San Diego Symphony Announces Inaugural Season at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park
The Rady Shell will open on August 6 with Rafael Payare conducting the San Diego Symphony in the world premiere of Mason Bates’s Soundcheck in C Major.

The San Diego Symphony today announced its inaugural season of concerts at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, the spectacular new year-round outdoor venue with 360-degree views of downtown, the marina, and the bay. Opening August 6-8, the season will offer more than 40 concerts between August and November 2021, including eight concerts led by Music Director Rafael Payare. From classical music to Broadway, film, jazz, pop, Latin and classic rock, the season will showcase more than 50 featured artists who will perform as part of the Symphony's expanded schedule of diverse outdoor concerts.
Chief Executive Officer Martha A. Gilmer said, "The long-awaited moment has come when we welcome San Diego to this magnificent, one-of-a-kind gathering place we have created for the entire community. Opening a summer season with rich and varied programming, the Symphony's first notes at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park will mark the beginning of a wonderful new experience of music and natural beauty in a city like no other." Music Director Rafael Payare said, "The Orchestra, our wonderful guest artists, and I can't wait to feel the connection of finally performing for a live audience again. We are so excited for everyone to experience the amazing sound from The Rady Shell and to be dazzled by the lighting from our state-of-the-art projections. This is a place where the greatest artists in the world will want to perform for the one of the greatest audiences in the world." The Rady Shell will open on August 6 with Rafael Payare conducting the San Diego Symphony in the world premiere of Mason Bates's Soundcheck in C Major, a commissioned work for orchestra and turntable; Aldemaro Romero's Fuga con pajarillo; Saint-Saëns' Concerto No. 1, featuring cellist Alisa Weilerstein; works by Gounod, Rossini, and Rodgers and Hammerstein featuring bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green; Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue featuring pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet; and Stravinsky's Firebird Suite. The evening is directed by Gary Griffin and hosted by Vivian Scott Chew, and an inaugural gala event prior to the concert will include a spectacular dinner curated by celebrity chef Richard Blais. The opening weekend will continue August 7 with "The Best of Broadway," featuring the San Diego Symphony conducted by renowned musical theatre director Rob Fisher and showcasing Broadway luminaries Megan Hilty, Norm Lewis, Kelli O'Hara and Adrienne Warren. The opening weekend will be capped off on August 8 with seven-time GRAMMY Award-winner Gladys Knight with special guest Naturally 7-a renowned group of seven male vocalists who transform their voices into human instruments, effortlessly producing music of any genre-opening the concert.Season Highlights
The season will mark the symphony orchestra debut of singer songwriter and two-time Grammy Award winner Jason Mraz (September 26), with a concert featuring the San Diego Symphony. Mraz will perform songs such as The Remedy and Lucky, arranged specifically for orchestra. Stewart Copeland, legendary rock star, composer and founder of the Police, will make his debut with the San Diego Symphony in the world premiere of Police Deranged for Orchestra, an evening featuring Copeland on drums, vocalists, and the orchestra conducted by Edwin Outwater (August 27).
Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Honorary Chairs
Terry Atkinson, Una Davis and Jack McGrory, Karen and Kit Sickels, Co-Chairs The inaugural gala and concert will support the artistic and engagement programs of the Symphony as it launches a new era at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. The event will include the opening concert conducted by Rafael Payare and the San Diego Symphony, with immersive sound and a light spectacular, and a cocktail reception at 5 pm followed by a dinner curated by celebrity chef Richard Blais. Inaugural Gala and Concert tickets begin at $2,500 per person and include a donation to the San Diego Symphony. Host Committee sponsorships begin at $10,000 and fully support the San Diego Symphony. Host Committee members receive the option to purchase the same seating for all three nights during the opening weekend. For more information: specialevents@sandiegosymphony.org. COVID-19 Safety Protocols:
As the San Diego Symphony prepares for The Shell's inaugural season, the health and safety of its patrons, staff, volunteers, musicians, and guest artists remains its top priority. San Diego Symphony is committed to providing a safe and comfortable experience for audiences when performances resume in August.
The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park will also feature The Shell Provisions - the venue's signature food and beverage partnership program with San Diego's finest chefs and eateries, including renowned chef Richard Blais, Lola 55, Biga, Urban Kitchen Group, Kitchens for Good, Achilles Coffee Roasters and more. Audiences will enjoy delicious foods and drinks from some of San Diego's most popular restaurants before performances, with grab-and-go or table service offerings.
The centerpiece of the 3.7-acre public Jacobs Park developed and managed by the San Diego Symphony on the city's scenic Embarcadero, The Rady Shell is the first permanent outdoor venue in the San Diego Symphony's century-long history, designed to host more than 100 concerts and events year-round. The project has been developed in partnership with the Unified Port of San Diego with 99% of the $85 million cost raised privately by the Symphony.