Los Angeles Philharmonic Reveals 2024 Hollywood Bowl Summer Season

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association has announced the 2024 Hollywood Bowl summer season with performances at the world-renowned amphitheater in the Hollywood Hills from June to September 2024. In 1924, Hollywood Bowl founders deeded the land to Los Angeles County to ensure it could be enjoyed by all members of the public. The Bowl became a County Park in 1959, operated in partnership by the nonprofit Hollywood Bowl Association, which later became part of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. In 2024, the LA Phil continues this century-long collaboration and stewardship of the iconic venue that welcomes visitors from across the county and beyond each summer. For the 2024 Hollywood Bowl season, the LA Phil continues its tradition of presenting classical concerts under the stars with LA Phil Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel conducting the orchestra and a roster of star-studded guest artists spanning classical, pop, rock, hip-hop, jazz, Broadway and opera as well as celebrations of beloved film music.

 

The exciting lineup opens with a 100th birthday celebration for 20-time Grammy winner Henry Mancini. Special holiday performances will honor Juneteenth, with T-Pain and special guests, and the July Fourth Fireworks Spectacular with Harry Connick Jr.

 

Among the artists who make their Hollywood Bowl debuts this summer are jazz sensation Laufey performing with the LA Phil, singer-songwriter Mitski and six-time Latin Grammy-winner Camilo. Returning to the Hollywood Bowl are audience favorites Pink Martini featuring China Forbes, The Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes, Boyz II Men and violinists Joshua Bell and Augustin Hadelich, as well as LA Phil Conductor Emeritus Zubin Mehta, who will return for his first performance at the Hollywood Bowl in 30 years. Also coming back this season is the traditional Tchaikovsky Spectacular, as well as the Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival co-curated by Kamasi Washington and LA Phil Creative Chair for Jazz Herbie Hancock, which returns for its third year.

 

Additional season highlights include LA's own Beck, for a special one-night performance with the LA Phil; Natalia Lafourcade teaming up with Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Phil for two unforgettable nights; a 100th anniversary celebration of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue; the very first West Coast Roots Picnic, a tribute to hip-hop, with The Roots, Queen Latifah, Common, Digable Planets, Arrested Development, The Pharcyde, Black Sheep, and more; a landmark collaboration with Mexico's premier traditional dance company, Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández; an All-Beethoven evening featuring the virtuosic trio of Sunwook Kim, Clara-Jumi Kang, and Hayoung Choi in the Triple Concerto closing with Symphony No. 5; and composer and conductor John Williams' Maestro of the Movies program, in which he will share the podium with accomplished composer and conductor David Newman for a memorable evening of music from Hollywood's Golden Age as well as his own beloved film scores.

 

The season will also include the world debut of the highly anticipated Marvel Studios' Infinity Saga Concert Experience. Conducted by Dudamel, the concert will transport audiences on a cinematic journey through the franchise's first 23 films, weaving together the legendary characters of the Marvel universe into one story from an all-new perspective.

 

Gustavo Dudamel said, “This year, I celebrate my 15th summer at the Hollywood Bowl. The Bowl has always been a place that transports us to new and different musical worlds, and this season will take us on some truly wonderful journeys together. From Beethoven and Bernstein's musical explorations of joy to the farthest edges of the Marvel multiverse. From the whimsical march through the Carnival of the Animals to the deeply personal songs of Natalia Lafourcade, the Hollywood Bowl is a stage where the past and present come together to carry us toward a more beautiful future.”

 

The LA Phil will be led by Gustavo Dudamel, LA Phil Conductor Emeritus Zubin Mehta, and more than 15 outstanding guest conductors, including Teddy Abrams, David Afkham, Ryan Bancroft, Rodolfo Barráez, Lionel Bringuier, Elim Chan, Kevin John Edusei, François López-Ferrer, Carlos Miguel Prieto, Christian Reif, Steven Reineke, David Robertson, Dima Slobodeniouk, Otto Tausk and Xian Zhang. The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra will be conducted by its Principal Conductor, Thomas Wilkins, as well as guest conductor Sarah Hicks.

Gustavo Dudamel

LA Phil Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel returns for his 15th Hollywood Bowl season to conduct nine performances with the LA Phil, beginning August 29 with breakout pianist Yunchan Lim for Beethoven's “Emperor” Concerto, along with Tchaikovsky's passionate Fifth Symphony. Dudamel will lead the LA Phil through the Marvel universe for the evening-long Infinity Saga (Aug. 30 and 31) and then, on Sept. 3 and 5, joins brother-sister pianists Sergio Tiempo and Karin Lechner in Saint-Saëns's Carnival of the Animals, and mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb singing scenes from Carmen and also leads Spanish dance music by Roberto Sierra. Dudamel will conduct alongside 18-time Latin Grammy winner Natalia Lafourcade in songs from her celebrated De Todas las Flores (Sept. 6 and 7). He conducts Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and Bernstein's stirring Chichester Psalms with the Los Angeles Master Chorale on Sept. 10. Two of opera's most highly regarded singers—soprano Diana Damrau and tenor Jonas Kaufmann—will join Dudamel on Sept. 12 in his final performance of the season for a night of aria and duet favorites and symphonic scenes of Italy.

