Explore the Festival
Mainly Mozart
The Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra Festival is home to the largest gathering of concertmasters and principal players in North America. For 35 years, top musicians from America’s leading orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony and dozens more, have all come to San Diego to perform together on one stage. Mainly Mozart also hosts a 300+ member Youth Orchestra and spearheads works exploring the music-brain connection featuring leading neuroscientists.
*Programming and artists subject to change, please refer to the participating organization’s calendar listing for the most up-to-date program.
Events
Tradition and Tomorrow | Anne-Marie McDermott & San Diego Symphony Principals
From the mind of budding composer and Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra student, Edric Saphire, emerges Bassoon Sextet; a delightful two-movement work commissioned by San Diego’s Mainly Mozart and the Mainly Mozart Youth Orchestra.
Piece(s)/Composer(s)
NEW WORLD FANFARE
Edric SAPHIRE
FANTASIA NO. 3 IN D MINOR
MOZART
BASSOON SEXTET (WORLD PREMIERE)
Edric SAPHIRE
PIANO QUINTET
SCHUMANN
Program Notes
An intimate evening of chamber music featuring works by Mozart & Schumann as well as the world premiere of an original work by Mainly Mozart Advanced Orchestra member, Edric Saphire, performed by internationally renowned pianist Anne-Marie McDermott, San Diego Symphony (SDSO) concertmaster Jeff Thayer, SDSO associate concertmaster Wesley Precourt, SDSO principal viola Chi-Yuan Chen, SDSO principal cello Yao Zhao and SDSO principal bassoon Valentin Martchev. Program to also feature Saphire’s majestic “New World Fanfare” for brass ensemble.
California Festival
TAPESTRY, an amalgamation of the ideas of dozens of female composers from across the globe, built as a celebration of women. From the mind of Clarice Assad and commissioned by San Diego’s Mainly Mozart.
Piece(s)/Composer(s)
PIANO TRIO
Ellen ZWILICH
TAPESTRY, 2023 (WORLD PREMIERE)
Clarice ASSAD
PIANO QUINTET
Amy BEACH
Program Notes
From the mind of acclaimed composer Clarice Assad comes Tapestry, an amalgamation of the ideas of dozens of female composers from across the globe, built as a celebration of women. Performance by pianist Anne-Marie McDermott, violinists Ida Kavafian and Kerry McDermott, violist Clara Neubauer and cellist Ani Aznavoorian.