When Alice Barnett returned from Europe and settled in early-20th-century San Diego, the city was a modestly sized but rapidly growing community of approximately 40,000 residents. Amid this evolving cultural landscape, she quickly emerged as a prominent composer, performer, and advocate for the arts. During this time, she divorced and became a single mother and sustained herself and her family through her musical endeavors before remarrying. Her influence was far-reaching: in addition to co-founding the San Diego Symphony Association, she taught at San Diego High School, delivered public lectures, authored program notes, and actively collaborated with fellow musicians and civic leaders. This lecture features performances of Alice Barnett’s compositions from this chapter of her life (some published by G. Schirmer, others preserved only in manuscript), offering a glimpse into the musical and professional world she helped to shape.About Dr. Katina MitchellDr. Katina Mitchell is a native of San Diego. She has sung with the San Diego Symphony; lautten compagney BERLIN; MicroFest, Los Angeles; Monday Evening Concerts, Sing-Akademie zu Berlin, Volti, San Francisco; Bach Collegium San Diego, The Da Camera Society, Los Angeles; and more. A favorite engagement was performing with Ensemble Vocatrix in fully staged productions of Hildegard von Bingen’s Ordo Virtutum in Los Angeles and Berkeley. Recently Mitchell has sung as both soloist and chorister with San Diego Master Chorale, Sacra/Profana, and the Schola Cantorum of St. James-by-the-Sea. Her work has been featured at the Velaslavasay Panorama, Los Angeles and the Medieval History Center in Azincourt, France, and in media outlets including the BBC, NPR’s Life in Berlin, and the Los Angeles Times. In 2023, Mitchell began presenting her extensive original research on composer Alice Barnett, giving lectures with the San Diego History Center; the Western History Association, Los Angeles; National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), San Diego chapter, at San Diego State University; Palomar College; and Society for American Music, Tacoma, Washington. Katina holds degrees in music from Rice University and the University of Southern California (USC). She is a member of the music faculty at Palomar College, teaches voice at Grossmont College, and maintains a private studio.About Dr. Yewon LeeDr. Yewon Lee is a frequently sought-after conductor and collaborative pianist on the operatic and concert stage. Prior to relocating to San Diego, Lee was Assistant Music Director of Opera at Baldwin Wallace University and Adjunct Professor at Kent State University. In the operatic world, she coached at Baldwin Wallace Opera Theater, National Opera Center, Aspen Opera Theater Center, and International Vocal Arts Institute in Israel, France, Italy, and Japan. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Lee received a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from Seoul National University, completed her Master of Music in vocal accompanying at Manhattan School of Music, and earned an artist diploma in collaborative piano from The Juilliard School. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in choral music at USC. Currently, she is a music director of the San Diego Festival Chorus and the San Dieguito United Methodist Church. She also serves as the Far South Representative for the California Choral Directors Association.Visit: https://www.ljathenaeum.org/events/mitchell-25-0623Athenaeum Music & Arts Library on Instagram and Facebook