 

CLASSICAL

 

Classical Tuesdays and Classical Thursdays return to the Hollywood Bowl this season with a robust program featuring emerging and established talents. Classical Tuesdays opens with rising-star conductor and Dudamel Fellowship alumna Elim Chan leading Rimsky-Korsakov's fantastical Scheherazade and Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 with one of the greatest violinists of our time, Augustin Hadelich, in his long-awaited return to the Bowl (July 9). The series continues with David Afkham conducting violin soloist Ray Chen playing Tchaikovsky (July 16); Zubin Mehta returning after three decades to lead a Bowl tradition he started with Mozart Under the Stars, featuring violinist Pinchas Zukerman (July 23); and Kevin John Edusei conducting Stravinsky's Firebird Suite and Khachaturian's Violin Concerto with soloist Martin Chalifour (July 30). The program continues in August with pianist Denis Kozhukhin performing Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 and conductor Ryan Bancroft leading Shostakovich's Symphony No.10 (Aug. 6). An all-Rachmaninoff program featuring pianist Alexander Malofeev in the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini will be led by Dima Slobodeniouk, who also will conduct Symphony No. 2 (Aug. 13). Star violinist Midori performs Dvořak's Violin Concerto and Christian Reif leads the composer's Carnival Overture and Seventh Symphony on Aug. 20. September offers two Classical Tuesday performances conducted by Dudamel: scenes from Carmen, Carnival of the Animals and Spanish dance music by Roberto Sierra (Sept. 3) and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 (Sept. 10).

 

Classical Thursdays begin with the 100th-anniversary celebration of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet conducted by Lionel Bringuier along with opera star Isabel Leonard in selections of Gershwin songs (July 11). Mexico's premier traditional dance company Ballet Folklórico de México performs with conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto in music by Márquez, Moncayo, Revueltas and more (July 18). Renowned conductor David Robertson leads the LA Phil on July 25 in performances of Beethoven's exuberant Triple Concerto (with pianist Sunwook Kim, violinist Clara-Jumi Kang, and cellist Hayoung Choi) and Symphony No. 5. In August, Xian Zhang leads Wagner's Overture to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Schumann's Symphony No. 1, and Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 with violinist Karen Gomyo (Aug. 1). François López-Ferrer will lead the LA Phil in an evening of Argentine and Spanish dance–inspired symphonic music with violinist Blake Pouliot, leading up to Ravel's Bolero with the company Flamenco Vivo Carlos Santana (Aug. 8). On Aug. 15, the LA Phil's Assistant Conductor Rodolfo Barráez leads performances of Copland's Mexican folk–inspired symphonic piece El Salón México, Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, and The Elements, a collaborative work by five stellar U.S. composers, with violinist Joshua Bell as soloist. Teddy Abrams conducts Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring and Michael Tilson Thomas' Agnegram on Aug. 22. Dudamel closes out the Classical Thursdays lineup conducting a performance of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky featuring breakout-star pianist Yunchan Lim (Aug. 29), selections from Carmen with Rihab Chaieb, Carnival of the Animals with pianists Sergio Tiempo and Karin Lechner and dance music by Roberto Sierra (Sept. 5), and a performance featuring two of opera's most highly regarded singers, Diana Damrau and Jonas Kaufmann (Sept. 12).

 

WEEKEND SPECTACULARS

 

Throughout the season, Friday and Saturday evenings will offer larger-than-life performances in the Weekend Spectacular series. Legendary composer and conductor John Williams brings his nights of movie music back to the Hollywood Bowl in this series, sharing the podium with maestro David Newman for a program of Hollywood classics and his own beloved film scores (July 12–13). Sarah Hicks conducts the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra in Disney '80s-'90s Celebration in Concert with special guest vocalists performing songs from iconic Disney films of the 1980s and 1990s with clips shown on the big screen (July 19–20). The legendary Chaka Khan marks her 50th year in the music industry during her return to the Bowl (July 26). One of the Hollywood Bowl's most thrilling summer traditions returns with Otto Tausk leading Tchaikovsky works, complete with a dazzling fireworks showcase (Aug. 2–3). Four-time Grammy-winning singer India. Arie returns to the Hollywood Bowl (Aug. 9). Grammy Award–winning hitmakers The Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes return to celebrate the spirit of flamenco (Aug. 16–17). Pink Martini featuring China Forbes helmed by pianist Thomas Lauderdale returns with genre-defying songs that traverse time and geography (Aug. 23–24). Boyz II Men headlines the closing Weekend Spectacular of the season with a fireworks finale (Sept. 13–14).

