January 8, 9 & 10, 2026

7:30 PM

The annual soundON Festival returns! Presented by San Diego New Music and the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, this year’s lineup showcases cutting-edge contemporary music by a global roster of composers, along with music by friends of the festival, such as Juan Campoverde Q.

Authors like Roberto Calasso, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Robert Graves impress upon us the vitality of a grammar of mythologies, not just as fantasy, but as a way of contemplating our own nature, identity, and destiny. Sometimes we create our own myths—stories in our consciousness that stand the test of time—that inform our beliefs, attitudes, and values. The territory spanned by the corridor of our existence may be bordered by history on one side and myth on the other. Through three nights of captivating music, the 18th edition of the soundON Festival will travel this enigmatic terrain.

PROGRAM 

Thursday, January 8, 7:30 PM
Liebestod—myths of love and death

—World premieres by Alyssa Aska and Franklin Cox
—Music by Chaya Czernowin, Alexandra Gardner, Zosha DiCastri, and Benjamin Britten

Friday, January 9, 7:30 PM
Body and Soul—Memory, Contemplation, and Expectation

—World premiere by Sidney Marquez Boquiren
—Music by Michael Gordon, David Lang, Vicky Ray, and Michael Jarrell

Saturday, January 10, 7:30 PM
Mythologies—searching for and seeing ourselves

—World premieres by Juan Campoverde Q., Lukas Schulze, and Sidney Marquez Boquiren
—Music by Yu-hui Chang and  Salvatore Sciarrino

PARTICIPANTS  

NOISE ensemble
Christopher Adler, piano and khaen
Lisa Cella, flute
Franklin Cox, cello
Colin McAllister, classical guitar and conductor
Mark Menzies, violin
Robert Zelickman, clarinet

GUEST MUSICIANS

Stephanie Aston, soprano
Leslie Ann Leytham, soprano
Wesley Fowler, percussion
Matt Kline, contrabass

The concert will be in person at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library (1008 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037). There are no physical tickets for these events. Your name will be on an attendee list at the front door. Doors open at 7 p.m. Seating is first-come; first-served. Priority seating will be given to Donor level members and above. 

Ticket Confirmation Notice: 

Your reservation is not complete until you receive an email confirmation. If you do not receive a confirmation email, your tickets have not been reserved. Please check your inbox and spam/junk folder or contact us at info@ljathenaeum.org or (858) 454-5872 to ensure your booking is finalized. 

Thank you!