The LA Philharmonic announced the 2026 Hollywood Bowl summer season Wednesday, with Music and Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel returning for his 17th season at the helm.
The season runs from June to September, marking the LA Phil’s 104th season at the storied venue, and is highlighted by a series of special concerts built around Dudamel’s musical legacy.
“Celebrating Gustavo at the Bowl” features a week of performances from Aug. 20-23 in which members of Youth Orchestra Los Angeles will perform.
Dudamel is a devoted Beethoven champion, and on Aug. 20 he’ll be joined by the Los Angeles Master Chorale to perform the composer’s Ninth Symphony. The evening begins with the world premiere of a new orchestral and choral piece by Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino featuring Los Angeles Children’s Chorus singing lyrics by Amanda Gorman — the youngest presidential inaugural poet in U.S. history.
On Aug. 21, “Dudamel’s Playlist” will present a “one-of-a-kind, one-night-only celebration” featuring appearances by some of his favorite artists, to be announced later.
On Aug. 22, the rock band Foo Fighters will gear up for a worldwide stadium tour be performing their hits backed by the orchestra.
And on Aug. 23, “Celebrating Gustavo at the Bowl: A Musical Legacy” will showcase the range of music Dudamel has performed with the orchestra in the last 17 years including performances from across the worlds of classical, pop, Latin and more.
The season’s opening night on June 20 kicks off with a salute to Broadway, performing a selection of its greatest hits with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra led by Principal Conductor Thomas Wilkins, capped by a fireworks display.
The Blue Note Jazz Festival returns to the Bowl on the weekend of June 13-14. Arsenio Hall will host this year’s festival, which features Patti LaBelle, Wyclef Jean, Gregory Porter, Samara Joy, Yussef Dayes, Cimafunk, Robert Glasper presents R+R=NOW featuring Terrace Martin, Chief Adjuah, Derrick Hodge, Justin Tyson, and Taylor McFerrin, Kokoroko, Elena Pinderhughes, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance Ensemble at UCLA;, the LAUSD Beyond the Bell All-City Jazz Big Band and the LA County High School for the Arts Band.
“Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday” will take place over three nights from July 2-4, with special guest John Stamos joining the Beach Boys performing chart-toppers from throughout their career, including a special tribute to the 60th anniversary of their seminal album “Pet Sounds.” The yearly tradition ends with the Bowl’s signature fireworks.
Other highlights of the season include:
— “Juneteenth with Chance The Rapper.” One of rap’s great independent success stories headlines this one-night-only celebration of Juneteenth and Black music. (June 19, at 8 p.m.)
— “Reggae Night XXIV” (KCRW Festival). Ziggy Marley and Burning Spear unite for the 24th Reggae Night at the Bowl. (June 21, at 7 p.m.)
— “A Roots Picnic Experience” is back to the Bowl for the third year in a row. This time 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. (June 27, at 7:30 p.m.)
— “Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass & Other Delights.” (July 5, at 7:30 p.m.)
— “Wilkins Conducts Bernstein & Ellington.” 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,” about the movement for women’s voting rights. (July 8 at 8 p.m.)
— “The Classical World Cup.” 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. (July 9 at 8 p.m.)
— “Tchaikovsky & Beethoven” (July 14 at 8 p.m.)
— “Mozart & Brahms.” Spanish conductor Roberto González-Monjas reunites with the orchestra for his first performance on the Hollywood Bowl stage. 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. (July 16 at 8 p.m.)
— “Tchaikovsky Spectacular with Fireworks.” One of the Bowl’s most treasured annual traditions is back, conducted by Chloé Dufresne in her Bowl debut and featuring Troupe Vertigo, the LA-based theatrical circus company that combines choreography and contortions with excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s ethereal “Swan Lake” ballet suite. As always, the rousing finale of the “1812 Overture,” accompanied by the USC Trojan Marching Band, is coupled with the Bowl’s fireworks. (July 31 and Aug. 1, at 8 p.m.)
— “St. Vincent with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.” (KCRW Festival) The six-time Grammy winner returns to the Bowl, this time expanding her sonic palette with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. (Aug. 2, at 7 p.m.)
— “Gershwin, Bernstein & More.” The National Symphony Orchestra makes its first appearance at the Bowl with a celebration of American music under Music Director Gianandrea Noseda. (Aug. 18, at 8 p.m.)
— “Los Angeles Ballet at the Bowl.” The Los Angeles Ballet makes its Bowl debut, teaming up with the LA Phil for the first time in a program of orchestral and dance delights. (Sept. 8 at 8 p.m.)
— “Buddy Guy 90.” The legendary bluesman celebrates his 90th year. (Sept. 9 at 8 p.m.)
“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.”
New for the 2026 season, the Bowl is debuting a “first of its kind” sound system from L-Acoustics featuring “unprecedented 3D sound field control.” For the first time, the Bowl will also feature 30 permanently installed surround speakers, creating a fully immersive 360-degree experience for every attendee.
Tickets are available at hollywoodbowl.com or 323-850-2000 on the following dates:
— Feb. 18 at 10 a.m., (new subscriptions);
— Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. (group sales for select concerts);
— Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. (Blue Note Jazz Festival two-day passes);
— Feb. 20 at 10 a.m. (Bob Moses and Cannons);
— March 24 at 10 a.m. (Create Your Own packages);
— March 5 at 10 a.m. (Hollywood Bowl box office opens for single-show ticket sales).