San Diego Symphony 2025
Rafael Payare, Music Director
April 18-19
Award-winning conductor Anna Sulkowska-Migon leads a program of works from her homeland with Polish film-composer Wojciech Kilar’s Orawa and Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with soloist Ingrid Fliter, who has established a reputation as one of the pre-eminent interpreters of Chopin. The performance concludes with two works from Russian composer Alexander Borodin, the Symphony No. 2 and the “Polovtsian Dances”
April 24-25
This concert features Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor” and his Symphony No. 5 with conductor Trevor Pinnock, who pioneered the modern revival of early music performance. The soloist will be 18-year-old pianist Alexandra Dovgan, already performing in some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls.
May 9-10
Rafael Payare returns in May to lead the Masterworks season’s three final programs: The first one features ground-breaking Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz’s new cello concerto, Dzonot, written for and performed by Alisa Weilerstein; and Richard Strauss’ tone poem, A Hero’s Life.
May 15-16
This program features Peru Negro, composed by San Diego Symphony’s new Composer-in-Residence, Jimmy López; followed by Alban Berg’s Violin Concerto with Jeff Thayer, the Deborah Pate and John Forrest Concertmaster Chair of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra; and Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3, “Scottish”.
May 22 and 24
This concert offers two masterpieces of the late Romantic period: Richard Strauss’ magnificent Also sprach Zarathustra, inspired by Nietzsche’s poem; and Bela Bartók’s one-act drama Bluebeard’s Castle, featuring acclaimed mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill and bass to be announced
Family Concerts and Symphony Kids series The concerts for families with children of all ages reaffirm the Symphony’s commitment to the community through interactive and accessible programming. Family Concerts for children 6-12 will take place on three Saturdays at 11 am and include a Halloween-themed program titled The Firebird, featuring John Williams’ “Hedwig’s Theme” from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Anna Clyne’s Masquerade, Saint-Saens’ Danse macabre, and Stravinsky’s The Firebird Suite (October 25). The second program titled Peter and the Wolf features Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee”, the world premiere of David Mackenzie’s Right Whale, Wrong Letter, Gershwin’s Promenade (Walking the Dog), Anderson’s The Waltzing Cat, and Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf (February 7). The final program in the series titled Space Junkwill include R. Strauss’ “Sunrise Fanfare” from Also sprach Zarathustra, the first movement from Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 “Jupiter,” Jessie Montgomery’s Starburst (arr. Jannina Norpoth), Mendelssohn’s “Nocturne” from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the world premiere of Ivan Trevino’s Space Junk, and John Williams main title from Star Wars (April 11).
The Symphony Kids Series offers the perfect introduction to the world of music with 30-minute interactive concerts that are sensory friendly and designed specifically for the youngest music lovers (ages up to 5). Sing-alongs, rhymes, dances, and musical games will introduce audiences to the instruments of the orchestra: Mother Goose – Meet the Winds (November 1), ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas – Meet the Brass (December 6), Ferdinand the Bull – Meet the Strings (February 14), and Clapping Music – Meet the Percussion (March 28). Symphony Kids Series was developed in partnership with SDSU Center for Autism and the Autism Society San Diego and features pre-show
hands-on activities, including crafts and musical exploration. San Diego Symphony offers a designated quiet room, sensory kits (upon request), and social stories. Tickets are general admission and required for all ages, including babes in arms.
For subscriptions, ticket prices and more information on the San Diego Symphony’s 2025-26 Jacobs Music Center season, please visit www.JacobsMusicCenter.org. Detailed listings of all programs follow below.
For tickets or more information, visit www.sandiegosymphony.org.
