For 30 years Mainly Mozart has been the festival where genius lives. With a core commitment to the exceptional, Mainly Mozart produces a boutique experience which tells the story of genius in all of its varied faces. The fourth annual Genius Weekend consists of an intense three days of concerts, lectures, and parties celebrating genius in the spirit of Mozart. In 2018 this event honors Nobel Laureate and Salk Institute CEO Elizabeth Blackburn, and celebrates “genius in unexpected places” with a focus on autism spectrum in partnership with TERI, Inc. and Autism Society of San Diego.
GENIUS WEEKEND SHOWCASE – Celebrating Genius in Unexpected Places: Friday, June 8 – 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. / Tickets $250 per person
Genius Weekend’s elegant opening event on Friday, June 8, celebrates genius in unexpected places, showcasing artists on the autism spectrum. This gala evening will take place in the extraordinary North San Diego County home of Mainly Mozart Board Chair DeAnn Cary. Enjoy fine food and wines, valet parking and an art display of works by local artists on the autism spectrum. Derek Paravicini, Alexander Pruetting and Reed Moriarty will be among the artists featured.
MUSIC & THE MIND IN THE GASLAMP: Saturday, June 9 – 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. / $25 All-Day Pass / $100 VIP Pass (includes admission to hosted VIP Lounge)
Music & the Mind features presentations by some of the greatest minds in autism-music research and therapies plus performances by exceptional artists on the autism spectrum. Speakers and musicians will be featured in three Gaslamp Quarter venues adjacent to the Balboa Theatre. Interactive neuro-technology displays, special lunch menus and specialty craft cocktails are all part of this afternoon of music-brain exploration. The day opens with a dress rehearsal of the Festival Orchestra at the Balboa Theatre. Also at the Balboa is a sensory-friendly concert featuring Sesame Street’s Julia. This concert is specifically designed for people on the autism spectrum and their families – both at the Balboa Theatre.
MUSIC & THE MIND SENSORY-FRIENDLY CONCERT: Saturday, June 9 – 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. / $10 per Family / $5 per Individual / To Benefit Nonprofits Supporting Families Impacted by Autism
Highly interactive and designed with our friends on the autism spectrum and their families in mind, this hour-long concert at the Balboa Theatre features classical, jazz and popular music, interspersed with engaging activities. Sesame Street’s Julia will be on hand to welcome guests. Saturday, June 9, from 2:30-3:30 pm. All proceeds benefit local autism charities.
GENIUS NIGHT POST-CONCERT PARTY: Saturday, June 9 – 9:30 pm. to 11:30 p.m. / $150 (includes party and ticket to the June 9th opening night concert)
Sparks Gallery
This year’s Genius Night party honors Nobel Laureate and Salk Institute President Emerita Elizabeth Blackburn. Following that evening’s performance by the incomparable Michael Francis and the Mainly Mozart Festival Orchestra, walk from the Balboa Theatre to the Sparks Gallery and mingle with San Diego’s tech geniuses, forty of the nation’s top orchestral musicians, and researchers and academics in the field of autism. Tickets include admission to the party, as well as an “A” section ticket to the opening concert of the Festival Orchestra, featuring pianist Anne-Marie McDermott at the Balboa Theatre. The Sparks Gallery will be displaying art by Nobel Laureate Roger Guillemin and local autistic artist Jeremy Sicile-Kira.