Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra Festival

The Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra Festival returns to San Diego June 17–27. The festival gathers concertmasters and principal players from the nation’s leading orchestras each summer for six unique concerts performed this year at the Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center and the Epstein Family Amphitheater in La Jolla.

The orchestra is led by British conductor Michael Francis, Mainly Mozart’s Music Director since 2014. A former double bassist with the London Symphony Orchestra who rose to international prominence as a conductor, Francis also serves as Music Director of The Florida Orchestra and Chief Conductor of the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz.

2026 Soloists

This year’s soloists include pianist Anne-Marie McDermott, opening the festival June 17 with Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Tenor John Russell performs Mozart’s Bardengesang auf Gibraltar June 20. Four-time Grammy Award-nominated guitarist Mak Grgić performs Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez June 21, followed by pianist Anton Nel in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9 on June 23. Grammy Award-winning violinist James Ehnes performs Schumann’s Violin Concerto in D minor June 25 before returning for closing night, June 27, alongside Robert DeMaine, principal cello of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, for Brahms’ Double Concerto in A minor, Op. 102. 

This year’s roster draws concertmasters and principal players from 28 orchestras across the country: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Charleston Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Opera Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Milwaukee Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, New West Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Oregon Symphony, Pacific Symphony, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic, ROCO, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Sarasota Orchestra, The Florida Orchestra, Tucson Symphony, Utah Symphony and Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

2026 Dates:
Wednesday, June 17 | 7:00pm |The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center

Saturday June 20 | 7:00pm  | The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center

Sunday, June 21 | 3:00pm | The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center

Tuesday, June 23 | 7:00pm | The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center

Thursday, June 25 | 7:00pm | The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center

Saturday, June 27 | 7:00pm | UC San Diego Epstein Family Amphitheater

Venue Addresses:
The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center | 7600 Fay Ave, La Jolla, CA 92037
UC San Diego’s Epstein Family Amphitheater | 9480 Innovation Ln, San Diego 92093

Tickets:
Tickets are available at mainlymozart.org/allstar or by calling the box office at (619) 955-8273, Monday–Friday, 8:00 am–5:00 pm. Single tickets for Epstein Family Amphitheater concerts range from $26 to $262. Single tickets for Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center concerts range from $71 to $162. Subscription packages are also available.