April 2025 at UC San Diego promises an exhilarating array of events hosted by ArtPower, bringing an eclectic mix of music, dance, and storytelling. From the nostalgic rhythms of Disney Channel classics at DCOM: Live! to an exploration of ancestral roots with Black Belt Eagle Scout, the campus will transform into a cultural hub. Attendees can enjoy everything from soulful jazz with Corinne Bailey Rae to the dynamic beats of Afrobeat in Jump N Funk. Prepare to be entertained as you dive into this captivating lineup.

Exploring ArtPower: A Month of Diverse Musical, Dance, and Cultural Celebrations at UC San Diego

ArtPower at UC San Diego is set to bring a vibrant array of performances to the San Diego community, featuring theatrical drama, insightful satire, soul-stirring music, and harmonious folk. With events ranging from live readings of ancient texts to Grammy-nominated musical performances, ArtPower promises to captivate audiences with diverse artistic expressions. Each event is a testament to the power of art in reflecting the human experience, offering performances that are not only entertaining but also thought-provoking and culturally enriching.

ArtPower at UC San Diego: A Celebration of Diverse Artistic Expressions

This summer, ArtPower at UC San Diego invites you to a series of exciting events that promise to ignite your senses and celebrate the diverse tapestry of music and culture. From the interactive singalong of 'Wicked' to the soulful sounds of Nathan Chester, each event offers a unique experience. Featuring world-class performers such as the Cream of Clapton Band and the thrilling Kokoroko, this lineup is not just about enjoying music; it's about creating connections and celebrating the joy of artistic expression together.

ArtPower's Vibrant Summer Lineup: A Celebration of Music, Culture, and Connection

With the 2014 formation of I’m With Her, singer/songwriters Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan, and Sara Watkins introduced an essential new force into the world of folk music: a close-knit alliance of highly esteemed musicians, each graced with a deep understanding of folk tradition and unbridled passion for expanding its possibilities. Since delivering their critically lauded debut See You Around and standalone singles like “Call My Name” (winner of the 2020 Grammy for Best American Roots Song), the trio have routinely taken time out from their individual careers to dream up songs together—eventually arriving at a new album exploring themes of ancestry, lineage, and the collective human experience. On their long-awaited sophomore LP Wild and Clear and Blue, I’m With Her now bring their luminous harmonies to a soul-searching body of work about reaching into the past, navigating a chaotic present, and bravely moving forward into the unknown.

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I’m With Her | Wild & Clear & Blue

University of California San Diego

Founded by the Latin Grammy-nominated band Making Movies, Celebrate AMERI’KANA is a traveling festival celebrating the diverse colors of American music. Looking to redefine “Americana,” the festival highlights the crossroads of languages and rhythms that shape the musical identity of the Americas.

⁠Celebrate Ameri’KANA

Chicago native turned Nashville mainstay Nathan Chester’s life was forever changed when he captured the hearts of millions of viewers on season 25 of NBC’s “The Voice.” His soulful renditions of iconic songs like “Take Me to the River” and “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher” not only earned him praise from the shows judges, but garnered him a devout fanbase who has supported his music even after his time on the show ended. Since The Voice, Chester has toured as a professional musician and frequently collaborates with Post Modern Jukebox, including a recent soul-fueled rendition of Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”

Nathan Chester & The Old Souls Motown Revival

Fusing the sounds of jazz and Afrobeat, Kokoroko has developed a burgeoning reputation for their energetic, soul-shaking sound. Led by trumpeter Shelila Maurice-Grey and drummer Onome Edgeworth, the London-based septet was named “ones to watch” by the Guardian in 2019 after their song “Abusey Junction” racked up hundreds of millions of streams across Spotify, YouTube, and other streaming platforms. Since their inception almost six years ago, Kokoroko has played in clubs, theaters, and festivals around the world, including a set at Coachella in 2024. Their most recent release, a 15-minute, four-song extended play entitled “Get the Message,” released last November, explores the need for community, connection, and relationships.

Kokoroko

Celebrate the iconic magic of Disney Channel Original Movies with DCOM: Live! Experience an immersive journey through music, dance, and nostalgia, featuring hits from High School Musical, Camp Rock, The Cheetah Girls, and Descendants, as well as The Jonas Brothers, Hannah Montana, Lizzie McGuire, and SO many more! This high-energy concert features six Broadway-caliber performers and an electric live band that will have you up out of your seat, singing and dancing along to everything from Zenon to Zombies! DCOM: Live was developed as part of ArtPower’s Launchpad program.

DCOM: Live!

Join Academy Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino for a one-of-a-kind retro night at the Epstein Family Amphitheater. Experience Exotic Themes for the Silver Screen come to life, as Giacchino reimagines his iconic scores from Lost, Ratatouille, Star Trek, and more—transformed in the lush, lounge-inspired style of 1950s Exotica. A nostalgic, vibraphone-filled evening that’s equal parts cinematic and cool.

Michael Giacchino: Exotic Themes for the Silver Screen

One of the few tribute bands endorsed by Eric Clapton himself, Cream of Clapton brings together family, friends, and former bandmates for a powerful celebration of his legendary music. Featuring Clapton’s longtime bassist Nathan East, his son Noah East, Will Johns (Clapton’s nephew), and Clapton’s former bandmate Steve Ferrone, this special performance recreates Clapton’s iconic MTV Unplugged set — the groundbreaking 1992 album that reimagined his greatest hits, earned six Grammy Awards, and became one of the best-selling live albums of all time. Expect an intimate evening of acoustic favorites like “Layla,” “Tears in Heaven,” and “Old Love,” all capturing the heart and soul of one of rock’s most celebrated artists.

The Cream of Clapton Band Unplugged and 24 Nights Revisited

Ahoy, matey! The nautical-clad “Titans of Soft Rock,” Yachtley Crew, will be dropping anchor in San Diego this July to launch ArtPower’s summer season.

