Things Happening on The Music Center Campus Tickets & Free Events

Discover the vibrant world of IndieCade in Residence on Jerry Moss Plaza! Explore award-winning indie games, engage with captivating interactive experiences and immerse yourself in the creativity of independent developers.

A bold world premiere comedy from Los Angeles-based playwright, Larissa FastHorse, about being whoever you want to be, even when it’s not who you are. FastHorse is a critically acclaimed writer who focuses her keen sense of satire to examine Native American perspectives on contemporary life and will be the first Native American writer to have a mainstage production on the Mark Taper Forum stage. A member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, and author of the Broadway comedy, The Thanksgiving Play, FastHorse’s new work shines a hilarious light on ‘shifters’ who exist in a world of self-determined identity. This thought-provoking comic play asks what happens when you don’t believe you are the race you want to be? Change it! Fake It Until You Make It takes an absurd look at what defines who we are, and the lengths some people will go through to change it.

For four decades, the Japanese group KODO has shown off the extraordinary emotional and artistic range of the traditional taiko drum on stages around the world. Their new program Warabe looks to the group’s classic repertoire and aesthetics from their earliest days, blending simple forms of taiko expression that celebrate the unique sound, resonance, and physicality synonymous with KODO.

Xian Zhang brings a special treat to LA Phil audiences, conducting Zemlinsky’s seldom performed symphonic fairytale inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. The 40-minute fantasy follows a sea creature’s dilemma of longing and heartbreak, building upon winding, heartrending strings, and rich yet mysterious harmonies. George Li, a Silver medalist in the 2015 International Tchaikovsky Competition, tugs even further on listeners’ heartstrings with the composer’s lyrical First Piano Concerto.

Twenty-four-year-old Bronx native Samara Joy sings with a young person’s passion and a more-experienced artist’s wisdom. “It’s spooky,” the great bassist Christian McBride has said of the 24-year-old musician. “She sounds and tells stories like an elder.” Joy’s refined, distinctive style has been compared to Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald—all legendary singers who also recorded for Verve Records—but the perspective she shares on her Grammy-winning album Linger Awhile is all her own. She puts her spin on well-known standards like “Misty” and “Round Midnight,” but her deep curiosity takes her deeper into jazz history on “Sweet Pumpkin” and the Vaughan gem “Can’t Get Out of This Mood.”

In 2024, she won a third Grammy Award, for her take on the Betty Carter classic “Tight,” and is currently preparing new music for a full-length follow-up. The New York Times praised the “silky-voiced rising star” for “helping jazz take a youthful turn” while NPR's All Things Considered named her a “classic jazz singer from a new generation.” This is her Walt Disney Concert Hall debut—and she’s only going up from here.

Join actor, director, producer and literacy advocate LeVar Burton for a special free event at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. In this intimate conversation, Burton and the co-creators of The Gift will explore the celestial and social themes woven throughout this unique installation.

Before the discussion, immerse yourself in the music-filled experience of The Music Center Presents: The Gift, where you can peruse an illustrated book that tells the story of two stars whose fates are intricately intertwined. The installation offers a thought-provoking journey that invites you to reflect on profound themes of grief, loss, human connection, sacrifice and the passage of time.

Step into a music-filled reading room at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to explore what we can learn about ourselves—and each other—by observing the stars. The Music Center Presents: The Gift, an immersive experience for Angelenos of all ages exploring deep emotional themes of grief, loss and human connection, includes the opportunity to peruse an illustrated easy-to-read book that conveys the story of two stars whose fates are intertwined. One of these stars will, at the end of its life, give over its matter—everything it has, everything it is—as a gift to its companion. The book will be available in English, Spanish, French, Simplified Chinese and Korean, all in large-print text.

About the Co-Creators

The Gift is co-created by three visionaries: Janani Balasubramanian, a creator and researcher who merges art with scientific inquiry; Dr. Natalie Gosnell, an observational astrophysicist and associate professor of physics at Colorado College; and Dr. Andrew Kircher, a creative director whose expertise in immersive design bridges art and technology.

