The LA Phil has announced the highly anticipated 2026 Hollywood Bowl summer season, promising a lineup spanning from classical concerts to rap and Broadway hits.
“The Hollywood Bowl is one of Los Angeles’ great cultural treasures, bringing world-class music to audiences in a setting that is welcoming, joyful and accessible to our local communities,” LA Phil President and CEO Kim Noltemy said. “This summer’s season reflects the extraordinary range of what the Bowl offers — from the return of the Blue Note Jazz Festival and a celebration of America’s 250th anniversary with The Beach Boys, to Joe Hisaishi’s iconic film music and a fitting tribute to Gustavo Dudamel’s 17 remarkable years leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Together, these programs capture the Bowl’s unique ability to unite our city in ways that resonate far beyond Los Angeles.”
Opening Night at the LA Phil is on Saturday, June 20. It will include a selection of Broadway’s greatest hits with Hollywood Bowl Orchestra led by Principal Conductor Thomas Wilkins, followed by a fireworks display. The evening will benefit the LA Phil’s learning and community programs.
This year marks LA Phil’s 104th season as the world-renowned amphitheater in the Hollywood Hills, and LA Phil Music and Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel’s 17th season at the helm. This year, they are honoring his impact with “Celebrating Gustavo at the Bowl,” a week of performances that brings together the Los Angeles Philharmonic and guest artists. Members of Youth Orchestra Los Angeles will perform throughout that week.
“The Hollywood Bowl is where my journey with the Los Angeles Philharmonic truly began, and it remains one of the most meaningful places for me to make music,” Dudamel said. “Together, we’ve challenged ourselves, expanded what an orchestra can be, and built a community rooted in curiosity and connection. This August, our celebratory programs bring together everything that has defined our work: the timeless power of Beethoven, collaborations across genres, and the extraordinary young musicians of YOLA, who represent our future. To share these performances in the place where I first stood before this orchestra, surrounded by the city and the stars, is an immense source of pride and gratitude.”
The lineup for “Celebrating Gustavo at the Bowl,” as provided by the LA Phil, is as follows:
“Beethoven 9” on Thursday, Aug. 20, 8 p.m. — Dudamel is a devoted Beethoven champion, and together he and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, musicians of YOLA and the Los Angeles Master Chorale will perform the composer’s uplifting and inspirational Ninth Symphony. The evening begins with the world premiere of a new orchestral piece by Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino featuring Los Angeles Children’s Chorus singing lyrics by Amanda Gorman—the youngest presidential inaugural poet in US history.
Dudamel’s Playlist on Friday, Aug. 21, 8 p.m. — Join Gustavo for a one-of-a-kind, one-night-only celebration. Acting as host for the evening, he’ll invite some of his favorite artists to the stage for a surprise-filled performance. Guests to be announced. (Friday, August 21, at 8PM)
Foo Fighters with the LA Phil and YOLA on Saturday, Aug. 22, 8 p.m. — As the Foos gear up for a worldwide stadium tour, they draw from era-defining hits accompanied by the heft and grace of one of the world’s great orchestras. (Saturday, August 22, at 8PM)
A Musical Legacy on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 8 p.m. — Gustavo leads an extraordinary genre-spanning concert that showcases the incredible range of music he’s performed with the orchestra in the last 17 years including performances from across the worlds of classical, pop, Latin, and more.
The Summer Home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic
The Los Angeles Philharmonic has performed classic music at the Hollywood Bowl for over a century. Highlights of performances through July, as provided by LA Phil in a news release, include:
Wilkins Conducts Bernstein & Ellington
Wednesday, July 8, 8 p.m.
Thomas Wilkins leads an all-American program featuring favorites by Duke Ellington and Leonard Bernstein. The program also premieres a newly orchestrated song cycle from Shaina Taub’s 2024 Tony-winning musical Suffs, centered around the movement for women’s voting rights.
The Classical World Cup
Thursday, July 9, 8 p.m.
The LA Phil celebrates the World Cup with a soccer-themed program of works from across the Americas. Tito Muñoz makes his Los Angeles Philharmonic debut, conducting the orchestra in the world premiere (LA Phil commission) of Adam Schoenberg’s The Art of the Goal. Randall Goosby brings an athletic approach to Barber’s Violin Concerto. Copland and Ginastera’s high-spirited suites and Revueltas’ rip-roaring Sensemayá help capture the essence of the world’s most beloved sport.
Tchaikovsky & Beethoven
Tuesday, July 14, 8 p.m.
Beethoven’s “ideal” symphony pairs with Tchaikovsky’s sublime concerto for this evening featuring two iconic composers. Though initially thought to be unplayable, Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto has become a certified crowd-pleaser, and features one of its great interpreters, soloist Leonidas Kavakos, teaming up with conductor Cristian Măcelaru. The evening concludes with Beethoven’s buoyant Seventh Symphony.
Mozart & Brahms
Thursday, July 16, 8 p.m.
Spanish conductor Roberto González-Monjas reunites with the orchestra for his first-ever performance on the Hollywood Bowl stage leading Brahms’ tragic, yet profound, fourth and final symphony. Also making his Bowl debut is 27-year-old pianist Mao Fujita performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 19, which features what might be the most complex finale the composer ever wrote.
Rhapsody in Blue & Shostakovich
Tuesday, July 28, 8 p.m.
Marin Alsop conducts the orchestra in a program featuring pianist Conrad Tao who brings his “fierce technique and footloose grace” (San Francisco Chronicle) to Gershwin’s jazzy classic. Alsop’s return to the Hollywood Bowl stage also features Shostakovich’s power-packed Fifth Symphony as well as Anna Clyne’s short but sweet Masquerade.