Yächtley Crëw

Get ready to experience the magic of Wicked like never before at the Epstein Family Amphitheater. Led by some of San Diego’s favorite performers, this special sing-along screening offers a uniquely interactive film experience complete with prop packs, a costume contest, and themed cocktails and snacks. Whether you’re dressed in Glinda’s sparkle or channeling Elphaba’s edge, all are welcome to sing along—the lyrics will be on screen to guide you. Presented as part of ArtPower’s Launchpad program, this event is a celebration of friendship, imagination, and the joy of singing together under the stars.

Wicked Singalong: Film Screening

Joshua Roman is a cello soloist and composer, hailed by the New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle for his “effortlessly expressive tone” as well as his “blend of precision and almost improvisatory freedom.” His debut solo album, Immunity, is an intimate musician exploration of his experiences with ongoing Long COVID that altered his entire life and nearly ended his career. This free live performance of the album shows the cellist at his most vulnerable and showcases the ultimate strength found in such vulnerability.

Joshua Roman Immunity

The Harlem Gospel Travelers are not from Harlem. They came to Harlem, however, from far-flung corners of the five boroughs of New York City, and it was in Harlem, that legendary center of African-American culture, that they found their voices. Since its conception, they have focused on creating music that uplifts, inspires, and spreads the message of love.

Harlem Gospel Travelers

In their almost two-decade history, the Grammy-nominated band Kneebody has created a genre and style all its own. Their sound is explosive rock energy and high-level nuanced chamber ensemble playing set within the frames of highly wrought compositions that are balanced with adventurous no-holds-barred improvising.

Kneebody

Ken Marino and David Wain met at NYU in 1988 where they co-founded the legendary sketch comedy group THE STATE. They stayed friends and collaborators over the years, working together on movies like Role Models, Wet Hot American Summer, and Wanderlust and TV shows like Children’s Hospital, Medical Police, and of course The State. Ken also has acted in literally every television series, and currently stars on The Other Two (HBO) and Party Down (Starz).

Middle Aged Dad Jam Band

“Phil Cook is a lightning bolt. He is a teacher and captor of music. He carries it within him at all times. No one has taught me more about music in my life than him. He is one of the great performers of our age … as time passes more and more people will find that out. I’m excited every time someone gets to discover Phil’s genius—a thing I’ve had the good fortune of knowing all my life.”—Justin Vernon, Bon Iver

Phil Cook | Appalachia Borealis

Master of satire and one of today’s most observant writers addressing the human condition, best-selling author David Sedaris returns once again with his acerbic humor, social commentary, and outlandish stories. Slashing through cultural euphemisms and political correctness, he will delight the audience with twists of humor and intelligence as he shares both published stories and works-in-progress.

An Evening with David Sedaris

Balboa Theatre

Theater of War: Hector, Andromache, and the Death of Astyanax presents live, dramatic readings of selections from Homer’s Ilian, Book VI and scenes from The Trojan Women by Euripides—featuring acclaimed actors and a chorus of UC San Diego students and community members from a variety of backgrounds, whose lives have been impacted by war—to help frame powerful dialogue about the human cost of war, centered on the suffering of children and civilians.

Theater of War: Hector, Andromache, and the Death of Astyanax

Since its appearance at ArtPower in 2017, the “elegant and bold, inventive and joyful.” (Times Union) Malpaso Dance Company has become one of the most sought after Cuban dance companies with a growing international profile. Emphasizing a collaborative creative process, Malpaso is committed to working with top international choreographers while also nurturing new voices in Cuban choreography.

Malpaso Dance Company

Founded in 2001, Meta4 is one of Finland’s most celebrated string quartets. Their Polarkr(e)is Drifting North program explores works from the sound worlds of the Arctic Circle, from the Inuit themes of American composer Amy Beach’s String Quartet, to works of their fellow Finns Kaija Saarhiaho and Jean Sibelius, paired with Italo-Indian composer Krishna Nagaraja’s Stringar, a piece that combines old and new through Nordic folk dance tunes.

Meta4 | Polarkr(e)is Drifting North

Nubya Garcia isn’t an artist you can easily classify. Is it jazz? Sure, the London-born saxophonist,composer and bandleader grew up studying the genre under the noted pianist Nikki Yeoh at Camden Music.

Nubya Garcia

This land runs through Katherine Paul’s blood. And it called to her. In dreams she saw the river, her ancestors, and her home.When the land calls, you listen. And KP found herself far from her ancestral lands during a time of collective trauma, when the world was wounded and in need of healing. In 2020 she made the journey from Portland back to the Skagit River, back to the cedar trees that stand tall and shrouded in fog, back to the tide flats and the mountains, back to Swinomish.

Black Belt Eagle Scout

So Say We All and ArtPower at UC San Diego invite students, faculty, and staff to send us their true, creative non-fiction stories and join us for the first ever UCSD VAMP Storytelling Showcase! Our inaugural theme, “The Unexpected Ally,” invites true tales about receiving salvation from surprising sources, being gobsmacked by enemies becoming heroes, discovering redemption in the darkest crevices, and however else our brave storytellers interpret the theme. All stories are 100% true and boldly told, so come discover some unexpected allies in your own community as they bare their soul for your titillation.

Call For Submissions: So Say We All

Jump N Funk is an immersive multimedia experience honoring the sonic legacy of Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer and activist, Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti. This celebration captures the essence of Fela’s groundbreaking fusion of traditional Nigerian rhythms and American Funk, a sound that continues to resonate globally across generations.

