ArtPower Announces Winter and Spring Events Line Up

With performances by string quartets, percussion ensembles, dance companies, and global artists, ArtPower’s 2025 winter and spring lineup has something for everyone. Hosted across various UC San Diego venues, ArtPower is providing the entire San Diego community with thoughtful, bold, and accessible performances.

ArtPower’s winter programming starts on Jan. 23, 2025, with Fran Lebowitz and concludes on May 22 with the Harlem Gospel Travelers. A full list of Winter and Spring events is provided at the bottom of this release, complete with details on each performer, the venue at which they will perform, and how to purchase tickets. 

ArtPower Set to Host Multiple Premieres and Debuts in 2025

Throughout February, ArtPower will host a variety of regional debuts. Up first on February 18, Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Award-winning composer, violinist, and vocalist, Caroline Shaw will join the contemporary percussion quartet, Sō Percussion and introduce her newest project, Ringdown. 

The Cesária Évora Orchestra will also make its San Diego debut when they bring the late Cesária Évora Cape Verdean music to the Price Center East Ballroom on Feb. 25. The orchestra features some of the greatest singers in world music, including Elida Almeida, Teófilo Chantre, Lucibela, and Nancy Vieira, along with original band members from Évora’s band.

On Feb. 28, the Brentano String Quartet will perform the West Coast premiere of UC San Diego Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor of Music Lei Lang’s newest string quartet composition at the Department of Music’s Conrad Prebys Concert Hall. Later in the season, former San Diego resident and Grammy-nominated sitar Maestra Anoushka Shankar will showcase her new album Chapter III (Untitled) at the Epstein Family Amphitheater on March 16. 

Spring features two world-renowned dance companies: Trinity Irish Dance Company and Malpaso Dance Company. These innovative and dynamic companies offer audiences a unique opportunity to experience the best of Irish and Cuban dance. Trinity Irish Dance Company, known for its bold and innovative approach to traditional Irish step dancing, will perform a high-energy show that is sure to leave audiences on the edge of their seats. Malpaso Dance Company will bring the vibrant energy of Cuban dance to the stage, blending Afro-Cuban rhythms with American modern dance. 

Accessible, World-Class Art Programming for All San Diegans

ArtPower is committed to bringing the San Diego community exceptional, world-class performing arts from a wide range of genres and cultures, as showcased in the upcoming Winter and Spring lineup. This season’s offerings feature a diverse array of music and dance from across the globe, including jazz, folk, and family-friendly performances. With a vibrant mix of international and domestic artists, the program highlights ArtPower’s mission to connect audiences with dynamic, thoughtful experiences that inspire and unite.

With average ticket costs of just $36, audiences can experience world-class arts programming at an affordable price. ArtPower is also pleased to offer the “Jump Up!” event on April 26 free to visitors as part of the La Jolla Playhouse’s Without Walls Festival, which will return to UC San Diego this spring. 

Groups of 10 or more can get a 15% discount on tickets, and San Diego County students with a valid student ID can save up to 50% on tickets to select performances. Attendees can also receive special discounts when they buy tickets to multiple events–subscribe to three to four events for 15% off, five to seven events for 20% off, and eight or more events for 25% off. For more information on tickets to ArtPower events, head to artpower.ucsd.edu/tickets/.

Embodying their mission to bring the arts to every generation, ArtPower will offer multiple performances free of cost to San Diego County students. On the morning of their performance on Feb. 6, the Alfredo Rodríguez Quintet will host a special matinee performance exclusively for San Diego K-12 students at the Mandeville Auditorium. Caroline Shaw and Sō Percussion will also play a special concert for local K-12 students on Feb. 19. 

Intimate Venues that Bring Attendees Closer to Artists They Love

ArtPower shows are presented across a variety of venues across San Diego, each carefully chosen to provide the best possible environment for performances. Shows for the Winter and Spring are hosted at The Epstein Family Amphitheater, the Department of Music’s Conrad Prebys Concert Hall, The Loft, Mandeville Auditorium, the Price Center East Ballroom, and the Balboa Theatre. While each venue differs in size and aesthetic, they all share a common goal: to provide attendees with a uniquely intimate experience that makes them feel like an integral part of the show.