PST ART: Art & Science Collide

The Music Center Presents: The Gift is among more than 70 exhibitions and programs presented as part of PST ART, a collaboration that takes place every five years featuring arts organizations from all over Los Angeles. The latest edition of this landmark regional event, PST ART: Art & Science Collide, which debuted in September 2024, explores the intersections of art and science, both past and present. PST ART is presented by Getty. For more information about PST ART: Art & Science Collide, please visit pst.art

Original artwork featured in book by Amy Myers.

Celebrate one of Broadway’s true icons with this legendary theatrical event! Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends is an irresistible celebration to the master himself, with a company headlined by none other than Tony Award^® winners Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga. Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends comes to Broadway from London’s West End, where it sold out in a matter of hours, earned a bevy of five-star raves and was hailed by The Times as "unmissable musical theatre."

Center Theatre Group will present the North American premiere of Old Friends at the Ahmanson Theatre in advance of the Broadway premiere at the Manhattan Theatre Club on March 25, 2025.

Seong-Jin Cho, a pianist beloved by audiences worldwide, returns for a highly anticipated recital of music by Maurice Ravel, showcasing his tender yet assertive technique.

Looking for a quick and delicious lunch option in the heart of Los Angeles? Head to Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Olive Court, where a vibrant food truck will serve up a wide variety of delicious dishes to satisfy all taste buds! Be on the lookout for the food trucks parked between Grand Avenue and Hill Street with easy access for jurors, local employees and all park goers.

Discover the vibrant world of IndieCade in Residence on Jerry Moss Plaza! Explore award-winning indie games, engage with captivating interactive experiences and immerse yourself in the creativity of independent developers.

A bold world premiere comedy from Los Angeles-based playwright, Larissa FastHorse, about being whoever you want to be, even when it’s not who you are. FastHorse is a critically acclaimed writer who focuses her keen sense of satire to examine Native American perspectives on contemporary life and will be the first Native American writer to have a mainstage production on the Mark Taper Forum stage. A member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, and author of the Broadway comedy, The Thanksgiving Play, FastHorse’s new work shines a hilarious light on ‘shifters’ who exist in a world of self-determined identity. This thought-provoking comic play asks what happens when you don’t believe you are the race you want to be? Change it! Fake It Until You Make It takes an absurd look at what defines who we are, and the lengths some people will go through to change it.

A bold world premiere comedy from Los Angeles-based playwright, Larissa FastHorse, about being whoever you want to be, even when it’s not who you are. FastHorse is a critically acclaimed writer who focuses her keen sense of satire to examine Native American perspectives on contemporary life and will be the first Native American writer to have a mainstage production on the Mark Taper Forum stage. A member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, and author of the Broadway comedy, The Thanksgiving Play, FastHorse’s new work shines a hilarious light on ‘shifters’ who exist in a world of self-determined identity. This thought-provoking comic play asks what happens when you don’t believe you are the race you want to be? Change it! Fake It Until You Make It takes an absurd look at what defines who we are, and the lengths some people will go through to change it.

A bold world premiere comedy from Los Angeles-based playwright, Larissa FastHorse, about being whoever you want to be, even when it’s not who you are. FastHorse is a critically acclaimed writer who focuses her keen sense of satire to examine Native American perspectives on contemporary life and will be the first Native American writer to have a mainstage production on the Mark Taper Forum stage. A member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, and author of the Broadway comedy, The Thanksgiving Play, FastHorse’s new work shines a hilarious light on ‘shifters’ who exist in a world of self-determined identity. This thought-provoking comic play asks what happens when you don’t believe you are the race you want to be? Change it! Fake It Until You Make It takes an absurd look at what defines who we are, and the lengths some people will go through to change it.

A bold world premiere comedy from Los Angeles-based playwright, Larissa FastHorse, about being whoever you want to be, even when it’s not who you are. FastHorse is a critically acclaimed writer who focuses her keen sense of satire to examine Native American perspectives on contemporary life and will be the first Native American writer to have a mainstage production on the Mark Taper Forum stage. A member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, and author of the Broadway comedy, The Thanksgiving Play, FastHorse’s new work shines a hilarious light on ‘shifters’ who exist in a world of self-determined identity. This thought-provoking comic play asks what happens when you don’t believe you are the race you want to be? Change it! Fake It Until You Make It takes an absurd look at what defines who we are, and the lengths some people will go through to change it.