Jump N Funk

The Second City is celebrating 65 years of legendary laughs! Showcasing some of our audience’s favorite songs, sketches, and characters written on our stages by some of our illustrious alumni, including Catherine O’Hara, Tina Fey, Keegan-Michael Key, Amber Ruffin, Stephen Colbert, Tim Meadows, Bill Murray, Tim Robinson, Joan Rivers, Eugene Levy, Adam McKay and so many more… With material handpicked from our iconic comedy archive and brought to life by our all-star ensemble, see for yourself why The Second City continues to be the world’s most influential name in comedy for sixty-five years and counting.

The Second City 65th Anniversary Show

Calling all bluegrass and American roots music fans to join around the “campfire” with GRAMMY Award-winning children’s music duo Okee Dokee Brothers. The five-time Parents’ Choice Award winners have been featured on PBS KIDS, garnered praise from the likes of NPR’s All Things Considered and USA Today, and have been called “two of family music’s best songwriters.”

The Okee Dokee Brothers

Corinne Bailey Rae first captured hearts worldwide in 2006 with her breakout hit Put Your Records On, a breezy, soulful anthem that became an instant classic. Her self-titled debut album cemented her as a standout voice in contemporary R&B and jazz-infused pop, earning her Grammy nominations and a devoted global fanbase. Known for her warm, honeyed vocals and deeply personal songwriting, Corinne’s music has always been a blend of elegance, emotion, and effortless cool.

Corinne Bailey Rae | Black Rainbows

Celebrate the iconic magic of Disney Channel Original Movies with DCOM: Live! Experience an immersive journey through music, dance, and nostalgia, featuring hits from High School Musical, Camp Rock, The Cheetah Girls, and Descendants, as well as The Jonas Brothers, Hannah Montana, Lizzie McGuire and SO many more! This high-energy tribute concert features six Broadway-caliber performers and an electric live band that will have you up out of your seat singing and dancing along to everything from Zenon to Zombies! CALLING ALL WILDCATS, it’s time to *Jump In* your time capsule and head to the Year 3000 with us, because tonight, DCOM stands for Disney Channel Original MUSIC!

Under the lead of Mark Howard, founding artistic director/choreographer—and recent inductee into the 2023 Irish American Hall of Fame—Trinity Irish Dance Company (TIDC) makes its debut at ArtPower just in time to welcome St. Patrick’s Day! TIDC has significantly changed the direction and scope of Irish dance, re-introducing the art form as the phenomenon it is today. This uniquely Irish-American company was the birthplace of progressive Irish dance, an innovative movement genre which “ushered in a new era for Irish step dance” (Chicago Tribune), opening new avenues of artistic freedom that led directly to commercial productions such as “Riverdance.”

Trinity Irish Dance Company

Started in 2016 as an acapella project between Helena Ros and Marta Torrella, Tarta Relena’s electronic-accented folk reimagines the traditional music of the Mediterranean as a growing form unbound by precedent. At ArtPower, the Catalan folk duo will perform from their newly released album,  És pregunta.

Tarta Relena

Anoushka Shankar marks the culmination of her recent trilogy of mini-albums: ‘Chapter I: Forever, For Now,’ ‘Chapter II: How Dark it Is Before Dawn’ and ‘Chapter III: We Return to Light’ with a visionary new live show. Written and released back-to-back during two years of an experimental, creatively-charged global tour of an ever-evolving programme, the performance of each Chapter infused the composition of the next. After first exploring the transient, bittersweet joy of a summer afternoon on Chapter I and an immersion into a healing, womblike night on Chapter II, Chapter III completes the cycle, leading audiences through each movement and into the strong, golden heat of morning—a time of strength, wisdom and change.

Anoushka Shankar Chapter III: We Return to Light

AJ Lee & Blue Summit are an award-winning energetic, charming, and technically jaw-dropping band quickly rising on the national roots music scene. Based in Santa Cruz, California, the group met as teenagers, picking and jamming together as kids at local music festivals and jams until one day, they decided they would be a band. They bring their latest album, City of Glass, to ArtPower.

AJ Lee & Blue Summit

With a career spanning over three decades, the Brentano Quartet has appeared throughout the world to popular and critical acclaim. The New York Times extols its “luxuriously warm sound [and] yearning lyricism; and the Times (London) hails their “wonderful, selfless music-making.” They bring their “Evocations of Home” program to San Diego—which offers a set of perspectives on the idea of home, culturally, intellectually, emotionally, and geographically. The evening program prominently features a new work by UC San Diego Professor Lei Liang, alongside movements byDvorak, Schubert, Bartok and Monteverdi that evoke a sense of place, identity and heritage.

Brentano String Quartet

The Cesária Évora Orchestra brings together the cream of Cape-Verdean musicianship and vocalists to honor the late and legendary Cesária Évora. This tribute to the “Barefoot Diva” features some of Cape Verde’s greatest voices, including Elida Almeida, Teófilo Chantre, Lucibela, and Ceuzany, alongside band members from Évora’s band.

Cesária Évora Orchestra

UCSD Price Center

For 20 years and counting, Sō Percussion has redefined chamber music for the 21st century through an “exhilarating blend of precision and anarchy, rigor and bedlam” (New Yorker). For their ArtPower debut, they are joined by Ringdown, an “ecstatically blissful” (Night After Night) and “irresistible” (Feast of Music) cinematic electro-pop duo featuring composer-musicians Caroline Shaw and Danni Lee Parpan. They create music that floats up from the dusty record bin between Brahms and Brandi Carlile, and centers around joy, human connection, and trying to inspire people to feel more love.

