the 20th anniversary season of chamber concerts begins. This year’s lineup features:

Oct. 27, Christian Tetzlaff, internationally recognized as one of the most important violinists of his generation.

Nov. 19, Borromeo String Quartet, one of the most sought-after string quartets in the world.

Dec. 12, Eugene Ugorski, San Diego native and considered one of the most exciting young violinists today.

Jan. 28, the Brazilian Guitar Quartet, one of the world’s leading guitar ensembles.

Feb. 24, The Poulenc Trio, featuring oboist Vladimir Lande, bassoonist Bryan Young and pianist Irina Kaplan Lande.

March 18, Tao Lin, world-renowned pianist.

Cost for the series is $198 for members and $228 for nonmembers. Costs vary for individual concerts. For more information, visit