Acclaimed pianist Inon Barnatan to lead popular SummerFest for another 5 years

The La Jolla Music Society announced that acclaimed American-Israeli pianist Inon Barnatan will lead the popular SummerFest music festival for another five years.

“Inon’s artistic vision has propelled SummerFest to new heights, uniting a vibrant community of world-class musicians, jazz artists, and dancers who are eager to share the stage with him,” said LJMS Artistic Director Leah Rosenthal in a statement. “I am delighted to continue this journey together over the next five years.”

The announcement was made Saturday night, at the beginning of the last concert of SummerFest 2025.

“Every SummerFest has felt like both a homecoming and a new beginning,” said Barnatan. “I’m thrilled to extend my role as music director and to keep exploring the music, ideas, and collaborations that make this festival so unique.

“The trust and enthusiasm of this community and the support from the staff of LJMS mean the world to me, and I’m excited for all that lies ahead,” he said.

Barnatan, an internationally acclaimed concert pianist, has been music director of SummerFest since 2019. In that role he creates the theme and programming for the summer festival concerts and selects the artists who will perform.

He is a regular soloist with many of the world’s foremost orchestras and conductors, and has played with the BBC Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Chicago, Baltimore, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Nashville, San Diego and Seattle symphonies. 

The LJMS said SummerFest 2025 was the most successful to date, including 20 concerts over four weeks and more than 50 free events. 

The 40th anniversary of SummerFest will return to The Conrad in La Jolla in July and August 2026.