Caroline Shaw & Sō Percussion featuring Ringdown

Based on the worldwide bestselling hit series by Dav Pilkey, Dog Man: The Musical is a hilarious and heartwarming production following the chronicles of Dog Man, who with the head of a dog and the body of a policeman, loves to fight crime and chew on the furniture. But while trying his best to be a good boy, can he save the city from Flippy the cyborg fish and his army of Beasty Buildings? Can he catch Petey, the world’s most evil cat, who has cloned himself to exact revenge on the doggy do-gooder? And will George and Harold finish their show before lunchtime?? Find out in this epic musical adventure featuring the hilarity and heart of beloved characters from Dav Pilkey, the creator of Captain Underpants and Cat Kid Comic Club. Featuring an exciting book and lyrics by Kevin Del Aguila, music by Brad Alexander, and original direction and choreography by Jen Wineman.

Dog Man The Musical

New York-based, GRAMMY-award winning Harlem Quartet has been praised for its “panache” by the New York Times and hailed in the Cincinnati Enquirer for “bringing a new attitude to classical music, one that is fresh, bracing and intelligent.” Since its public debut at Carnegie Hall in 2006, the ensemble has thrilled audiences and students in 47 states as well as in the U.K., France, Belgium, Brazil, Panama, Canada, Venezuela, Japan, Ethiopia, and South Africa.

Harlem Quartet | Echoes of Inspiration

“It’s hard to make something that’s interesting. It’s really, really hard. It’s like a law of nature, a law of aerodynamics, that anything that’s written or anything that’s created wants to be medio-cre. The natural state of all writing is mediocrity… So what it takes to make anything more than mediocre is such an act of will…”―Ira Glass

Ira Glass: Seven Things I’ve Learned

GRAMMY–nominated Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodríguez returns to San Diego with the sound of Miami from his latest album: Coral Way. This album represents a significant chapter in his artistic journey, reflecting his current worldview as an artist. As Rodríguez himself states, “I play what I live, and Coral Way is my new life. It is the name of the street on which, for the past 3 years, I have been composing this album, and now I’m excited that people from all over the world will finally get to hear it in an expansive way, with a full live band.”

Alfredo Rodríguez Quintet

Chicago/Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, curator, activist, motivational speaker, and educator Isaiah Collier is a musical virtuoso in the truest sense of the phrase. Most known for his work as a saxophonist, Collier’s sound and approach is drawn from the influences of other master saxophonists such as John Coltrane, Roscoe Mitchell, Wayner Shorter, Ari Brown, and Gene Ammons.

Isaiah Collier: The World Is On Fire

Poems of Consumption turns Amazon customer reviews into “pop songs” written, composed, arranged, and produced by H.Sinno and their collaborators. The harsh electronica and lush string quartet are accompanied by video work by Sinno and Matteo Zamagni which further saturates the performance with a relentless barrage of phantasmagorical visuals.

H.Sinno

“Fran Lebowitz’s trademark is the sneer; she disapproves of virtually everything except sleep, cigarette smoking, and good furniture. Her essays and topical interviews on subjects ranging from the difficulty of finding an acceptable apartment to the art of freeloading at weekend houses have come to be regarded as classics of literary humor and social observation.”—The Paris Review

An Evening with Fran Lebowitz

Third Person, Ebisu Theatre’s third production, deals with the complex relations of deaf people with their sign language interpreters and with hearing people. Third Person opened in April 2023 in Jaffa and won enthusiastic public reception and outstanding reviews. It was selected for the prestigious program “International exposure” that shared a video documentation of the piece with hundreds of theatre artists and artistic directors around the world.

Ebisu Sign Language Theatre Presents Third Person

Theodore and Adele Shank Theatre

Born in New York City to Haitian emigrants and activists, Leyla McCalla finds inspiration from her past and present—her music vibrates with three centuries of history and influences from around the globe. McCalla possesses a stunning mastery of the cello, tenor banjo and guitar and, as a multilingual singer and songwriter, has risen to produce a distinctive sound that reflects the union of her roots and experience. In addition to her solo work, McCalla is a founding member of Our Native Daughters (with Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah and Allison Russell) and alumna of Grammy award-winning Black string band The Carolina Chocolate Drops.

Leyla McCalla with Yasmin Williams

Following a highly successful performance at the Birch Aquarium in May 2024, co-presented by Art of Elan and ArtPower, the internationally renowned JACK Quartet returns to San Diego with an exciting program that features the world premiere of a new work by UC San Diego (UCSD) faculty member and composer, Rand Steiger, as well as “Three Imaginary Chansons” by Juri Seo. This one-night-only special event will take place in the acoustically superb Conrad Prebys Concert Hall on campus at UCSD and will offer a chance to meet the composer and musicians immediately following the performance.

JACK Quartet + Art of Elan

Choir! Choir! Choir! is a fully interactive, participatory show that turns the audience into performers! So get ready to laugh, dance and SING! your hearts out with hundreds of other music-lovers just like you. It’s like a big birthday party for the greatest songs of all time and you’re invited!

Choir! Choir! Choir!

Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar and Ballet Folklorico del Rio Grande invite you to celebrate the holiday season with Campana Sobre Campana: Christmas in Mexico! Named for the beloved Andalusian Christmas Carol, this vibrant show weaves cherished Mexican traditions into a magical story of the season! Through the joyous rhythms of “Bells Upon Bells” and the colorful spectacle of Mexican dance, we capture the heartwarming reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s journey! You’ll experience the spirit of Posadas, the majesty of the Reyes Magos, and the thrill of breaking piñatas! Join Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar and Ballet Folklorico del Rio Grande for an unforgettable program where every note and dance step embodies the rich cultural tapestry of Christmas in Mexico!