Pictures at an Exhibition
Thursday, July 30, 8 p.m.
Armenian Austrian conductor Emmanuel Tjeknavorian, in his Bowl debut, leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a program that opens with Khachaturian’s sabre-rattling “Gayane” suite. Cellist Zlatomir Fung joins for Tchaikovsky’s elegant ode to Mozart in “Variations on a Rococo Theme.” The evening ends with Mussorgsky’s musical gallery visit, rendered expressively through Ravel’s colorful orchestration.
Biggest Names in Music
Beyond the classical hits that wow music lovers, The Hollywood Bowl 2026 season sees some of the biggest talents in music take the stage, with programming including pop, rock, hip-hop, jazz, salsa, reggae and blues.
Highlights of these star-studded evenings through July, as provided by LA Phil, include:
Juneteenth with Chance The Rapper
Friday, June 19, 8 p.m.
Chance The Rapper, one of rap’s great independent success stories, headlines this one-night-only celebration of Juneteenth and Black music. The three-time Grammy winner blasted into the modern rap stratosphere with his 2016 mixtape “Coloring Book,” and his latest album “Star Line” was met with adulation by audiences and critics alike.
Reggae Night XXIV
Sunday, June 21, 7 p.m.
Two of reggae’s most influential proponents Ziggy Marley and Burning Spear unite for the 24th Reggae Night at the Bowl. Nine-time Grammy winner Ziggy Marley expands on his father’s legacy with his own inimitable brand of reggae, while fellow pioneer Burning Spear brings his own distinctive rhythms and songcraft to the evening. Rising star Zuri Marley opens the night with a DJ set.
A Roots Picnic Experience
Saturday, June 27, 7:30 p.m.
The legendary Roots crew is bringing “A Roots Picnic Experience” back to the Bowl for the third year in a row. This time, for “A Great Night in Hip-Hop,” they’ll be joined by one of the greatest rappers of all time: Nas, with appearances from T.I., Bun B, De La Soul and more. It’s a celebration of the beauty, joy and power of hip-hop, curated by one of the greatest groups in the genre’s history.
Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass & Other Delights
Sunday, July 5, 7:30 p.m.
With its saucy, now-iconic record cover, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass’ 1965 smash album “Whipped Cream & Other Delights” soundtracked the swinging `60s and propelled Alpert’s blend of jazz, pop, mariachi, and Latin grooves into the mainstream. With nine Grammys and five No. 1 hits to his name, this trumpet legend brings his formidable live show to the Hollywood Bowl.
Salsa Night: Nathy Peluso & Grupo Niche
Wednesday, July 15, 8 p.m.
Five-time Latin Grammy winner Nathy Peluso made her name with defiant hip-hop and R&B, but on her latest EP, “Malportada,” she embraces traditional salsa so powerfully Billboard says she “shines with the force of a hurricane.” She’s joined by Colombian icons Grupo Niche—known for the salsa anthem “Cali Pachanguero,” among other beloved hits—for a hip-shaking night of thumping rhythms and formidable musicianship.
Let the Sunshine In: The Music of ’69
Friday, July 17, 8 p.m.
One unforgettable summer. A movement that reshaped a generation. Experience the spirit of 1969 as we celebrate the groundbreaking music of Woodstock and the Harlem Cultural Festival in a powerful concert that brings era-defining anthems back to life. Bold, rebellious and deeply human, this music became the heartbeat of change. From soul-stirring ballads to electrifying guitar riffs—blending rock, funk, and soul—award-winning vocalists Lizzy McAlpine, Morgan James, Noah J. Ricketts and Bryonha Marie Parham join the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra led by conductor Ted Sperling for an evening that honors a time of protest, freedom, creativity and cultural awakening. These were the songs that changed everything. And their message resonates now more than ever.
Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms, Spin Doctors
Saturday, July 18, 8 p.m.
Blues Traveler, who last year celebrated 30 years since the release of their Grammy Award-winning breakthrough hit “Run-Around,” will join Gin Blossoms, whose quadruple-platinum album “New Miserable Experience” helped define ’90s alternative radio. Legendary alternative rock band Spin Doctors start off the evening commemorating the 35th anniversary of their multi-platinum debut “Pocket Full of Kryptonite,” which features the chart-topping, Grammy-nominated hit “Two Princes.”
Bob Moses and Cannons: The Afterglow Tour
Sunday, July 19, 7 p.m.
Bob Moses has one foot in the grooves and pounding beats of the electronic music scene and the other in the reflective songwriting and guitar work of indie rock. The duo brings both to the Bowl with a full live band performance including new music from their recent acclaimed album “BLINK.” The neon-lit electro, disco and synthwave of Cannons will fill the Bowl with songs from their highly anticipated new album as well as fan favorites like “Fire for You.”
Smokey Robinson & Gladys Knight: Just the Two of Us
Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25, 8 p.m.
It’s a night of musical royalty when Smokey Robinson (“The King of Motown”) and Gladys Knight (“The Empress of Soul”) take over the Bowl. This pair of Grammy-winning singers have been illuminating stages for six decades, delivering hit after hit of tenderness, heartache and joy.
Boris Brejcha with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
Saturday, July 26, 7 p.m.
For the last two decades Boris Brejcha has been blowing up raves and festivals around the world with the polished thump of his signature high-tech minimal dance music. Hidden behind a joker mask inspired by Venice’s Carnival, he assembles sets of elegant, straightforward and deceptively intelligent music. The power and heft of an orchestra will highlight the detail and care in his music and mark the German DJ’s first-ever performance with orchestra.