San Diego has a long-standing reputation as a city that punches above its weight when it comes to the arts, and the Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra Festival is a big reason why. Now in its 38th year – and recognized as North America’s largest Mozart festival – it returns with six performances spanning two great venues in La Jolla.

Music Director Michael Francis leads the ensemble, and this year brings a notable first. For the first time in eight years, a single concertmaster will anchor the entire series. That honor goes to David Kim of The Philadelphia Orchestra, whose presence across all six concerts promises a rare consistency and cohesion throughout the festival.

A Roster of Musicians That Reads Like a Classical Music Dream Team

The All-Star Orchestra brings together concertmasters and principal players from 28 of the most acclaimed ensembles in North America – the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and San Diego Symphony, among them.

Each of the six concerts features distinct programming, so there’s real incentive to come back more than once. Festival packages are available in two, four, and six-concert options for those who want to make a proper run of it.

A Soloist Lineup Worth Getting Excited About

The 2026 soloists are a serious draw. Pianist Anne-Marie McDermott opens the festival with Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3. English tenor John Russell follows with Mozart’s Bardengesang auf Gibraltar, before four-time Grammy Award-nominated guitarist Mak Grgić takes on Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez – a piece that always lands differently when played at this level.

Mainly Mozart Artistic Partner Anton Nel performs Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9, and Grammy Award-winning violinist James Ehnes takes the stage twice – once for Schumann’s Violin Concerto, and again on closing night for Brahms’ Double Concerto alongside Robert DeMaine, Principal Cello of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Six Programs Across Two Great Venues

The first five concerts take place at Baker-Baum Concert Hall inside The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, where Mainly Mozart holds residency as part of the La Jolla Music Society’s Resident Companies program – one of San Diego’s premier spaces for live performance.

The closing night moves outdoors to the Epstein Family Amphitheater at UC San Diego, where you can bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks or grab something from vendors on-site.

The programming covers a lot of ground, from the opening night pairing of Mozart, Prokofiev, and Beethoven, to a sun-drenched afternoon of Latin rhythms and Mendelssohn, to a closing night that pairs Brahms’ Double Concerto with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5.

More to Experience Before the First Note

Anton Nel also leads a Mozart-themed pre-concert series before each performance at The Conrad – a nice way to go deeper before the main event kicks off.

And for those who want to engage with the festival beyond the music, visual artist Joel Anderson returns for his second year as Mainly Mozart’s Artist in Residence. His work bridges the worlds of music and visual art, adding another layer to the festival experience.

Whether classical music is a regular part of our lives or something we’ve been meaning to explore more, this festival makes a strong case for showing up. Single tickets at The Conrad range from $71 to $162, and Epstein Family Amphitheater concerts from $26 to $262, with subscription packages also available.

See you there!

The Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra Festival brings some of the finest orchestral musicians in North America to La Jolla for six concerts. Multi-concert packages are available if you want the full run.

📆 June 17 – 27, 2026
📍 9480 Innovation Ln, La Jolla | 7600 Fay Ave L to, La Jolla
🎟️ View ticket options here
ℹ️ Dive into the details here

See you there, San Diego!