Campana Sobre Campana: Christmas in Mexico

The echo-bathed pop songs of Fazerdaze are the creation of New Zealand indie songwriter Amelia Murray. After building a following with short-form releases and international touring, the project’s daydreamy full-length debut, Morningside, appeared in 2017. Following a five-year gap between releases, the fuzz-injected, ’90s-inspired EP Break! saw release in 2022. (via AllMusic)

Fazerdaze

joyUS justUS is an evening length participatory Activist Dance Theater experience that takes on joy as the ultimate expression of resistance. Whenever humans have survived immense hardship and injustice, prevailing with their humanity intact, the presence of joy­­ or, the knowingness and celebration of our true beauty and power has always been at the root. joyUS justUS reclaims the dominant deficit ­based narrative of people of color in this country as being underprivileged, voiceless, powerless, and victimized, and flips it on its head by embodying stories of joy collected from communities of color in South Los Angeles.

CONTRA-TIEMPO Activist Dance Theater | joyUS justUS

Description: started in Spring 2023 and has since become a weekly practice space where students, staff, faculty and community members gather to move our bodies in community, practice joy and connect through dance, music and play. This is a judgement free, brave space. No dance experience needed, all are welcome. Come ready to move, sweat and connect! FREE, no RSVP needed, just show up!

Connection Jam

Long before Bridgerton broke the Netflix algorithm, Vitamin String Quartet (VSQ) had helped establish classical crossover as a genuine force in contemporary music. Fresh off high-profile placements in Seasons 1 and 2 of the aforementioned streaming smash, VSQ has “reached a mainstream, global audience” (Variety) and “charmed the world with their classical covers” (Nylon). The New York Observer wrote, “VSQ’s atmospheric hits have made classical versions of pop music cool.” On their latest tour, VSQ have created fresh arrangements of the cultural phenomenon that is Taylor Swift, performing spellbinding and innovative renditions of Swift’s music, alongside familiar hits from Billie Eilish, BTS, Bridgerton, The Weeknd to Daft Punk. VSQ is one of the most popular string ensembles in the world with over 2 billion streams and seven albums charting on both Billboard Classical and Classical Crossover charts.

Vitamin String Quartet The Music of Taylor Swift, Bridgerton, and Beyond

Relive the iconic sounds of the 1980s and ’90s with dynamic live performances from BetaMaxx and Paging the 90s, delivering an electrifying tribute to two vibrant decades.

Flashback Friday: Paging the 90s and BetaMaxx

Since making his international debut for Blue Note in 2020 with Modes of Communication: Letters From the Underworlds, the South African pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini has earned widespread acclaim for the genuinely spiritual transcendence of his music. For Makhathini, a Zulu healer and educator who has delved deeply into the histories and traditions of his ancestors, improvised music has never been merely about aesthetics or idioms. As the New York Times put it when naming Modes of Communication one of the Best Jazz Albums of 2020: “In a moment when spiritual jazz has become a dangerously buzzy concept, trust a musician who has truly devoted his life to divination practices.”

Nduduzo Makhathini

Join us for an engaging conversation and evening with renowned author, cultural critic and thought leader, Roxane Gay. As part of the Words of Welcome Common Read of American Like Me, this discussion will explore themes of identity, belonging and resilience. Roxane Gay, known for her powerful voice on issues of race, gender and social justice, will share her unique perspectives, making this a compelling and inspiring event for our campus community. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of an important conversation on what it means to navigate identity and belonging in today’s world.

Words of Welcome: A Conversation with Roxane Gay

We’re happy to welcome back Las Cafeteras to the Epstein Family Amphitheater. Born and raised East of the Los Angeles River, Las Cafeteras are remixing roots music as modern-day troubadours. They are a sonic explosion of Afro-Mexican rhythms, electronic beats and powerful rhymes documenting stories of a community seeking to “build a world where many worlds fit.”

Las Cafeteras

Born in Oklahoma, raised in Paris, living in New York City, assistant to a Nobel Prize Winner, licensed New York City tour guide and Murder Mystery business owner, JW Francis is one of the newest signings to Sunday Best Recordings. His brand of lo-fi, utterly irresistible bedroom dream-pop takes its lead from the city JW lives in, with echoes of Jonathan Richman, The Velvet Underground and the lo-fi sound New York has been inspiring for decades.

JW Francis + Jaguar Sun

Kassa Overall is a Grammy-nominated musician, emcee, singer, producer and drummer who melds avant-garde experimentation with hip-hop production techniques to tilt the nexus of jazz and rap in unmapped directions. He previously released four critically acclaimed projects: I THINK I’M GOOD, Go Get Ice Cream, Listen to Jazz, Shades of Flu and Shades of Flu 2. On ANIMALS, his Warp Records debut, Kassa pushes his kaleidoscopic, subversive vision further. He layers Roland 808s against avant-garde drumming in the vein of his mentors Elvin Jones and Billy Hart, the latter of whom he studied with at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Virtuoso musos appear alongside rap poets, including Danny Brown, Wiki, Lil B, and Shabazz Palaces. Top-flight jazz improvisation weaves in and out of orchestral string arrangements by Jherek Bischoff. The album’s diverse, all-star roster of collaborators includes several of his close friends, like vocalists Nick Hakim, Laura Mvula, Francis and the Lights, and jazz stars like Theo Croker and Vijay Iyer.

Kassa Overall

The Sara Schoenbeck and Wayne Horvitz duo navigate through original tunes and improvisatory soundscapes. With feet firmly planted in a genre-less zone, electronics and an ever-expanding textural palate serve to deepen the feel of a shared melodic language.

Sara Schoenbeck and Wayne Horvitz

As the grand finale of the multi-day Breathe With Me event, join us for an inspiring evening with award-winning actress Laura Linney and world-renowned artist Jeppe Hein. Together, they will explore the powerful intersection of art, mental health, mindfulness, and community, discussing how creativity can foster well-being and connection. This special conversation highlights the transformative role that art plays in nurturing the wellness of individuals and communities alike. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to engage with two visionary artists as they share their insights on the healing potential of art.

