Do you play piano? Head over to the Oceanside Museum of Art, sit down at this very cool hand-painted instrument, and tickle the ivories!
I saw this piano during my last visit to the museum. It has a name: Henri. I believe it’s named after French pianist Henri Herbert.
Henri was painted by local artist Rene Cosby. It’s the result of the Oceanside Art Piano Project and a sponsorship by the Oceanside Cultural Arts Foundation.
There’s a great detailed article concerning this first public piano in Oceanside. To read it, click here!
(Back in 2016, the San Diego Symphony placed ten uniquely decorated pianos around San Diego for the public to play. Most of those pianos have disappeared, but you can see the photographs that I took by clicking here.)
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The famous Spreckels Organ in Balboa Park celebrated its “birthday” today with a special anniversary concert. The organ debuted in 1915 on New Year’s Day for the Panama-California Exposition. Officially the world’s largest outdoor musical instrument, the Spreckels Organ has provided free weekly concerts in San Diego for–can you believe it–the last 110 years!
San Diego Civic Organist extraordinaire Raúl Prieto Ramírez is in Spain visiting his family for the holidays, so concert-goers today enjoyed music performed by well-known organist Russ Peck–another San Diego favorite! It’s the New Year, so he chose several traditional pieces by Johann Strauss Jr., including Wine, Women, and Song and, of course, The Blue Danube.
During the special concert, the public was invited to enter the organ building and see (and really hear!) the King of Instruments with its over 5000 pipes in action. Experiencing the organ this way is typically a once-every-year opportunity.
I didn’t venture inside the organ building this time–I’ve posted photographs in the past. You can see the photos I shared 10 years ago by clicking here.
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
A fantastic event kicked off Fleet Week San Diego this evening. At the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park, members of Navy Band Southwest joined members of Marine Band San Diego for a spectacular Military & Veteran Appreciation Concert!
The music was rousing, patriotic, and even jazzy at times. But the highlight of the concert occurred before a single instrument was played. A group of Vietnam Veterans were called to the front of the audience in order to be recognized and honored.
Each hero shook the hand of San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and received a special cap and Vietnam Veteran Commemorative Pin. Then all who’d been recognized formed a line for photographs.
I took my own photos from a distant bench. You can see the appreciation and the smiles.
If you’d like to learn more about San Diego Fleet Week, which in 2024 runs until November 11, click here! There are free activities available to the public, including tours of Navy and Coast Guard ships!
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The public was invited to enjoy a wonderful free event at the University of San Diego this afternoon: the 4th Annual Arts and Culture Festival!
The University of San Diego College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Music presented sixteen excellent outdoor performances on campus. Students took to three outdoor stages, singing, dancing and more. I stayed for a bit over an hour and enjoyed every second!
The event is an outreach to intrigued students or potential students, the Linda Vista community, and anyone in San Diego who loves and supports the arts. I’m in the latter category.
After gazing at a number of sculptures created by students around the Camino/Founders Patio, I took a seat for the initial performance by the school’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble.
Next was an energetic combat demo, cleverly (and very humorously) staged by actors from the Old Globe. The Old Globe and University of San Diego offers a top ranked Shiley Graduate Theatre Program. (Jim Parsons, star of The Big Bang Theory, is a graduate!)
Then came several musical numbers by young members of Song/Story/Stage, then a shining performance by the very fine Concert Choir, then mariachi music and ballet folklorico dancing, then more dance, then more music…
USD’s Music Department appreciates the public’s support. Check out their website here. Follow their Instagram posts here. They even offer private music lessons!
A handout at the event included a quote from a student, Lauren, which explains: “Music is something that we all resonate with and encounter in our everyday lives and USD’s music department embodies that by being a home base for music majors and non-majors, no matter what your experience is, to come together and create something beautiful…”
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
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A big celebration was held yesterday at the San Ysidro Branch Library. It was the San Ysidro Library’s 100th Year Anniversary!
Refreshments, entertainment and plenty of South Bay history greeted those who stepped into the library’s community room or outside onto the patio courtyard. I arrived too late to hear a noon presentation, but I did enjoy a great performance by San Ysidro High School’s mariachi band!
In the library’s Lloyd De Llamas Community Room, the South Bay Historical Society projected images of old San Ysidro onto a wall, and the fourteen historical photographs displayed in the room attracted curious eyes. History was visible wherever one looked.
