Event: 38th San Diego International Summer Organ Festival

The Spreckels Organ Society presents the 38th Annual San Diego International Summer Organ Festival, the largest organ festival in the United States, featuring the historic Spreckels Organ, the largest open-air musical instrument in the world, with 5,098 pipes of up to 32-feet long, and nine percussion instruments located throughout the building. The summer-long festival – directed by Raúl Prieto Ramírez, Spreckels Organ Society’s Artistic Director and San Diego’s Civic Organist – takes place in the heart of Balboa Park, from July 13 through Sept. 7. These 90-minute, free admission concerts by acclaimed international artists are brought to the Spreckels Organ Pavilion each Monday evening at 7:30 p.m. by the Spreckels Organ Society. The concerts are free thanks to the support of the Society’s sponsors, donors, members and volunteers. This season, the Monday evening concerts feature artists from five different nations, making it a truly international festival. The variety of concerts is broad with something for everyone. This season’s line-up of acclaimed international musicians includes: • Festival Symphony Orchestra & the Spreckels Organ. An organ and orchestra celebration featuring Civic Organist Prieto Ramírez. Conducted by Alejandro Gómez Guillén with Raúl Prieto Ramírez (soloist), and San Diego Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Jeff Thayer (concertmaster), Aug. 17. • Piano & Organ Concert. “MusArt-Barcelona” with M. Teresa Sierra (piano) & Raúl Prieto Ramírez (organ), Aug. 24. • The Cherished Not-So-Silent Movie Night, featuring Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr. and Charlie Chaplin’s The Immigrant with Clark Wilson, organist, Aug. 31. • Labor Day Classic Rock Concert! The ever-popular season finale, featuring “ORGAN-ISM,” the Spreckels Organ Pavilion’s Rock Band – the only Rock Band in the world that features a real pipe organ! They will be performing great hits by The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Deep Purple and more, Sept. 7. • Organ Duo. “Organ Four Hands & Four Feet” with Sunkyung Noh & Grant Smith, Aug. 3. • Amazing Solos & Collaborations. Four concerts – July 13, 20, 27 & Aug. 10 – featuring organ solos by Alcee Chriss III, Isabelle Demers, Thomas Gaynor, and David Higgs respectively. For the full Festival program, visit www.spreckelsorgan.org/summer-organ-festival. In addition to the special summer performances, the Spreckels Organ Pavilion also hosts weekly concerts every Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Through the generosity of the City of San Diego, the weekly Spreckels Organ Society concerts at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion are also presented at no charge in accordance with the 1915 Deed of Gift whereby the brothers John and Adolph Spreckels gave the organ and pavilion to the City of San Diego. Donations are also accepted. Set in the beautiful backdrop of Balboa Park’s open-air venue at 2125 Pan American Road, performances bring a one-of-a-kind experience for guests. The elevated music venue brings world-class musical artists for San Diegans and visitors to enjoy, for free, on the largest outdoor musical instrument in the world! For more information about the Spreckels Organ Society, visit www.SpreckelsOrgan.org.