A new local concert series, Music & Meditation Santa Barbara, debuts at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 in Weinman Hall, Music Academy of the West, 1070 Fairway Road.
Created by pianist and composer Antonio Artese and local mindfulness guide Jessica Kolbe, the program invites audiences to slow down and experience the union of stillness and sound.
Each one-hour event blends guided meditation and live classical music performance in an intimate format designed to restore balance and deepen listening.
The opening program features a guided meditation with Kolbe, a mindfulness instructor and senior trainer with the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi.
Following Kolbe’s presentation will be a piano solo by Artese, performing music by J.S. Bach, Edvard Grieg, Alexander Scriabin, and Valentin Silvestrov.
“Our intention is to offer Santa Barbara a place of clarity and beauty,” said Artese, artistic director and founder. “With a quiet mind, every note resonates more fully, and the music reveals its most human and profound side.”
“This series is truly about community,” said Kolbe, co-founder and meditation leader. “People come to pause, breathe, and reconnect. Music helps us remember that harmony begins within ourselves.”
Music & Meditation Santa Barbara aims to grow into a regular series in 2026, hosting collaborations with local and international musicians and wellness practitioners.
Tickets are $25, available at www.musicandmeditationsb.com, with seating limited to 60 guests.