The City of Encinitas is excited to present the 2026 Music by the Sea Season in partnership with the San Diego Music Society. Join us for six unforgettable Friday evening concerts featuring world-class performers in the intimate and acoustically rich Encinitas Library. From dazzling concerto masterpieces to virtuosic chamber works and captivating solo artists, this season promises artistry, inspiration, and musical magic from January through June.

All concerts are held at the Encinitas Library on Fridays starting at 7pm.

Save $45 on single ticket prices with the 6-Concert Season Pass available for $93* through 12/31/2025. Give the gift of music to friends, family and yourself!

2026 Music by the Sea Concert Season:

January 23, 2026 | 7pm

Paul Tseng, cello
Justin Hansen, piano

Concerto Night

Saint Saens Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Faure Elegy, Massanet Meditation from Thais and more…

Music by the Sea’s very own Artistic Director, cellist Paul Tseng, opens the 2026 Season with an evening of music usually heard with cello and orchestra. Along with Justin Hansen, who masterfully recreates the entire orchestra part on the piano, they will perform pieces usually only heard in large concert halls in the intimate setting of Music by the Sea.

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February 20, 2026 | 7pm

San Diego Music Group
Quartets by Haydn and Mendelssohn

Harold Reeves, violin
Adrian Evarkiou-Kaku, violin
Jason Karlyn, viola
Xian Zhuo, cello

Uniting acclaimed performers from the San Diego Symphony Orchestra and co-founders of the San Diego Music Group, this quartet blends world-class artistry and rich musical heritage to create unforgettable live experiences across Southern California.

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March 20, 2026 | 7pm

Vanessa Fountain, harp
An enchanting evening of heavenly music for harp.

Dr. Vanessa Fountain is an award-winning harpist, composer, and educator known for her captivating performances across classical, jazz, pop, rock, and Celtic traditions. This concert marks her debut with Music by the Sea.

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May 1, 2026 | 7pm

Kenneth Liao, violin

Experience the artistry of Kenneth Liao, a distinguished violinist with the San Diego Symphony. Originally from Maryland, Kenneth studied at USC and The Juilliard School. He has performed with the Royal Swedish Opera, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and at venues including Carnegie Hall and Walt Disney Hall.

A passionate chamber musician, he brings vibrant energy and deep musical insight to every performance.

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May 29, 2026 | 7pm

Julian Gargiulo, piano

Julian Gargiulo—known as the “Pianist with the Hair”—is a celebrated pianist, composer, and entertainer whose performances blend virtuosity, humor, and storytelling. His recordings, including collaborations with violinist María Dueñas, have earned international acclaim.

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June 26, 2026 | 7pm

The Grand Finale
Featuring Mendelssohn‘s Trio No. 1 in D minor and more

Cristian Fatu, violin
Dan Yu, piano
Paul Tseng, cello

Mendelssohn’s electrifying Trio in D minor crowns an evening of virtuosity as three dynamic artists unite for a breathtaking conclusion to the 2026 Music by the Sea Season Finale.

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Purchase your Music by the Sea 2026 Season Passes and single concert tickets here.

For more information about ticket purchases, please contact us by calling (760) 633-2746 or emailing arts@encinitasca.gov

*Discounted price valid through 12/31/2025 or until sold out. Regular season pass price is $118 starting 1/1/2026. Individual concert tickets are $23; $13 for students with a current school ID. Artists and programs subject to change. All sales final. All card transactions include a 5% processing fee.

 The donation-based free concert series Wednesdays@Noon was begun in 2012 to enrich the arts scene in Encinitas for residents, visitors, and cultural tourists from throughout the region. It has become the highest attended daytime series in the county with attendance of 160+ each week. The 50-minute concerts at the Encinitas Library feature outstanding musicians from throughout Southern California performing all styles of music. We hope to see you often! Established musicians who are interested in performing are encouraged to contact the Cultural Arts Division at (760) 633-2746, or by email.

Please join us for the premier of the new donation-based series Ocean of Poetry!

Ocean of Poetry highlights the oceanic location and also refers to the vastness of poetry as an artform. The Ocean of Poetry series will provide the opportunity for all to discover poems and poets opening doors to the many possibilities poetry offers.

This will be an opportunity for poets, both aspiring and experienced, young and old, to sign up and read one or two of their own poems, or even the poems of others. The atmosphere is guaranteed to be warm and welcoming, so please spread the word to any poets or aspiring poets you may know, regardless of their level of experience or age (although parents might want to think of any poetry reading as potentially PG13). Or just come to be entertained, enriched, and to support the local literary community. No poetry experience required – these readings are for everyone! 

When: Sundays 1-3pm (monthly on the third Sunday)

Where: Encinitas Library, Community Room. 

Doors Open at 12:30pm - for seating and open reading sign-up.

Featured Reader- first half

Open Reading -second half 

Curated by Darius Degher

Co-hosted by Dr. Marit Anderson, of Awaken the Poet Within

and Michael Schmitt. 

