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18th Annual soundON Festival 2026
Mythography
January 8, 9 & 10, 2026
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.
NOISE (Ensemble-in-Residence)
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
JOAN & IRWIN JACOBS
MUSIC ROOM
Athenaeum Music & Arts Library
1008 Wall Street
La Jolla, CA 92037
CONCERTS BEGIN AT 7:30 PM.
DOORS OPEN AT 7:00 PM.
INDIVIDUAL CONCERTS:
$26.50 member / $32 nonmember / $12 student
FESTIVAL PASS OF 3 CONCERTS:
$74 member / $89 nonmember / $32 student
Online ticket sales are subject to ticketing fees.
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The concerts will be in person at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. 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.
These events will be presented in compliance with State of California and County of San Diego health regulations as applicable at the time of each concert.
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Payment must be received in order to reserve a spot at a concert.
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.
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ALL SALES ARE FINAL. No refunds or exchanges. In the event of a cancellation for which there is no rescheduled date, a refund for this ticket may be issued at the option of the management.
About soundON FESTIVAL HISTORY:
The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, together with San Diego New Music, presents the soundON Festival, annually in January. The soundON Festival brings together an international roster of composers and performers to present a four-day exploration of contemporary chamber music. Featuring performances by NOISE and Affiliated Artists, the multiday festival format allows us to present unconventional works in an informal and enjoyable setting. We also reach out to young artists and audiences through an interactive workshop to build a new generation of new music supporters and artists.
About San Diego New Music:
San Diego New Music is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the public performance of notated music of the highest integrity and artistic caliber from the 20th and 21st centuries. They seek to advance the art form by promoting music composed with conceptual rigor, passionate energy, and singular artistic vision. SDNM enriches the artistic culture of San Diego through the presentation of an annual concert series and the soundON Festival, and through fostering its resident performing ensemble, NOISE.
In 1994, the only place in San Diego where you could hear an entire concert of 20th century music was on a college campus. San Diego New Music pitched the idea of a concert series devoted to modern music and 20th century classics at the Athenaeum. The concerts of modern music perfectly complement the exhibitions of modern art held in the Athenaeum’s galleries. In 1996, San Diego New Music presented its first season. The series was called Noise at the Library, and the ensemble would later adopt the name, as well. San Diego New Music and the Athenaeum have been happily co-presenting concerts of new music ever since.