Head Back to Hogwarts With the San Diego Symphony at The Rady Shell

You have probably seen this one enough times to mouth along with the Sorting Hat. What you likely haven’t done is watch it while a full orchestra plays the score in real time, outdoors, on the bay. That’s the setup at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park.

Year One at Hogwarts, Scored Live

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™ in Concert puts the first film of the series on screen while the San Diego Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams’ score from the stage below.

It’s the one where an 11-year-old learns on his birthday that he’s a wizard and heads off to school for the first time. The letter, the platform, the first walk into the Great Hall – all of it lands differently when the music is coming from live musicians a few rows in front of you.

That score does most of the heavy lifting in this movie, and you notice it more when you can watch it being played.

Justin Freer Takes the Podium

Conductor Justin Freer leads the orchestra through the performance, keeping the players locked to the film as it runs. It’s an exacting night for everyone on stage and a very easy one for everyone in the seats.

If you’ve never been to a film-with-live-orchestra show, this is a good first one. The music is familiar enough that you’ll catch every cue, and loud enough in the best moments to feel it.

See you there!

Find your seat, wait for those first few notes to land, and let a movie you know by heart surprise you all over again. We’ll be the ones humming on the way out.

📆 August 21 & 22 | 7 PM
📍 222 Marina Park Way, San Diego
🎟️ Grab your tickets here
ℹ️ Find more details here

See you there, San Diego!