5 classical and jazz concert picks in San Diego this spring

Jazz Piano Mini Festival | La Jolla Music Society

An entire week of jazz piano music descends upon the La Jolla Music Society to celebrate Jazz History Month, including panel discussions, a master class, concerts, free shows and more. It kicks off with a free lunchtime panel on April 17 with Charles McPherson, Melonie Grinnell and Kamau Kenyatta. That evening, Melonie Grinnell and more artists will be spotlighted in the San Diego Jazz Piano All Stars concert. More highlights include Herbie Hancock (this show is at Balboa Theatre) on April 18, and a free lunchtime performance from Ed Kornhauser on April 19. Dayramir González and Hiromi close out the week.

Arts & Culture

SPRING ARTS: Balboa Theatre is about to celebrate its 100th birthday

John Carroll

Listen • 4:39

Jason Bell

An Evening With Yo-Yo Ma | San Diego Symphony

Yo-Yo Ma possibly doesn't need much of an introduction: He's been a question on "Jeopardy!" multiple times, performed on many hit movies (like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" and more), founded the Silk Road Ensemble, and has 19 Grammy Awards on his shelf. The household name of the cello world, he'll come to San Diego this spring to perform Elgar's "Cello Concerto in E minor," one of the most beautiful pieces for cello.

The San Diego Symphony, under the direction of Rafael Payare, will also perform Tchaikovsky's "Symphony No. 5 in E minor" and Wagner's "Prelude to Act III of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg."

Courtesy of Poway OnStage

Drum Tao | Poway Center for the Performing Arts

This multidisciplinary performance is so much more than drumming, but there's a lot of drumming. The Japanese ensemble performs music, martial arts, dance, acrobatics and more with striking costumes, traditional instruments like the "taiko" — and an athletic display of choreography and movement, drawing on Japanese, Korean, Indonesian and Maori culture. The performance marks their 30th anniversary.

Gary Payne

Art & Movement Series: 'Balancing' | Art of Elan

Local chamber ensemble group Art of Elan will perform music in the rotunda at San Diego Museum of Art, inspired by the art in their collection. This performance, "Balancing," draws its inspiration from a kinetic sculpture in SDMA's public May S. Marcy Sculpture Garden: George Rickey's 1993 steel work "Two Lines Oblique: San Diego." Compositions by Arthur Honegger, Nahre Sol and Osvaldo Golijov will be performed, along with a piece for wind instruments by oboist and composer Alyssa Morris, called "Motion."

Camarada: 'Soundtrax' | The Mingei, Bread & Salt

The magnitude of cinematic sound will be combined with the unmistakable intimacy of chamber music in local ensemble Camarada's "Soundtrax" performances. Camarada is a notably talented ensemble led by flutist Beth Ross Buckley. In addition to works by iconic film composer John Williams, they'll also perform Phillip Glass, Nino Rota and Koji Kondo. Composer Gilad Cohen, who has composed scores and soundtracks for theater, will join the ensemble for a discussion. Two performances will take place at two unique San Diego art spaces: Mingei International Museum (museum admission included in ticket price) and Bread & Salt's Brick Room (gallery admission is always free).

San Diego's best arts and culture this spring

This spring, discover our picks for the best art and culture in San Diego, including visual art, theater, dance, music and literature — and even some picks for kids.

Explore →