Discover the vibrant world of IndieCade in Residence on Jerry Moss Plaza! Explore award-winning indie games, engage with captivating interactive experiences and immerse yourself in the creativity of independent developers.

Celebrate one of Broadway’s true icons with this legendary theatrical event! Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends is an irresistible celebration to the master himself, with a company headlined by none other than Tony Award^® winners Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga. Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends comes to Broadway from London’s West End, where it sold out in a matter of hours, earned a bevy of five-star raves and was hailed by The Times as "unmissable musical theatre."

Center Theatre Group will present the North American premiere of Old Friends at the Ahmanson Theatre in advance of the Broadway premiere at the Manhattan Theatre Club on March 25, 2025.

Xian Zhang brings a special treat to LA Phil audiences, conducting Zemlinsky’s seldom performed symphonic fairytale inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. The 40-minute fantasy follows a sea creature’s dilemma of longing and heartbreak, building upon winding, heartrending strings, and rich yet mysterious harmonies. George Li, a Silver medalist in the 2015 International Tchaikovsky Competition, tugs even further on listeners’ heartstrings with the composer’s lyrical First Piano Concerto.

Celebrate one of Broadway’s true icons with this legendary theatrical event! Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends is an irresistible celebration to the master himself, with a company headlined by none other than Tony Award^® winners Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga. Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends comes to Broadway from London’s West End, where it sold out in a matter of hours, earned a bevy of five-star raves and was hailed by The Times as "unmissable musical theatre."

Center Theatre Group will present the North American premiere of Old Friends at the Ahmanson Theatre in advance of the Broadway premiere at the Manhattan Theatre Club on March 25, 2025.

Step into a music-filled reading room at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to explore what we can learn about ourselves—and each other—by observing the stars. The Music Center Presents: The Gift, an immersive experience for Angelenos of all ages exploring deep emotional themes of grief, loss and human connection, includes the opportunity to peruse an illustrated easy-to-read book that conveys the story of two stars whose fates are intertwined. One of these stars will, at the end of its life, give over its matter—everything it has, everything it is—as a gift to its companion. The book will be available in English, Spanish, French, Simplified Chinese and Korean, all in large-print text.

About the Co-Creators

The Gift is co-created by three visionaries: Janani Balasubramanian, a creator and researcher who merges art with scientific inquiry; Dr. Natalie Gosnell, an observational astrophysicist and associate professor of physics at Colorado College; and Dr. Andrew Kircher, a creative director whose expertise in immersive design bridges art and technology.

PST ART: Art & Science Collide

The Music Center Presents: The Gift is among more than 70 exhibitions and programs presented as part of PST ART, a collaboration that takes place every five years featuring arts organizations from all over Los Angeles. The latest edition of this landmark regional event, PST ART: Art & Science Collide, which debuted in September 2024, explores the intersections of art and science, both past and present. PST ART is presented by Getty. For more information about PST ART: Art & Science Collide, please visit pst.art

Original artwork featured in book by Amy Myers.

A bold world premiere comedy from Los Angeles-based playwright, Larissa FastHorse, about being whoever you want to be, even when it’s not who you are. FastHorse is a critically acclaimed writer who focuses her keen sense of satire to examine Native American perspectives on contemporary life and will be the first Native American writer to have a mainstage production on the Mark Taper Forum stage. A member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, and author of the Broadway comedy, The Thanksgiving Play, FastHorse’s new work shines a hilarious light on ‘shifters’ who exist in a world of self-determined identity. This thought-provoking comic play asks what happens when you don’t believe you are the race you want to be? Change it! Fake It Until You Make It takes an absurd look at what defines who we are, and the lengths some people will go through to change it.

Discover the vibrant world of IndieCade in Residence on Jerry Moss Plaza! Explore award-winning indie games, engage with captivating interactive experiences and immerse yourself in the creativity of independent developers.

Xian Zhang brings a special treat to LA Phil audiences, conducting Zemlinsky’s seldom performed symphonic fairytale inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. The 40-minute fantasy follows a sea creature’s dilemma of longing and heartbreak, building upon winding, heartrending strings, and rich yet mysterious harmonies. George Li, a Silver medalist in the 2015 International Tchaikovsky Competition, tugs even further on listeners’ heartstrings with the composer’s lyrical First Piano Concerto.