Explore the Festival
La Jolla Symphony & Chorus
La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C), a UCSD affiliate, is a nonprofit organization that has been enriching the cultural landscape of San Diego for over half a century. Comprising talented musicians and dedicated vocalists, LJS&C strives for excellence in symphonic and choral performances while fostering a vibrant and inclusive community. LJS&C is helmed by executive director Stephanie Weaver Yankee, Music Director and Orchestra Conductor Sameer Patel, and Sally and Einar Gall Music Director and Chorus Conductor Arian Khaefi.
Through innovative programming and educational initiatives, LJS&C continues to inspire audiences and ignite passion for music across generations. The organization sponsors an annual Young Artists Competition, commissions a new work annually, and provides music education to San Diego K-12 schools.
*Programming and artists subject to change, please refer to the participating organization’s calendar listing for the most up-to-date program.
Events
This Soil
Under the masterful baton of Arian Khaefi, Mandeville Auditorium will resonate with the vibrant compositions of Kristen Kuster, Samuel Barber, and Gabriela Lena Frank. Immerse yourself in the timeless elegance of Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement, followed by the electrifying rhythms of Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. Also, don’t miss the second-ever performance of Gala Flagello’s Bravado.
Piece(s)/Composer(s)
MOXIE
Kristen KUSTER
KNOXVILLE: SUMMER OF 1915
Samuel BARBER
ESCARAMUZA
Gabriela Lena FRANK
BRAVADO, 2023
Gala FLAGELLO
PIANO CONCERTO IN ONE MOVEMENT
Florence PRICE
"SYMPHONIC DANCES" FROM WEST SIDE STORY
Leonard BERNSTEIN
Program Notes
Our featured work on this program will be the second performance ever of Gala Flagello’s Bravado, which was commissioned by the Tanglewood Music Festival in 2023. In the composer’s own words, "Bravado" (2023) was written for the Tanglewood Music Festival 2023 orchestral readings and explores the many connotations of the word “bravado,” a descendent of the Old Italian adjective bravo, meaning “wild” or “courageous.” A person with bravado can be seen as bold or reckless, daring or arrogant, confident or overbearing. The orchestra musically embodies this range of traits through the transformation of the piece’s primary melody “.
Gala Flagello (b. 1994) is a composer, educator, and nonprofit director, whose music has been described as “both flesh and spirit”, intensely psychological without sacrificing concrete musical enjoyment”. She is the Festival Director and co-founder of the nonprofit contemporary music festival Connecticut Summerfest. Gala strives to use music as a vehicle for social change, frequently engaging with topics such as environmental advocacy, gender equity, and mental health in her work.
The entire program will be a celebration of diverse compositions that exemplify the power of music to communicate across generations and cultures. Audiences will be moved by the vibrant compositions of Kristen Kuster, Samuel Barber, and Gabriela Lena Frank. These works, carefully selected to resonate with the human soul, will weave a rich tapestry of emotions and melodies throughout the performance.