La Jolla Music Society is celebrating 40 years of SummerFest, its annual chamber music festival that brings top classical musicians from around the world to The Conrad.

This year’s theme is “Making History,” led by Music Director and acclaimed pianist Inon Barnatan. The first two weeks pack in a preview night, twelve ticketed concerts, a night of jazz, several free events, and a guided museum tour. Here’s what to expect.

A Sneak Peek Before the Season Begins

Before the festival opens, Artistic Director Leah Rosenthal and Music Director Inon Barnatan sit down at The JAI to talk through what’s ahead for this milestone anniversary season, from the themes to the repertoire to the artists making it happen.

A complimentary dessert reception follows. Free, registration required.

Seven Nights of Music History in the Making

Over the course of week one, seven concerts take the stage at The Baker-Baum Concert Hall, each built around a different piece of musical history, from genre-crossing narration to rediscovered works. Here’s the lineup:

• Opening Night: The Incomplete History of the World in Ten Pieces – A genre-blending journey through musical history, narrated by Fred Child.
• Vienna 1900 – Vienna at the center of musical life during a moment of transformation.
• What If? – Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater paired with works shaped by youth and urgency.
• Midweek Masterworks – Radu Rǎțoi headlines a program on reshaping the past.
• Eastern Visions – The Prometheus Quartet explores Eastern music’s influence on the West.
• Roots – The Kairos Piano Quartet brings Eastern European folk roots to Dohnányi.
• Lost and Found – Rediscovered pieces, including a recently uncovered Chopin waltz.

The Brandenburgs Take Center Stage in Week Two

Week two shifts into high gear with a “festival within the festival” built around Bach, plus a takeover from Composer-in-Residence Paul Wiancko. Here’s what’s on the calendar:

• Midweek Masterworks: American Legacy – A program celebrating Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge’s legacy of bold patronage and American musical innovation.
• Out of the Shadows – The Kairos Piano Quartet performs Walton alongside works shaped by the aftermath of World War I.
• The Complete Brandenburgs (Part I) – Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos No. 6, No. 3, and No. 5, paired with Paul Wiancko’s Vox Petra.
• The Complete Brandenburgs (Part II) – Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4, plus works by Shawn Okpebholo and Billy Taylor.
• Takeover @ The JAI With Paul Wiancko – Kronos Quartet cellist-composer Paul Wiancko curates an intimate, genre-blurring set with festival artists.

The Free Side of SummerFest

Alongside the ticketed concerts, SummerFest opens its doors with a run of free events across the first two weeks for anyone who wants to get closer to the music.

Week One:

• Listening Lounge: Bartók – A deep dive into his Divertimento for String Orchestra.
• Community Orchestra Reading Session – Andrew Wan leads string players through Grieg’s Holberg Suite.
• Open Rehearsal – Watch artists rehearse Vaughan Williams’ Piano Quintet in C Minor.

Week Two:

• Listening Lounge: Copland – A look at his Pulitzer Prize-winning Appalachian Spring. Free.
• Encounter: Unmuting Masterworks at the Evolving Keyboard – Pianist Angie Zhang performs the same works across three historic keyboard instruments. Registration required.
• Open Rehearsal: Korngold’s Suite for Left Hand and Strings – Watch festival artists rehearse Korngold’s Op. 23. No registration required.

Registration is required for some of these, so check details before you go.

A Jazz Night to Plan Around

SummerFest steps outside the classical world for one night With Jazz @ The JAI: Sullivan Fortner Trio.

Fortner, a recent Gilmore Jazz Pianist Award recipient, returns to SummerFest after last season’s electrifying collaboration with Cécile McLorin Salvant, bringing his trio to The JAI for two sets.

Fortner is widely regarded as one of today’s most celebrated jazz pianists, and this return trip to The JAI is one jazz fans won’t want to miss.

A Guided Detour Through MCASD

Round out the week with a free guided tour of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, led by an MCASD curator through the acclaimed GIANTS: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys and the Hometown Heroes exhibition.

The tour ends with an exclusive look at SummerFest’s 40th anniversary featured artwork, Untitled (1999) by Richard Allen Morris. Museum admission and the tour are free, but RSVP and a ticket are required, and lunch is on you.

See you there!

Forty years of SummerFest deserves a first week like this one. Whatever draws you in, from Bartók to Beatz and Keys, there’s a seat with your name on it at The Conrad.

📆 Friday, July 31 – Sunday, August 9, 2026
📍 Multiple venues
🎟️ View ticket options here
ℹ️ Get more details here

See you there, San Diego!