San Diego Symphony

From the desk of Martha Gilmer, San Diego Symphony President & CEO: "Reflecting on the amazing life of Michael Tilson Thomas, there are so many brilliant bursts of light. To spend time with Michael was to be inside a blazing fireworks show. His imagination leapt from one subject to another—disparate yet somehow weirdly connected. It was like being in a dark field filled with fireflies, each glowing point of light illuminating a wide space, each one its own burst of brilliance. Michael showed us how to make music-making fresh, new, imaginative, and dynamic. His commitment and love of influencing young musicians assures his ideas will extend through those who received his inspiration early in their careers. For generations we will reflect on Michael’s amazing impact on our musical world—his innovation in programming, his reinventing of performance spaces, and his incredible “fireflies” imagination, always illuminating our world and sparking our curiosity."

Discovery Night continues to grow as a meaningful gathering point for San Diego’s arts, technology, and life sciences communities. What began as a simple idea—bringing more of the tech community into the concert hall—is quickly becoming a tradition. We’re grateful to everyone who helped make this year’s evening so special with Daniel Bradbury, including Nancy Hong, Annette Bradbury, Steve Bjorg, Biolinq, Rising Tide Partners, Solfar Consulting LLC and to those working to build deeper connections across industries through a shared love of music. Read more about the story behind Discovery Night and its growing impact below: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gJqmQfVF

Big news! You can now donate to the San Diego Symphony using cryptocurrency, making it easier than ever to support the music you love. Innovation has always supported artistry. Music evolves, and so does the way people support it. 🔗 Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gpXDVREm #StayClassical

“Time Out wasn’t just revisited, it was re-experienced in a space that honors both San Diego’s past and its artistic future.” 🎷✨ A look back at Saturday’s Jazz @ The Jacobs performance of Dave Brubeck’s iconic album Time Out was brought to life at Jacobs Music Center. Read the full review from SanDiegoVille below: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gmssgDey

Congratulations to composer Gabriela Ortiz - Performance Today’s 2026 Classical Woman of the Year! 🎉 A longtime collaborator of the San Diego Symphony, Ortiz has brought her vibrant, genre-blurring voice to our stage across multiple seasons. This spring, we continue that artistic relationship with her Grammy-winning cello concerto "Dzonot"—a work of striking imagination inspired by the sacred cenotes of the Yucatán and reflects Ortiz’s singular ability to connect history, culture, and sound. Performed by the artist who commissioned the piece and remains its foremost champion, cellist Alisa Weilerstein, "Dzonot" will be performed by the San Diego Symphony at the Jacobs Music Center on May 9-10. Join us in celebrating this extraordinary artist—and experience her music live! Get tickets at https://lnkd.in/g3Ph-eJU

🚀✨ Ready for a musical adventure that’s out of this world? Join us on April 11 at 11am at the Jacobs Music Center for Space Junk—a family concert packed with cosmic energy, iconic music, and a brand new premiere 🌌 Featuring the incredible WindSync alongside the San Diego Symphony, this program launches from Strauss’ epic Sunrise Fanfare to the legendary sounds of Star Wars—and everything in between. Don’t miss the world premiere of Space Junk by Ivan Trevino, brought to life with imagination, storytelling, and a little intergalactic flair 👽🎶 Led by conductor Gerald Karni. 🪐 EXTEND YOUR EXPERIENCE! Arrive early for hands-on pre-concert fun featuring crafts and interactive activities—presented in partnership with NASA experts and Seattle-based artist Becky Aitken. This collaboration is made possible with support from the Fleet Science Center, the official NASA Artemis Week partner. Perfect for curious kids, music lovers, and future astronauts alike 🚀 🎟️ Tickets available at sdsymph.org/FAM_space #StayClassical #ExperienceJMC #SanDiegoSymphony #ThingsToDoSD #NASA #StarWars

Double your impact! 🎶 Through June 30, every gift to the San Diego Symphony is matched dollar-for-dollar, helping your support go twice as far. From performances on stage to programs in classrooms and communities across the region, your generosity helps us continue Changing Lives Through Music. If you’ve been considering making a gift, now is a meaningful time to do so. Give today: https://lnkd.in/gevuev7r

On Saturday, March 14, we were honored to celebrate Daniel Bradbury at Discovery Night at the University Club San Diego—an evening that brings together leaders from the biotech and life sciences communities in support of the San Diego Symphony. A special thank you to our Lead Sponsors: Daniel & Annette Bradbury, Sarah and Jay Flatley, Biolinq Incorporated, Rising Tide Partners, and Solfar Consulting LLC. Proceeds from Discovery Night support the Symphony’s artistic, learning, and community engagement programs, helping us share the power of music throughout our community. #StayClassical

We’re pleased to announce our newest Artist-in-Residence for the upcoming season at Jacobs Music Center! Meet Takoyaki, a rising talent trained by Swedish musician and creator Mattias Krantz, whose innovative teaching methods have pushed the boundaries of how we think about learning and performance. Following a highly competitive international search, this remarkable multi-instrumentalist stood out for their extraordinary dexterity, expressive range, and ability to approach the piano in entirely new ways. Takoyaki will be featured in select performances this season. 🐙🎹 (Happy April Fools’ Day from the San Diego Symphony.) #StayClassical #AprilFools

A special moment for San Diego’s arts and sports communities. ⚾🎶 San Diego Symphony Music & Artistic Director Rafael Payare is preparing to throw out the ceremonial first pitch with the San Diego Padres on June 22—bringing the spirit of the Symphony to one of the city’s biggest stages. Then, just days later, he returns to the podium to lead Opening Night at The Rady Shell with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra on June 26, kicking off another season of music on the San Diego Bay!