Breathe With Me: A Celebratory Conversation with Laura Linney and Jeppe Hein

What if supernatural creatures were real? What if they’ve been walking among us, hiding, pretending to be human? What if on the days leading to Halloween, they get to be just as they are?

Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats: Haunting Days of Halloween

Ocean Vuong is the author of the New York Times bestselling poetry collection, Time is a Mother (Penguin Press 2022), and the New York Times bestselling novel, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous (Penguin Press 2019), which has been translated into 37 languages.  A recipient of a 2019 MacArthur “Genius” Grant, he is also the author of the critically acclaimed poetry collection, Night Sky with Exit Wounds, a New York Times Top 10 Book of 2016, winner of the T.S. Eliot Prize, the Whiting Award, the Thom Gunn Award, and the Forward Prize for Best First Collection. A Ruth Lilly fellow from the Poetry Foundation, his honors include fellowships from the Lannan Foundation, the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, The Elizabeth George Foundation, The Academy of American Poets, and the Pushcart Prize.

An Evening with Ocean Vuong

Roomful of Teeth is a two-time GRAMMY Award-winning ensemble dedicated to the performance of new works for eight amplified voices. Through collaboration, commissioning, and new technologies, they seek to reimagine the expressive potential of the human voice.

Roomful of Teeth

Sessa is a long-time fixture of both the American and Brazilian music scenes. Initially known for collaborating with NY guitar legend Yonatan Gat and co-founding the São Paulo psych-funk combo Garotas Suecas, Sessa released his debut album, Grandeza, in 2019. In their review of the album, the New Yorker described Sessa as “a songwriter cut from Veloso’s mold and blessed with a flair for the intimate, the enigmatic, and the licentious.”

Sessa

Hokus Pokus Live! is a 90 minute parody of the classic 90’s movie written and directed by RuPaul’s Drag Race and Hocus Pocus 2 star, Ginger Minj! The year is 2024 and after coming back from the dead…again, The Sanderson Sisters are trying to figure out how to stay alive and younger in this new millennium. Join Ginger Minj, Gidget Galore and Aria Hard for this madcap musical mis-adventure!

Hokus Pokus Live!

Spend a delicious evening with Yotam Ottolenghi as he talks about his new book, COMFORT, in this fun and participatory event. Live on stage, Yotam will take the audience through COMFORT, (from eggs, to noodles, to roast chicken, to a wide array of cultural and culinary themes) in conversation with his local host, and will invite the audience to participate in a second half as he prepares one of his dishes. Just as food brings people together, this event combines the culinary innovation of Ottolenghi with suggestions and questions from the audience (that’s you!) to create a one-off live experience.  Yotam will undoubtedly share some childhood stories, his passion for layered dishes with bold flavors and colorful ingredients, and his influences from across the world.

COMFORT: An Evening with Yotam Ottolenghi

Multi-GRAMMY winner Aoife O’Donovan will perform songs from her new album All My Friends, a poignant celebration of democracy and womanhood. The album’s nine tracks are deeply inspired by the passage of the 19th Amendment and the evolving fight for women’s rights in America over the last century.

Aoife O’Donovan | America, Come

From his beginnings as one of Chicago’s most thrilling young trumpeters, to his current status as an internationally renowned musician, composer and bandleader, Marquis Hill has worked tirelessly to break down the barriers that divide musical genres. Contemporary and classic jazz, hip-hop, R&B, Chicago house, neo-soul—to Hill, they’re all essential elements of the profound African-American creative heritage he’s a part of. “It all comes from the same tree,” he says. “They simply blossomed from different branches.”

Marquis Hill: Composers Collective

Stop by the Epstein Family Amphitheater to learn all about arts on campus. Talk to representatives from campus arts departments, academic departments, and student organizations and learn how you can be involved in the arts at UC San Diego.

Celebrate the Arts 2024

“Over the course of the last two decades, Xiu Xiu’s prolific and influential output of acclaimed albums and collaborations has been consistently dazzling. They’ve released multiple full-length LPs that have been praised in outlets such as The New Yorker, The Wire, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, NME and many others. They have toured the globe relentlessly, performing in places as far off the beaten path as Kazakhstan and Lebanon and places institutionally vital as the Guggenheim and Centre Pompidou.

Xiu Xiu

Start practicing your paper airplane folding now because Ben Folds is bringing his Paper Airplane Request tour to the Epstein Family Amphitheater! Fans during each of the shows will be invited to launch their song requests to the stage via paper airplanes.

Ben Folds | Paper Airplane Request Tour

Kiefer is a central figure in the diverse independent music scene of Los Angeles. His sound fuses various modalities of Black American Music, from jazz and R&B to hip-hop and electronic music. Kiefer grew up in San Diego, California, immersed in jazz by his father at a young age, and later experimented with hip-hop-inspired beats in high school. While studying jazz piano at UCLA, Kiefer got his education in beats from attending shows at Low End Theory and collaborating with other artists in the scene.

Kiefer Trio

British-Brazilan singer-songwriter Liana Flores pairs dream-like vignettes of her intimate world with wistful guitar melodies to get lost in, combining a unique and intoxicating range of stylistic influences from British folk and classic jazz to ‘60s Brazilian bossa nova.

Liana Flores

Get ready to sing, dance, and relive Selena’s concert. Anything for Salinas Band brings an incredible show to all of Selena’s fans—dedicating every song to the late Queen of TexMex, Selena. Formed by Karol Posadas and her family members, Anything for Salinas Band perform a show full of Selena’s top hits that will have you singing and dancing all night long.

Anything for Salinas

UC San Diego’s ArtPower and Celebrate AMERI’KANA  presents Los Texmaniacs, Gaby Moreno, Making Movies, Renee Goust, AMERI’KANA All-Stars, and more in a day-long festival on August 24.  Founded by the Latin Grammy-nominated band Making Movies, Celebrate AMERI’KANA is a traveling festival honoring the diverse colors of American music.