ArtPower’s mission is not just to present concerts and performances, but to create an experience that has an emotional impact on the audience to build empathy, connection, and community through the arts. The six venues that host ArtPower’s events are the ideal settings to facilitate this type of experience. The Loft has the tight-knit feeling of a New York jazz club with the food selections of a vibrant gastropub; the Department of Music’s Conrad Prebys Concert Hall features a unique design of asymmetrical triangular surfaces that diffuse sound evenly throughout the hall, creating incredible acoustics that provide every attendee with the same audio experience regardless of where they sit; situated in the Gaslamp Quarter of Downtown San Diego, the Balboa Theatre transports the audience to an elegant vaudeville auditorium where speakers can deeply connect with the audience; and the Epstein Family Amphitheater has been praised by performers and audiences for its intimate feel, despite its 2,000-seat capacity.

One of the highlights of ArtPower’s Chamber music series at the Department of Music’s Conrad Prebys Concert Hall is the pre-show “ArtTalk.” These pre-show conversations invite attendees to arrive at each show early for an intimate Q&A session with artists before they take the stage. These sessions offer ArtPower patrons a unique experience to engage with the artists and develop a new perspective on their performances. 

Regardless of where you catch an ArtPower show, you’ll experience an intimate artistic performance that you simply can’t find anywhere else in San Diego.

ArtPower 2025 Winter and Spring Season Lineup

Genre List/Descriptions:

Chamber Music

The Chamber Music series, the cornerstone of ArtPower, showcases classical music in intimate chamber ensemble settings.

Dance

From emerging troupes to renowned dance companies, experience captivating performances in varied settings by groundbreaking national and international artists.

Jazz

Discover the next generation of jazz talents with performances from rising stars in the genre, alongside seasoned veterans.

Global

Experience the vibrant talents of global artists who share their culture through captivating performances in music and dance.

American Routes

Explore the rich tapestry and history of Americana music, from blues to folk to gospel and beyond.

Speaker (New!)

The Speaker Series features influential voices from diverse backgrounds, each sharing powerful stories and unique perspectives.

Family

An exciting music series for young audiences featuring jazz, global, routes, pop, and more, designed to inspire the next generation of performing arts enthusiasts.

Asterisk*(New!)

When you see this symbol*, it indicates artists that are pushing the boundaries, often across genres.

Indie-Pop (New!)

Blending catchy melodies with a DIY ethos, featuring a blend of alternative rock and pop influences. It emphasizes creative freedom, quirky lyrics, and eclectic sounds. These events are standing-room only.

An Evening with Fran Lebowitz 

Speaker Series | Thursday, Jan. 23 at 7:30 p.m. | Balboa Theatre | Tickets start at $52.50

In a cultural landscape filled with endless pundits and talking heads, author, journalist, and social observer Fran Lebowitz stands out as one of our most insightful social commentators. Her essays and interviews offer her acerbic views on current events and the media—as well as pet peeves including tourists, baggage-claim areas, after-shave lotion, adults who roller skate, children who speak French, or anyone who is unduly tan. The New York Times Book Review calls Lebowitz an “important humorist in the tradition.” Purveyor of urban cool, Lebowitz is a cultural satirist whom many call the heir to Dorothy Parker. 

H Sinno 

Global* |Friday, Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m. | Mandeville Auditorium | Tickets start at $35

H.Sinno is a composer-performer, writer, and designer based in New York. They have been the lyricist and front-person for Mashrou Leila since 2008, engaging in conversations around representation, free speech, gender justice, and sexual freedoms in the Middle East. Their solo debut, “Poems of Consumption,” opened at London’s Barbican Centre in July 2023, and is currently on tour in the US. Partially inspired by Mark Fisher’s Capitalist Realism, “Poems of Consumption” is a song cycle built on poetry published in Amazon customer reviews, covering themes like ennui, surveillance capitalism, heartbreak, boycotts, and orientalism, with compositions that juxtapose harsh electronica with the whimsy of a string quartet.

Isaiah Collier 

Jazz | Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. | The Loft | Tickets start at $35

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 are drawn from the influences of other master saxophonists such as John Coltrane, Roscoe Mitchell, Wayner Shorter, Ari Brown, and Gene Ammons. 

Alfredo Rodríguez Quintet: Coral Way 

Jazz | Thursday, Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. | Mandeville Auditorium | Tickets start at $35

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 expansively, with a full live band.” Since 2015, Alfredo has captivated audiences with sold-out performances at ArtPower. Now making his fourth appearance, he continues to be a highly anticipated and celebrated artist on our stage.

Ira Glass: Seven Things I’ve Learned 

Speaker | Saturday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m. | Balboa Theatre | Tickets start at $52.50

Ira Glass is the creator, producer & host of “This American Life,” the iconic weekly public radio program with millions of listeners around the world. Using audio clips, music, and video, Ira Glass delivers a unique talk; sharing lessons from his life and career in storytelling: What inspires him to create? What drives his passion? How have failures and successes informed his decisions? During his presentation, Ira Glass will mix stories live onstage and help his audience better follow the creative process of one of our foremost storytellers.