The original library can be seen in the above photograph. Built in 1924, the small but quite beautiful building became a Teen Center in 2022.
Concerning the above photo, which was taken in 1930, Jack Gechter of the South Bay Historical Society wrote:
In 1924 Frank Beyer donated money for the construction of the San Ysidro Library located at 101 West San Ysidro Blvd. The library was formally opened on October 16, 1924. The building had the unique distinction of being the First Branch Library building owned by the County of San Diego and the only library in the country to have a smoking room for men; Beyers insisting: “that most men wish to smoke while they read.” In 1957 San Ysidro was annexed to the City of San Diego. A remodel of the Historic San Ysidro library in 1983 kept the Historic Facade intact and expanded the building to its current size of 4,089 square feet. On November 11, 2000 the San Ysidro Library was added to the list of Historical Landmarks in the City of San Diego. It is designated as HRB # 451. In October, 2014 we celebrated the 90th birthday of our Historic San Ysidro Library and a Historic Plaque was added near the Easterly entrance to the building. On August 10, 2019 we celebrated again as it was the last day of business for the San Ysidro Library after 95 years of service to the San Ysidro Community. We moved to our New San Ysidro Library at 4235 Beyer Blvd and the Grand Opening was on September 7, 2019.
Five years ago the San Ysidro Library moved to its much larger, modern building on Beyer Boulevard. I’ve posted photos in the past, here and here, that show art inside and outside the beautiful new library.
I enjoyed the 100 years anniversary celebration yesterday and took these photos…
I saw many Friends of the San Ysidro Branch Library helping with the festivities.Lots of treats were enjoyed by those in attendance.The Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park has many educational STEM programs that serve San Diego area communities, including San Ysidro.Kids watch a balloon inflate with carbon dioxide from dry ice.Community organization Casa Familiar was on hand, providing a smile and information about their many quality of life programs for those who might be underserved.Students from San Ysidro High School pose for a photo!A mariachi musical performance at San Ysidro Library by students from San Ysidro High School.Cool cars had gathered in the library parking lot!A fine day to come together and celebrate!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
On Saturday, the Bonita Museum and Cultural Center brought part of their Border Blasters exhibition to the World Design Capital’s temporary Exchange Pavilion in Balboa Park!
Border Blasters is an exhibition by artists from Mexico and the United States that explores the impact of Tijuana and San Diego radio, television and music in the region. As experienced by those who live on either side of the border, the diverse media coming via the airwaves is seen and heard by many eyes and ears.
The art of Border Blasters celebrates this unique, shared culture.
As I walked through Balboa Park yesterday, the first thing that attracted me to the Exchange Pavilion (the orange structure that stands at the center of the Plaza de Panama) was a gigantic skull! The skull has a name: Francisco!
The colorful sculpture, made of paper mache and other materials, was created by artist Maricruz Alvarado. That’s her above, standing by Francisco!
Francisco is hollow and very light. He can be wheeled around! I stepped inside the big skull and this is what I saw. Images of the band La Cruz!
Next, I noticed what appeared to be rows of seashells arranged inside the Exchange Pavilion. They were created by Endangered Concepts. I learned they are actually composed of compressed unrecyclable plastic!
One of the sculptures I was shown was made to appear like a Pacific Triton Conch. Blowing through it produced a trumpeting sound!
Next, I spied a strange musical invention. It’s called QUADRA. The conceptual art piece is by multi-disciplinary artist and San Diego native Jason Soares. You turn the square dials and different electronic sounds are generated!
Jason was still setting everything up when I took these photos.
As one sign explained, QUADRAs FRONTERAs configures the QUADRA for the first phase of a multi-location quadraphonic autonomous zone that seeks to connect multiple geographic locations together. All I know is the generated sound coming from the speakers was very cool!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Look who I spotted today in Balboa Park! The “Saturday in the Park Sing-Along” meet up group was having fun singing classic rock in front of the Starlight Bowl!
I saw this group early last year. It appears they are Feelin’ Stronger Every Day! (Get it? Another Chicago rock band reference–like Saturday in the Park!)
The sing-alongs are led by Bill Protzmann. I wrote more about him and his inspired efforts here.
If you’d like to participate on a future Saturday, check out the Saturday in the Park Sing-Along Meetup Group web page here for details!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Before today’s free Sunday afternoon concert, I spotted a very young man sitting at the Spreckels Organ in Balboa Park. San Diego Civic Organist Raúl Prieto Ramírez, one of the world’s finest organists, was teaching young Aaron how to play!
