Patrick Hadley, African thumb piano Athenaeum Music & Arts Library

Monday, August 12, 2024
12 PM
Patrick Hadley plays, creates, and manufactures an African thumb piano called a “mbira” or “kalimba.” The Array mbira is a highly modernized version of an ancient African instrument. In Zimbabwe they are known as mbiras, however, these types of plucked metal tine instruments are known by many names, such as likembe, sanza, kalimba, and, simply, thumb pianos. Patrick and his business partner, the inventor of the array mbira, Bill Wesley, have been building these instruments for over 30 years. They are fully chromatic and play in every key, up to six octaves. Many professional musicians are using these instruments and they can be heard in several major motion picture soundtracks as well as songs by Taylor Swift and many others including Sting, Imogen Heap, RyCooder, Pharaoh Sanders, and others. Patrick’s music has been heard on NPR, and one of his videos reached a staggering 22 million views!

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 11:50 a.m. Seating is first-come; first-served. These events will be presented in compliance with State of California and County of San Diego health regulations as applicable at the time of each concert.