CELEBRATE AMERI’KANA Music and Arts Festival

The Little Mermen are the ultimate Disney tribute concert for Disney fanatics of all ages. The band’s repertoire covers nearly a century of musical canon, including favorites from The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, Frozen and Encanto. The group performs in full costume with band members dressing up as characters from the films. They tour nationally, having recently shared festival stages with Stevie Nicks, Green Day and Joan Jett. The Little Mermen invite you to be their guest for a magical experience jam-packed with nostalgic fun & rockin’ sing-alongs!

The Little Mermen

Joss Stone is a Grammy and Brit award-winning artist who released her star-making critically acclaimed debut album, The Soul Sessions, in 2003, aged just 16. Since then, she has released nine studio albums which have sold over 15 million copies worldwide.

Joss Stone | ELLIPSIS TOUR

Reggae SummerSplash is an annual festival presented by the WorldBeat Cultural Center in San Diego and has a 13 year history of celebrating reggae music and culture. Each year the festival features performances by renowned reggae artists, providing a vibrant atmosphere that brings together fans of the genre. Come out and enjoy this year’s summer festival with the family! There will be a world pop up market including food and beverage vendors.

Reggae SummerSplash Festival

One of the most respected MCs in any language, Ana Tijoux has been winning over fans around the world since her debut 1977 bubbled up from an underground sensation into mainstream recognition after being featured on the hit TV show “Breaking Bad” and favorited by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke.

Ana Tijoux with J Noa

Fantasy and reality blur in this new musical about finding hope and strength in the unlikeliest of places. Inspired by Turkish folklore, enter a world of ogres, ghosts and mermaids in this topical and timeless exploration of outsiders and otherness. The show features a 10-piece orchestra, a cast of local performers, and an original score by “rising star” (Playbill) Truth Future Bachman, an artist in residence at the Public Theater in New York City whose next musical will premiere at Lincoln Center later this year.

Chasing Fear

In the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer’s Masterclass events, attendees will have a chance to learn the fundamentals of speculative fiction from faculty and recent alumni of the selective Clarion Writers’ Workshop. Since 1968 Clarion has been the premier proving ground for writers of science, fiction, fantasy and horror, and now the public will have access to these instructors, their keen approaches to craft, their rich knowledge of the field, and their understanding of the traditions that have fed into the strong legacy Clarion has built over the years.

Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer’s Masterclass

Experience the thrilling Star Trek saga like never before! Join us for an unforgettable evening as the San Diego Symphony performs the exhilarating score of Star Trek (2009) live, perfectly synchronized with the film. Relive the epic journey of James T. Kirk, Spock, and the intrepid crew of the USS Enterprise as they face their greatest challenges yet. The symphony’s powerful rendition of Michael Giacchino’s iconic soundtrack will transport you to the final frontier, adding a new dimension to the breathtaking visuals and action-packed scenes. Don’t miss this extraordinary fusion of film and live music, where the adventure boldly continues!

Star Trek (2009) live with film score played by the San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Join us for a captivating evening as we bring together two iconic actors who have both portrayed the legendary character Sulu in the Star Trek universe. “A Tale of Two Sulus” features George Takei and John Cho in a dynamic conversation that delves into their shared legacy as Starfleet’s esteemed helmsman. Beyond their roles in Star Trek, Takei and Cho are celebrated authors of graphic novels and passionate advocates for social justice. This event promises an engaging exploration of their diverse careers, creative endeavors, and the impactful contributions they have made to important causes. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to hear from two trailblazing artists whose work continues to inspire and resonate across generations.

A Tale of Two Sulus: An Evening with George Takei and John Cho

Bringing a sensibility that comes from being around this music their whole lives, lead guitarist and vocalist, Will Johns, is Eric’s Nephew; on keyboards, Noah East is son to Clapton’s longtime bassist, Nathan East.

The Cream of Clapton Band 24 Nights Revisited

With her distinct style, legendary catalog of music, and a stage presence like no other, it’s easy to see why Taylor Swift is one of the most successful and influential artists of the 21st century. This tribute, created by Cassie B and developed at UC San Diego features all of Taylor’s top hits including; “Shake It Off”, “Blank Space”, “Love Story”, “You Belong With Me”, “Look What You Made Me Do”, “Wildest Dreams”, and more!

Dream Like Taylor

Grab your captain’s hat! The nautical-suited “Titans of Soft Rock” Yachtley Crew will be making port in San Diego for its “Full Steam Ahead Tour”.

Yächtley Crëw | Full Steam Ahead Tour

“Deep Listening: The Story of Pauline Oliveros” tells the story of the iconic composer, performer, teacher, philosopher, technological innovator and humanitarian, Pauline Oliveros. She was one of the world’s original electronic musicians, one of the only females amongst notable post-war American composers, a master accordion player, a teacher and mentor to musicians, a gateway to music and sound for non-musicians and a technical innovator who helped develop everything from tools that allow musicians to play together while in different countries to software that enables those with severe disabilities to create beautiful music. On the vanguard of contemporary American music for six decades, her story illuminates the pathway to how we got where we are and where the future will take us in the worlds of music, the philosophy of sound, and the art of listening.

Deep Listening: The Story of Pauline Oliveros

Hailed by the New Yorker ”not simply for the quality of their music making, exalted as it is, but for the joy they take in the act of connection,” the acclaimed St. Lawrence returns to San Diego. In this performance the St Lawrence are joined by young phenomenon Steven Banks, a performer and composer revolutionizing the role of saxophone in chamber music.

