Experience the Best of Classical Jazz and Dance at La Jolla Music Society This Season

La Jolla Music Society has announced its 58th annual Winter Season, and if you’re someone who looks forward to this lineup every year, this one is worth getting excited about.

From classical superstars and jazz greats to cutting-edge dance companies and fascinating speakers, the season spans The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center and select venues including the Balboa Theatre, San Diego Civic Theatre, and Jacobs Music Center.

The Artists Taking the Stage

The headline acts this season read like a who’s who of the performing arts world – and there are a lot of them. A few worth circling:

Audra McDonald
Hilary Hahn
Yuja Wang
Wynton Marsalis
Joyce DiDonato
Hiromi
Emanuel Ax
Nadine Sierra
Seong-Jin Cho
Itzhak Perlman
Kronos Quartet

Each brings something distinct to the season – from McDonald’s Broadway royalty to Wang’s pyrotechnic piano playing to Marsalis’s jazz mastery.

For the Jazz Fans in the Room

Jazz lovers have a lot to look forward to this season. The returning Jazz at The JAI series puts some of the genre’s most compelling voices in the intimate setting of The JAI:

Fred Hersch Trio
Linda May Han Oh Trio
John Pizzarelli
Camille Thurman with the Darrell Green Quartet
Tyshawn Sorey Trio
Kurt Elling with Christian Sands
Lakecia Benjamin

If you’ve never caught a show at The JAI, this is the season to start. The intimate setting makes every one of these performances feel personal in a way that larger venues simply can’t replicate.

Dance, Global Roots, and More

The season extends well beyond classical and jazz. Here’s a quick look at what else is on offer:

Dance Series – Mark Morris Dance Group, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Black Grace, and a debut by NoGravity Theatre
Global Roots Series – Lila Downs, The Naghash Ensemble, Itzhak Perlman’s In the Fiddler’s House, Sona Jobarteh, and Kodo
Speaker Series – Four events including two from Nat Geo Live and two from the Changemaker Series
ConRAD Kids Series – Manual Cinema, pianist Derek Wang, and Elena Moon Park

Between the dance performances, global music, nature-driven speakers, and family programming, the season has something genuinely worth showing up for at every turn.