Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra Festival Returns to California June 17-27, 2026
Concertmasters and principals from the nation's top orchestras unite for North America's largest Mozart festival under Music Director Michael Francis
SAN DIEGO, CA, February 19, 2026 -- Mainly Mozart today announced the dates and program for its 38th All‑Star Orchestra Festival, the largest Mozart celebration in North America, bringing together concertmasters and principal players from the nation's top orchestras for a remarkable summer concert series in San Diego. This year's festival runs June 17–27, 2026 with six performances, each with unique programming, under Music Director Michael Francis.
The first five concerts will be presented in Baker‑Baum Concert Hall at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, with the festival finale on Saturday, June 27 at UC San Diego's Epstein Family Amphitheater.
The All-Star Orchestra musicians represent top U.S and Canadian orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, Toronto Symphony, San Francisco Symphony and The Philadelphia Orchestra. The full orchestra roster for 2026 will be released in May.
For the first time in eight years, the 2026 season will feature a single concertmaster across the entire series, with David Kim of The Philadelphia Orchestra serving in the role for all six concerts. In recent seasons, concertmaster duties have been shared among multiple musicians.
"Each year, the All-Star Orchestra Festival reaffirms San Diego's place as a destination for world-class classical music," said Nancy Laturno, Founding CEO, Mainly Mozart. "The 2026 season pairs beloved symphonies and concertos with distinctive repertoire, offering audiences both the thrill of the familiar and the excitement of the unexpected. We invite the community to join us for a festival that promises brilliance, depth, and unforgettable musical moments."
2026 Soloists
Soloists for the 2026 festival include acclaimed pianist Anne-Marie McDermott, widely recognized for her interpretations of Mozart and Beethoven and a frequent guest with leading orchestras nationwide, who will perform Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 on June 17. Internationally celebrated guitarist Mak Grgić, praised for his "impeccable technique and musical sensitivity" and known for expanding the classical guitar repertoire, will be featured in Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez on June 21. Pianist Anton Nel, Grammy-nominated artist and renowned Mozart interpreter, takes center stage in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 9, "Jenamy," on June 23. The June 25 program showcases Grammy Award-winning violinist James Ehnes, one of the most sought-after violinists of his generation, in Schumann's Violin Concerto; he returns on Closing Night, June 27, for Brahms's Double Concerto alongside Robert DeMaine, Principal Cello of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and an internationally respected soloist and chamber musician.
Tickets:
Festival 6-concert, 4-concert, and 2-concert packages will be available for sale beginning Feb. 15, 2026 at https://www.mainlymozart.org/allstar or by calling 619-239-0100.
Single tickets for individual concerts at The Conrad range from $68-$155.
Single tickets for individual concerts at Epstein Family Amphitheater range from $25-$250.
2026 Mainly Mozart All-Star Festival Program
Wednesday, June 17, 2026 | The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center | 7:00 PM
MOZART: Ballet Music from Idomeneo K. 367
PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 1 op. 25 in D Major ("Classical")
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 3 op. 37 in C minor*
Soloist: Anne Marie McDermott (piano)
Saturday, June 20, 2026 | The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center | 7:00 PM
COPLAND: Appalachian Spring (original 13-instrument version)
MOZART: Bardengesang auf Gibraltar ("O Calpe!"), K. 386d*
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 3 op. 55 in E-flat Major ("Eroica")
Sunday, June 21, 2026 | The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center | 3:00 PM
MÁRQUEZ: Danzón No. 4
RODRIGO: Concierto de Aranjuez
MOZART: Contredanse in C K. 535 ("La bataille")
MOZART: Five Contredanses K. 609 (selections)
MOZART: Rondo "Alla turca" from Piano Sonata No. 11 K. 331
MENDELSSOHN: Symphony No. 4 op. 90 in A Major ("Italian")
Soloist: Mak Grgic (guitar)
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 | The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center | 7:00 PM
LULLY: Le Bourgeois gentilhomme (selections)
MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 9 K. 271 in E-flat Major ("Jenamy")*
R. STRAUSS: Suite from Le Bourgeois gentilhomme op. 60
Soloist: Anton Nel (piano)
Thursday, June 25, 2026 | The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center | 7:00 PM
PÄRT: Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten
SCHUMANN: Violin Concerto in D minor WoO 23*
MOZART: Symphony No. 41 K. 551 in C Major ("Jupiter")
Soloist: James Ehnes (violin)
Saturday, June 27, 2026 | UC San Diego Epstein Family Amphitheater | 7:00 PM
MOZART (arr. von Seyfried): Fantasia and Fugue in F minor K. 608
BRAHMS: Concerto for Violin and Cello op. 102 in A minor ("Double Concerto")*
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 5 op. 67 in C minor
Soloists: James Ehnes (violin), Robert DeMaine (cello)
About Mainly Mozart
Since 1988, Mainly Mozart has brought the San Diego community together to experience the finest in orchestral performance, intimate concert settings, and transformative music education. Its flagship All‑Star Orchestra Festival is the nation's largest annual gathering of concertmasters and principal players who visit San Diego each summer for a series of unique concerts at incredible venues. In 2025, the Festival earned recognition as North America's largest Mozart festival and became one of approximately 30 organizations worldwide and only two in the US, welcomed into the prestigious International Mozarteum Foundation's "Mozart Communities." Beyond the stage, Mainly Mozart nurtures future generations of musicians supporting over 350 young musicians, through the Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra and tiered beginning, intermediate and advanced string programs that reach students across San Diego County. From pioneering drive‑in concerts during the pandemic to championing inclusive autism programs, Mainly Mozart is committed to innovating programming that shares the genius of Mozart and inspires all ages to appreciate, and find joy in, classical music. For more information, visit www.mainlymozart.org. Keep up with news and announcements on social media: Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, YouTube and TikTok.
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San Diego, CA
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