 

JAZZ

 

A broad and dynamic range of singers, songwriters, rappers, instrumentalists, and more join T-Pain and the Color of Noize Orchestra led by conductor Derrick Hodge for a Juneteenth celebration honoring freedom, perseverance, determination, and creativity (June 19). Big Band Night showcases The Maria Schneider Orchestra and Count Basie Orchestra (July 17). Singer Laufey brings her unique songbook rooted in the classical stylings of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Chet Baker, joined by the LA Phil (Aug. 7). Herbie Hancock Head Hunters 50th celebrates the landmark album when Herbie reunites for the first time since 1973 with the original lineup of Harvey Mason, Bennie Maupin, and Bill Summers, with Marcus Miller standing in for the late Paul Jackson (Aug. 14). Modern day blues legend Gary Clark Jr. returns with The War and Treaty on Aug. 21. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue as well as Big Boi return for a New Orleans-style celebration (Sept. 4). An extraordinary ensemble of singers, dancers, and musicians will come together with conductor Thomas Wilkins and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra to celebrate the life and music of Sammy Davis Jr. in recognition of his 100th anniversary (Sept. 11). The duo of Rodrigo y Gabriela return to the Bowl for another night of power, energy, and precision on Sept. 18.

 

KCRW FESTIVAL

 

The KCRW Festival, now in its 24th year, will bring performances highlighting diverse musical genres to the Hollywood Bowl. The series begins with a co-headlined concert of Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit and Sylvan Esso (July 21) and will be followed by an all-star lineup celebrating the influence and legacy of Jamaica, in Reggae Night XXII (Aug. 4). Mt. Joy will debut at the Hollywood Bowl on Aug. 25, Vance Joy celebrates the 10-year anniversary of his album ‘dream your life away' (Sept. 8) and three of cumbia's biggest-ever bands—Grupo Cañaveral de Humberto Pabón, La Sonora Dinamita, and Los Hermanos Flores—will play the Bowl together on Sept. 22.

 

SUNDAY SUNSET

 

The Sunday Sunset concerts include the return of the Grammy-winning Godmother of Soul Patti LaBelle (July 7), fan-favorite music from Les Misérables, Miss Saigon and more, featuring Broadway classics by the legendary duo of lyricist Alain Boublil and composer Claude-Michel Schönberg sung by an all-star cast of special guests (July 28), as well as Toto and Christopher Cross performing their greatest hits (Sept. 1) and the Fireworks Finale with Boyz II Men (Sept. 15).

 

SPECIAL CONCERTS

 

The Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival returns with an all-star line-up including Jodeci, Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper with Yebba, Christian McBride, Cory Henry, Charles Lloyd, Baby Rose, The Soul Rebels with Seun Kuti, Mulatu Astatke, Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, Alex Isley, Aneesa Strings, Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance Ensemble at UCLA and more (June 15-16). The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra under the baton of Principal Conductor Thomas Wilkins, along with special guests including Michael Bublé, Dave Koz and Monica Mancini, Raise the Curtain on the Bowl's 2024 season with a 100th birthday celebration of 20-time Grammy-winning composer and frequent conductor at the Hollywood Bowl Henry Mancini (June 23). The Roots, joined by their musical heroes and peers including Queen Latifah, Common, Digable Planets, Arrested Development, The Pharcyde and Black Sheep celebrate hip-hop (June 29). Grammy and Emmy Award-winner Harry Connick Jr., the Los Angeles Philharmonic and conductor Thomas Wilkins perform at the July Fourth Fireworks Spectacular (July 2-4). Eight-time Grammy winner Beck also joins forces with the LA Phil conducted by Steven Reineke (July 6). John Williams returns for a concert featuring some of the most memorable movie music complete with a selection of film clips (July 14). The annual mini-festival dedicated to smooth jazz returns, featuring George Benson (Aug. 18). David Newman will conduct the LA Phil in the score for Singin' in the Rain, live to picture, on Aug. 27.

 

As the season begins to wrap up, Boyz II Men will take the stage Sept. 13-15, with a Fireworks Finale. The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA, performed by the world's greatest ABBA tribute band, pays homage to the incomparable Swedish group (Sept. 20). Audience members are invited to don costumes for Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music Sing-A-Long (Sept. 21), hosted by Melissa Peterman. Six-time Latin Grammy winner Camilo makes his Hollywood Bowl debut (Sept. 26), followed by Mitski coming to the Bowl in support of her “world-expanding record” The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We, along with singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten (Sept. 28).

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