Remembering Danlee Mitchell
Danlee at Flower Mountain, Bali | Photo courtesy of Anita Mitchell
The Center for World Music mourns the loss of Professor Danlee Mitchell (October 5, 1936–July 31, 2024), a cherished board member who has been pivotal in shaping the organization since the early 1990s.
A pillar of the San Diego music community, Danlee served as professor of percussion in the School of Music and Dance at San Diego State University (1964-2001), where he was much loved as a teacher and known especially for his tireless advocacy for world music. A renowned percussionist, he achieved distinction nationally for directing and performing with the Harry Partch Ensemble and locally for his performances with the San Diego Symphony, the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, and the San Diego Opera.
As a passionate music archivist, Danlee meticulously captured performances across genres through audio and video recordings, preserving countless artistic moments for future generations.
We are profoundly grateful for Danlee’s decades of dedicated, steadfast contribution to our mission. His legacy will continue to inspire us, and we will hold his memory close in our hearts.
Danlee Mitchell playing Partch instruments (1987) | Photo: Randy Hoffman
Danlee’s life touched so many of us and he will be greatly missed.
The Center for World Music proudly dedicates its 2025 Concert Series to the memory of Danlee Mitchell.
There is also a fine tribute “Danlee Mitchell (1936 – 2024): the ‘sine qua non’” by Jon Szanto, executor of the Harry Partch Estate.
Last but certainly not least, a heartfelt thank you to George Varga at the San Diego Union-Tribune for his feature-length obit for our esteemed colleague, “Danlee Mitchell, a nationally acclaimed San Diego music treasure, is dead at 87.”