Harlem Quartet: Echoes of Inspiration 

Chamber | Friday, Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m. | Department of Music’s Conrad Prebys Concert Hall | Tickets start at $40

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,” the Grammy-award-winning Harlem Quartet returns to San Diego with Echoes of Inspiration, an eclectic program that weaves together works from three different centuries. Featuring works by Beethoven, Britten, Caroline Shaw, and Guido Lopez-Gavilan, the program highlights pieces that each composer wrote to celebrate the influence of their heroes and cultural traditions.

Caroline Shaw & Sō Percussion featuring Ringdown 

Special Event / Chamber * | Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m. | Mandeville Auditorium | Tickets start at $40

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.

Cesária Évora Orchestra 

Global | Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. | Price Center East Ballroom | Tickets start at $35

The 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 Nancy Vieira alongside band members from Évora’s band.

Brentano String Quartet
Chamber | Friday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. | Department of Music’s Conrad Prebys Concert Hall | Tickets start at $40

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 by Dvorak, Schubert, Bartok, and Monteverdi that evoke a sense of place, identity, and heritage.

AJ Lee & Blue Summit 

America Routes | Wednesday, March 5 at 8 p.m. | The Loft | Tickets start at $30

AJ Lee & Blue Summit is 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. 

Anoushka Shankar: Chapter III
Global | Sunday, March 16 at 7 p.m. | Epstein Family Amphitheater | Tickets start at $45

Anoushka Shankar brings to ArtPower a new band of musicians with whom she has carved out a new, multifaceted, and dynamic sound as they perform music from her three newly-released mini-albums “Chapter I: Forever, For Now,” “Chapter II: How Dark it Is Before Dawn,” and marking the release of “Chapter III (Untitled)” coming in March 2025, alongside thoroughly shaken-up, reinterpreted gems from her previous releases including the Grammy-nominated live album “Between Us…”

Tarta Relena
Global | Wednesday, March 19 at 8 p.m. | The Loft | Tickets start at $27

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 pregnant.”

Trinity Irish Dance Company
Dance / Global | Friday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m. | Balboa Theatre | Tickets start at $60

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 that “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.” 

Okee Dokee Brothers
Family / American Routes | Saturday, April 5 at 2 p.m. | Epstein Family Amphitheater | Tickets start at $30

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 Second City 65th Anniversary Show
Special Event | Thursday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m. | Epstein Family Amphitheater | Tickets start at $30

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.

Meta4 

Chamber | Friday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. | Department of Music’s Conrad Prebys Concert Hall | Tickets start at $40

Founded in 2001, Meta4 is one of Finland’s most celebrated string quartets. In 2004, the ensemble won first prize and the special prize for the best interpretation of a Shostakovich work at the International Shostakovich String Quartets Competition in Moscow and, in 2007, first prize at the International Joseph Haydn Chamber Music Competition in Vienna. The Finnish Ministry of Culture awarded the ensemble the Finland Prize in recognition of its international cultural influence and Meta4 was chosen for the “BBC New Generation Artist Scheme”.

THE JUMP UP! Sandbox Percussion, Steven Schick, and local community percussionists
Special Event | Saturday, April 26 at 3:00 p.m. | Epstein Family Amphitheater | FREE

In partnership with UC San Diego Professor Steven Schick and Red Fish Blue Fish, the percussion ensemble presents the West Coast premiere of THE JUMP UP!, a site-specific piece shaped to accommodate the specific topography and features of its location. All the musicians will move through the space during the piece, first offering the audience a wide panoramic perspective that gradually gathers towards the audience as the performance goes on. At the finale, the players merge into the audience, who will be invited to join into the musical fabric by clapping or vocalizing (as instructed on the fly by Sandbox Percussion) to form a single communal orchestra. Described as “exhilarating” by The New York Times, the Grammy-nominated ensemble Sandbox Percussion champions living composers through its unwavering dedication to contemporary chamber music. Presented as part of La Jolla Playhouse’s WOW Festival. 

Malpaso Dance Company
Dance/Global | Tuesday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m. | Epstein Family Amphitheater | Tickets start at $30

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.

An Evening with David Sedaris
Speaker | Thursday, May 8 at 7:30 p.m. | Balboa Theatre | Tickets start at $52.50

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. Come early or stick around post-performance for Sedaris’s legendary book signing sessions. 

Harlem Gospel Travelers 

American Routes | Thursday, May 22 at 8 p.m. | The Loft | Tickets start at $27

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.