An Evening with the St. Lawrence

An Evening with David Sedaris 2024

Hailed by the New York Times as “a drummer around whom a cult of admiration has formed,” Mark Guiliana brings the same adventurous spirit, eclectic palette and gift for spontaneous invention to a staggering range of styles. Equally virtuosic playing acoustic jazz, boundary-stretching electronic music, or next-level rock, he’s become a key collaborator with such original sonic thinkers as Brad Mehldau, Meshell Ndegeocello, Donny McCaslin, Matisyahu, and the late, great David Bowie.

Mark Guiliana

It’s time for Animaniacs…IN CONCERT! Join the voices of Animaniacs—the iconic animated Warner Bros series (produced by Steven Spielberg)—for a “zany, animany and totally insaney” evening as they perform the world-famous songs from the beloved cartoon series backed by the original projected animation.

Animaniacs Live

After the success of Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman, which won four Academy Awards including Best Picture, drummer/composer Antonío Sánchez performed his dramatic Grammy Award-winning score live around the world. Sánchez’ original music was largely improvised, making each presentation unique. Celebrating the film’s 10th anniversary, he brings Birdman Live to the Epstein Family Amphitheater. One of the most sought-after drummers on the international jazz scene, Sánchez has recorded and performed with the likes of Pat Metheny, Chick Corea, Michael Brecker and Charlie Haden. His 2022 album SHIFT features Trent Reznor, Dave Matthews, Meshell Ndegeocello and more. (Birdman: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, 2014, R, 119 min.)

Antonío Sánchez | Birdman Live 10th Anniversary

Princess Lockerooo is a whirling force with a singular focus; spreading the gospel of waacking. (New York Times) Experience the Epstein Family Amphitheater like never before, as the stage is transformed into a post-modern disco saloon hosting the world premiere of The Big Show, performed by The Fabulous Waack Dancers. The audience, welcomed as club goers and seated on-stage will be immersed in the culture, history and scene of waacking as Princess Lockerooo, the “Queen of Waacking,” honors her mentor, pioneering queer Black waack dancer and Soul Train legend, Tyrone Proctor, who died in 2020, and carries on his legacy through the dance he championed.

Princess Lockerooo’s The Fabulous Waack Dancers: The Big Show

Fusing Afro-Cuban roots with jazz, folk and global rhythms in songs about immigration, resistance and love, OKAN takes their name from the word for heart in their Afro-Cuban religion of Santeria. With vocals in Spanish, English and Spanglish, OKAN is led by the Cuban-born violinist and vocalist Elizabeth Rodriguez and percussionist and vocalist Magdelys Savigne, both Grammy and Latin-Grammy nominees.

OKAN

The four women of Las Migas come from four different cities that span not only the geography of Spain but also its cultural diversity. They all came to the group with one common passion: flamenco. You can hear it in the rhythms of the guitarists, the fluttering violin lines, and the raw power of the vocals. Carolina La Chispa is also a gifted dancer.

Las Migas

This two-hour production will fill you with joy, nostalgia and wonderment as it takes you on a heartfelt journey through Houston’s greatest hits including ‘I Will Always Love You’, ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’, ‘How Will I Know’, ‘One Moment in Time’, ‘I Have Nothing’, ‘Run to You’, ‘Didn’t We Almost Have It All’, ‘Greatest Love of All’, ‘I’m Every Woman’, ‘Queen of the Night’, ‘Exhale (Shoop Shoop)’, ‘Million Dollar Bill’ and more. The Greatest Love of All has wowed audiences across the UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, and continues to gather glowing reviews worldwide.

The Greatest Love of All

The Center for Experimentation and Production of Contemporary Music (CEPROMUSIC), founded in 2012, is the leading new music ensemble in Mexico and a publicly funded program through which artistic and academic activities converge in support of the creation and promotion of contemporary music. In its first ever visit to the US West Coast, Cepromusic will offer two concerts at UC San Diego’s Conrad Prebys Music Center, featuring enthralling recent works by Mexican and UC San Diego composers.

WEDS@7 – CEPROMUSIC Ensemble

CEPROMUSIC Ensemble

“Modern,” “dramatic,” “superb,” “wickedly attentive,” “with a hint of rock ‘n roll energy” are just a few ways critics describe the musical phenomenon that is the St Lawrence String Quartet. The SLSQ is renowned for the intensity of its performances, its breadth of repertoire, and its commitment to concert experiences that are at once intellectually exciting and emotionally alive.  Recent highlights include performances with Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Philharmonic and Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony in John Adams’s Absolute Jest for string quartet and orchestra, and the European premieres of Adams’s second string quartet. Fiercely committed to collaboration with living composers, the SLSQ’s fruitful partnership with Adams, Jonathan Berger, Osvaldo Golijov and many others has yielded some of the finest additions to the quartet literature in recent years. The Quartet is also especially dedicated to the music of Haydn, and are recording his groundbreaking set of six Op. 20 quartets in high-definition video for a free, universal release online in 2018. According to the New Yorker, “…no other North American quartet plays the music of Haydn with more intelligence, expressivity, and force…”  Established in Toronto in 1989, the SLSQ quickly earned acclaim at top international chamber music competitions and was soon playing hundreds of concerts per year worldwide. It established an ongoing residency at Spoleto Festival USA, made prize-winning recordings for EMI of music by Schumann, Tchaikovsky, and Golijov, earning two Grammy nominations and a host of other prizes before being appointed ensemble-in-residence at Stanford University in 1998.  At Stanford, the SLSQ is at the forefront of intellectual life on campus. The SLSQ directs the music department’s chamber music program, and frequently collaborates with other departments including the Schools of Law, Medicine, Business and Education. The Quartet frequently performs at Stanford Live, hosts an annual chamber music seminar, and runs the Emerging String Quartet Program through which it mentors the next generation of young quartets. In the words of Alex Ross of the New Yorker: “The St. Lawrence are remarkable not simply for the quality of their music making, exalted as it is, but for the joy they take in the act of connection.”

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