SoCalPulse

Also Sprach Zarathustra & Bluebeard’s Castle
2026-05-22 - 2026-05-24 | Jacobs Music Center, 1245 Seventh Avenue, San Diego, California, 92101
The season ends with two of the most spectacular scores from the late romantic period: Strauss’s epic tone-poem Also Sprach Zarathustra, and Bartók’s dramatic Bluebeard’s Castle. Both these magnificent works use extreme and glittering orchestral colors to represent the real colors of the world and the cosmos – dawn, sunlight, vast mountain views, sunset, and the darkest night.

A Serenade to Music
2026-05-23, 2026-05-23 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA, 92626, United States
Artistic Director Emeritus John Alexander leads a breathtaking season finale celebrating the healing power of music with works by Mozart, Brahms, and Bruckner. Celebrate John’ Alexander’s legacy, the enduring power of music, and the beauty of a shared moment that honors both the past and the future.

Sounds of France
2026-05-26 20:00 - 22:00 | Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90012, United States
Experience some of the most intricate, surprising, and captivating French chamber music through winds, strings, harp, and percussion with members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Gustavo Dudamel & Yo-Yo Ma
2026-05-28 - 2026-05-30 | Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90012, United States
Cello icon Yo-Yo Ma reunites with Gustavo Dudamel for a world premiere performance of an underwater field recordings-inspired concerto by Puerto Rican composer Angélica Negrón.

Shelley Conducts America at 250
2026-05-28 - 2026-05-30 | Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA, 92626, United States
Artistic and Music Director Designate Alexander Shelley and pianist Conrad Tao come together for a bold celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. This concert honors our nation’s past, present, and future—an unforgettable tribute to 250 years of cultural innovation.

Pacific Jazz Orchestra: Miles Davis & John Coltrane at 100
2026-05-28 19:30 - 21:30 | The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA, 92010, United States
The Pacific Jazz Orchestra presents a powerful tribute to two of the most influential figures in jazz—Miles Davis and John Coltrane—as both artists would have turned 100 in 2026.

Sierra and Strauss
2026-05-29 - 2026-05-31 | Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90012, United States
Gustavo Dudamel conducts the world premiere of Puerto Rican composer Roberto Sierra’s symphonic study after leading Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben (“A Hero’s Life”) for the first time.

America @ 250
2026-05-30 | Ambassador Auditorium, 131 S St. John Avenue, Pasadena, CA, 91105, United States
Grammy-nominated pianist Joyce Yang captivates audiences with her virtuosity. She performs the West Coast Premiere of composer Johnathan Leshnoff’s Rhapsody on “America” as well as selections from John Williams American Journey—a celebration of American orchestral music.

Primary Trust
2026-05-30 - 2026-06-30 | Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, 90012, United States
Kenneth, a bookstore worker in a small town, spends his evenings drinking at the local bar. When he is laid off, Kenneth faces challenges he has long avoided. It is a story of new beginnings, old friends, and finding the courage to see the world for the first time.
