The Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra Festival, recognized as the largest Mozart celebration in North America, will return to San Diego from June 17 to 27, 2026, with six performances featuring concertmasters and principal players from the nation's top orchestras. Music Director Michael Francis will lead the festival, which includes five concerts at Baker-Baum Concert Hall in The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center and a finale at UC San Diego's Epstein Family Amphitheater.
This year's festival marks the first time in eight years that a single concertmaster, David Kim of The Philadelphia Orchestra, will serve in the role for all six concerts. In recent seasons, the position was shared among multiple musicians. The All-Star Orchestra comprises musicians from prestigious ensembles 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 roster will be released in May.
Nancy Laturno, Founding CEO of Mainly Mozart, emphasized the festival's significance: 'Each year, the All-Star Orchestra Festival reaffirms San Diego's place as a destination for world-class classical music. 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.'
The soloist lineup includes acclaimed pianist Anne-Marie McDermott performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 on June 17; guitarist Mak Grgić featuring in Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez on June 21; pianist Anton Nel in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 9 'Jenamy' on June 23; and Grammy Award-winning violinist James Ehnes performing Schumann's Violin Concerto on June 25, who will also return for the finale on June 27 to perform Brahms's Double Concerto with cellist Robert DeMaine.
Festival packages for 6, 4, or 2 concerts are available starting February 15, 2026, at www.mainlymozart.org/allstar or by calling 619-239-0100. Single tickets for concerts at The Conrad range from $68 to $155, while tickets for the Epstein Family Amphitheater finale range from $25 to $250.
Since 1988, Mainly Mozart has brought orchestral performances and music education to San Diego. In 2025, the festival was recognized as North America's largest Mozart festival and became one of only two U.S. organizations welcomed into the International Mozarteum Foundation's 'Mozart Communities.' The organization also supports over 350 young musicians through the Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra and tiered string programs. More information is available at www.mainlymozart.org.
