Statewide California Festival, including concerts in La Jolla, will spotlight array of San Diego musical talents

When plans for November’s California Festival: A Celebration of New Music were announced in January, it was billed as a wildly ambitious undertaking that would showcase dozens of music organizations across the state. Now, the announcement of the full schedule of events — 95 in all — makes that ambition even more of a reality.

La Jolla will feature in four concerts during the Nov. 3-19 festival, with involvement by the La Jolla Music Society, Athenaeum Music & Arts Library and La Jolla Presbyterian Church.

The event is the brainchild of the music directors of California’s three leading orchestras — the San Diego Symphony’s Rafael Payare, the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Gustavo Dudamel and the San Francisco Symphony’s Esa-Pekka Salonen.

The San Diego Symphony’s Rafael Payare, the San Francisco Symphony’s Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Gustavo Dudamel are the brain trust of November’s California Festival.

(Boris Allin)

It will showcase more than 200 pieces of music by 110 composers — 172 of them works written since 2018, including 32 world premieres. Many of the pieces were inspired by, or reflect, California’s history and contemporary themes, including multiculturalism, climate change and emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The festival will include 23 San Diego County concerts spotlighting a dozen area arts organizations, including the La Jolla Music Society, San Diego Symphony, San Diego Master Chorale, Art of Elan, Camarada, Project [Blank], San Diego Jewish Men’s Choir and more.

“California is an inexhaustible wellspring of creativity, openness and collaboration,” Payare, Dudamel and Salonen said in a joint statement. “We are so proud to be joined by more than 90 partner organizations located in every region of the state for the inaugural California Festival — their participation turns our celebration into a true statewide effort that reflects the full spectrum of ideas, voices and cultures that call California their home.”

Here are the California Festival performances with La Jolla ties:

Thursday, Nov. 9

• San Diego New Music performs a newly commissioned work by Texu Kim and recent pieces by Ken Ueno, Christopher Adler, Vera Ivanova, Nicholas Deyoe and Francisco Eme. 7:30 p.m., Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla

Singer, banjo player and violinist Rhiannon Giddens will perform Friday, Nov. 10, in a concert presented by the La Jolla Music Society at San Diego’s Balboa Theatre.

(Rick Loomis)

Friday, Nov. 10

• La Jolla Music Society presents Silkroad Ensemble’s “American Railroad,” featuring Rhiannon Giddens. 5:30 p.m., Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego

Sunday, Nov. 12

• La Jolla Presbyterian Church Concert Series presents Camarada’s “Música Nueva.” 4 p.m., 7715 Draper Ave., La Jolla

Thursday, Nov. 16

• La Jolla Music Society and San Diego Symphony present Alisa Weilerstein’s “Fragments 2.” 7:30 p.m., Baker-Baum Concert Hall, Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, 7600 Fay Ave., La Jolla

For the full festival schedule, visit cafestival.org. ◆