Breaking Boundaries
January 31 & February 1, 2026

Breaking Boundaries
La Jolla Symphony & Chorus

January 31, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
February 1, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.
Mandeville Auditorium at UC San Diego

Sameer Patel, conductor
Peter Ko, cello and halldorophone

Frank Zappa – Dupree’s Paradise
Adam Schoenberg – Automation 
Hannah Wolkowitz – Breaking Boundaries, world premiere as part of Luna Composition Lab’s 10th anniversary, Luna Lab@10
Ferruccio Busoni – Berceuse Elegiaque 
Jean Sibelius – Symphony No. 7 

The iconic Frank Zappa (yes, that Frank Zappa) spent some of his youth here in San Diego, where he discovered the modernist music that inspired his own compositions and shaped his legendary style. Busoni and Sibelius, two masters of the 20th century, are featured alongside two living composers: a world premiere by emerging composer Hannah Wolkowitz, and a recent work by Adam Schoenberg, whose cello concerto Automation explores the complicated relationship between humans and technology.

About the Luna Composition Lab:

Founded in 2016 by acclaimed composers Missy Mazzoli and Ellen Reid, Luna Composition Lab provides mentorship, education, and resources for young female, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming composers ages 13 to 18. Luna Composition Lab is the only initiative of its kind in the United States and has achieved national recognition as a program that not only celebrates underrepresented voices but also shapes music’s future by providing a support system for continued success. With Luna Lab@10, the organization embarks on its most ambitious initiative to date: a large-scale commissioning celebration that brings alumni composers onto major national and international stages. Presented over two seasons and in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Santa Barbara, Cincinnati, Albuquerque, Munich, and Svalbard, Norway, these premieres represent a field-level statement – demonstrating what sustained investment in young artists can yield over time.