This site will look much better in a browser that supports web standards, but it is accessible to any browser or Internet device.
About The LJS&C
Identity and Mission Statements
The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus Association is a performance ensemble affiliated with the University of California, San Diego, which performs six concert weekends each year at UCSD's Mandeville Auditorium, and special performances at other venues in Southern California. The LJSCA is an independent, non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation, comprised of volunteer musicians from all walks of life, including UCSD students, staff and faculty, as well as professional musicians — a diverse group with exceptional talent and passion for the music it performs.
The mission of the La Jolla Symphony and Chorus is to enrich the cultural life of San Diego through professional-caliber, financially accessible concerts of ground-breaking, traditional and contemporary classical music. The LJS&C provides educational outreach to the community by bringing students to open rehearsals, concerts and music clinics. Through our Young Artists Competition and Thomas Nee Commission for new compositions, we also provide young musicians and composers with rare professional performance opportunities.
Cutting Edge Classical Music Concerts
Our dedication to uncommon music has resulted in programming in which 40% or more of performances include premieres, recent compositions and rarely performed orchestral and choral works. Through the Thomas Nee Commissioning Endowment, named in honor of our former Music Director of 30 years, the LJS&C continues to promote the work of living composers, annually commissioning a new work to be premiered during the concert season. Examples of this adventurous programming are:
- Sitar Concerto No. 1 by Ravi Shankar, performed with his daughter, Anoushka Shankar.
- The world premiere of Concerto for Mariachi and Orchestra by Jeff Nevin.
- The West Coast premiere of Ode to Common Things by Cary Ratcliff, an oratorio based on the poetry of Pablo Neruda.
- The world premiere of Linda Kernohan's Now A Wanderer, a work for chorus and orchestra based on the memoirs of female aviator Beryl Markham.
Young Artists Competition
We believe in continuing our work by investing in the next generation of musicians. Towards this aim, every year the La Jolla Symphony and Chorus hosts our Young Artists Competition. One of the oldest competitions for music students in San Diego, the contest is open to singers, ages 18-28, and instrumentalists, ages 14 to 26, from around San Diego County and Baja California. The competition provides these talented young artists an opportunity to earn prestige, perform as soloists with the La Jolla Symphony Orchestra, serve as role models to their peers and earn $6000 in cash prizes. Many Young Artists Competition winners go on to join our ensemble and to prestigious professional careers in music.
- YAC Instrumental Application (PDF)
- YAC Vocal Application (PDF)
- YAC Sample Repertoire (PDF)
Music Literacy Educational Outreach
We are committed to the idea of music literacy and appreciation as a fundamental aspect of education. The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus promotes music literacy in San Diego public schools, grades K-12, through its Music Literacy outreach program which is geared toward helping school children appreciate good music. Musicians from our orchestra and chorus perform lecture/demonstrations that teach children fundamentals of music. We then open our dress rehearsals to these students and their parents at no charge. The Music Literacy outreach's high school component provides LJS&C musicians as mentors to students participating in high school bands.