Each Sunday reading will present a featured reader and then also host an open reading. Lined up are some of California’s best poets as featured readers – poet laureates from other cities, award-winning poets, and poets with recently published collections.

The next featured reader on Sunday, January 18th will be:

Patricia Aya Williams is the daughter of a Japanese-born mother and an American father. She’s also an award-winning poet. Her poems have appeared in many journals, including Whale Road Review, Jackdaw Review, The Good Life Review, Santa Clara Review, and others. Her chapbook, Failure Goddess, is forthcoming from Dancing Girl Press. Her debut collection, Ichiban, was a finalist in the 2025 Swan Scythe Press Chapbook Contest; its full-length form, won the 2025 Concrete Wolf Louis Award and is forthcoming from Concrete Wolf Press. Patricia also has deep Encinitas roots, as she was the youth librarian at Encinitas Library for over ten years. https://beingpatricia.com

Summer Concerts return this July and August at Moonlight Beach!

	July 13, 2025    Headline 3:00 - 5:00pm │ Lolo Paniolo and Kehulili O Kailani Dancers Lolo Paniolo is a group of "crazy cowboys" replicating the sounds of Polynesia. These island-inspired musicians are regularly seen accompanying the Polynesian dancers of Encinitas' own Kehulili O Kailani and providing the soundtrack to local backyard and corporate luaus. Heralding from Encinitas and playing vintage and contemporary songs originating in the islands of Hawai'i, Tahiti, Aotearoa, and Samoa, Lolo Paniolo is sure to whisk you away to memories of balmy air, warm seas, and bottomless mai tais. Opening Act 1:00 - 2:00pm │School of Rock Del Mar & Encinitas  Leucadia Battle of The Bands 2nd Runner Up
	July 27, 2025 Headline 3:00 - 5:00pm │Kimmi Bitter “The future of classic country is Kimmi Bitter,” as Saving Country Music boldly states. Driven by a hyper-obsession for the 1960s, Kimmi Bitter and the Westside Twang create a captivating soundscape that blends golden-era Countrypolitan with psychedelic twangs and a mod flair. Opening Act 1:00 - 2:00pm │ The Long View  Leucadia Battle of the Bands Winner
	August 10, 2025 Headline 3:00 - 5:00pm │Shane Hall Band Shane Hall is an award-winning singer-songwriter based in Oceanside, California whose electrifying presence is redefining the Indie music scene. With his signature "Fuzz Funk Voodoo Blues," Hall masterfully blends elements of Blues, Soul, Funk, Americana, Rock, and Alternative into a captivating and one-of-a-kind sound that resonates with authenticity. Opening Act 1:00 - 2:00pm │ Gate 5  Leucadia Battle of the Bands 3rd Runner Up
	August 24, 2025 Headline 3:00 - 5:00pm │The Styletones The Styletones are a high energy soul sensation featuring an all-star cast of San Diego musicians. A typical Styletones set is an unstoppable flow of deep cut funk and soul that is precision engineered to keep an audience on their feet.   The Styletones are: Vocals: Whitney Shay, Drums: Jake Najor, Bass: Chris Stillwell, Organ: Ben Moore, Guitar: Ian Owen, Trombone: Any Geib, Trumpet: Billy Edwall, Saxophones: Brad Nash. Opening Act 1:00 - 2:00pm │Bach to Rock Music School

Artists and times subject to change. Admission is free and open to the public. Be sure to follow all beach rules.

Note: this webpage features content sourced from third-party organizations (not connected to the City of Encinitas). The City of Encinitas does not endorse or receive funds to advertise any of the third-party sites or services listed or referenced on this page.

Tramonto

2026 Festival Information available Jan, 26 

The Tramonto Music Festival was established by the City of Encinitas to offer audiences access to exceptional classical music experiences. Tramonto 2025 was produced by Jacopo Giacopuzzi and features an ensemble of notable and award-winning international musicians.

JULY 18-20, 2025

General Admission Tickets: $30

3 Concert Pass: $75 until April 14, 2025, at 5pm Click here to purchase

*3 Concert Pass price will increase to $80 on April 30, 2025, at 5pm.

Program

Vivaldi - The Four Seasons                   Max Richter

Recomposed

Fountains of Rome                               Ottorino Respighi

From the Carnival of the Animals:    Camille Saint-Saëns

Aquarium and The Swan

Mar D`Arrels                                          Gabriel Fiol

Program

7 Canciones Populares Españolas        Manuel De Falla

Bachianas Brasileiras No.5: Aria            Heitor Villa-Lobos

Spanish Dance                                          Myroslav Skoryk

Rapsodie Espagnole                                Maurice Ravel

The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires       Astor Piazzolla

Program

Cello Sonata No.3 Op.69 in A major          Ludwig van Beethoven

Sonata for violin and piano                         Nino Rota

Trio élégiaque No. 1                                       Sergei Rachmaninoff

*Doors open 30 minutes prior to concert. 

*Artists subject to change.

*Card transactions will be charged an additional 5%.

*No refunds, all sales are final. Tickets may be transferred by calling (760)633-2746 or emailing arts@encinitasca.gov.