Aaron is a frequent concert goer, I learned, who also likes sketching while sitting in the audience. You can see a pic of him posing with Raúl on the Spreckels Organ Society website here!
Will Aaron grow up to be a future San Diego Civic Organist? It wouldn’t surprise me!
I just want to say how fortunate San Diego is to have Raúl in our midst. Energetic, always smiling, enhancing our city’s culture, bringing beautiful music every week to one and all.
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
The Day of Music was held today at the San Diego Symphony’s newly renovated Jacobs Music Center. Artists and musicians from communities in San Diego and Tijuana gathered for the free cultural event!
Out in the Box Office Lobby, live performances would take place throughout the day. I listened for a minute or two, but I was anxious to see the inside of greatly redesigned Copley Symphony Hall–now called Jacobs Music Center. (I frequently walk past Symphony Towers, and have observed construction workers coming and going for years it seems now!)
After craning my head this way and that to take in the renovated stage, seating and other features of the historic venue, I settled down to enjoy a very fine hour-long performance by the 1st Marine Division Band out of Camp Pendleton. San Diego Symphony President and Chief Executive Officer Martha Gilmer, in her introduction, stated that the group is one of the finest military bands in the United States.
The 1st Marine Division Band played a variety of symphonic pieces, including Let Freedom Ring by Ryan Nowlin, Colonial Song by Percy Grainger, and an amazing, very energetic Slava! by Leonard Bernstein.
San Diego Symphony Music Director Rafael Payare came on stage to conduct a simply exquisite Concertino for Flute by Cecile Chaminade, with Ana Paola Rincones masterful on flute.
Of course, there had to be Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa. A rousing performance received a standing ovation!
According to the program, many performing groups would follow, including the San Diego Children’s Choir and the Voices of Our City Choir.
As you can see from my photographs, the interior of the Jacobs Music Center is more magical than ever. The completed renovation also included measures taken to greatly improve the listening experience–the very softest of notes can be discerned with crystal clarity.
On the sidewalk outside Symphony Towers, performers from Animal Cracker Conspiracy welcome arriving guests.The Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra creates beautiful music inside the Box Office Lobby.A smile greets me at the Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra table!The Coronado School of the Arts has a theatrical performance of The Addams Family coming up! I learned Lurch is one of the characters!Joey’s Wings performs, in an effort to fight childhood cancer. (See my previous blog post.)Actors from Project [BLANK] perform in one corner of the San Diego Symphony concessions area. You provide the subject matter and they act it out!Here I am walking into the breathtaking Jacobs Music Center.Gazing to one side. Long ago, the San Diego Symphony’s home was a luxurious FOX Theatre movie palace. The skyscraper Symphony Towers was built above and around it!The 1st Marine Division Band takes the stage.All stand for the Star Spangled Banner.An outstanding musical performance by our local Marines.Looking up toward the balcony seating when the performance ends. The Jacobs Music Center is like a splendid palace.I’m now on the upper level looking down between performances. The general lighting has turned from blue to purple.Another look toward the ceiling. Wow.Our Youth, the next segment of the day’s program, is about to begin. It’s a free community Day of Music inside the spectacular Jacobs Music Center!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Seven young musicians performed today at the San Diego Symphony’s downtown Jacobs Music Center. The musicians represented Joey’s Wings. The mission of Joey’s Wings is to fund research that focuses on kidney cancers affecting children and young adults, raise awareness and provide support to families affected by childhood cancer.
Joey’s Wings was one of many community groups performing during the San Diego Symphony’s special free Day of Music at the newly renovated Jacobs Music Center. I spotted the young musicians around noon performing for a gathered crowd in the Box Office Lobby.
At a nearby table, Kathy Liu, President and Founder of the organization told me briefly about Joey, her son who passed away from cancer at age ten. Joey started to play violin when he was six. He loved music and painting. Learn more about Joey here.
Friends of her second son, David, who are members of the San Diego Youth Symphony and Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra, came together to today make beautiful music. And to make the lives of people better.
As I understand it, the crocheted figures you see on the table were created by the mother of one young musician. I think I see San Diego Symphony Music Director Rafael Payare!
If you weren’t at the event today, and wish to help out, visit the Joey’s Wings website by clicking here.
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Cool San Diego Sights! 