Mount Wilson Observatory’s “Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome” presents “Piano Quartets"
Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO), Southern California’s esteemed home to several of the most groundbreaking astronomical discoveries in history, presents the final Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome of its 2026 season, inside the magnificent vaulted dome of MWO’s historic 100-inch Telescope.
On Sunday, October 4, 2026, the audience is invited to experience “Piano Quartets,” with musicians David Kaplan (piano), Ambroise Aubrun (violin), Ariana Solotoff (viola), and Cécilia Tsan (cello). The program will feature Mahler “Piano Quartet in A minor” and Brahms “Piano Quartet No. 3 in C minor, Op. 60.” For more information on this concert, please visit: www.mtwilson.edu/events/concert100426
For MWO’s final concert of the season, the recently acquired historic 1907 Steinway Model O grand piano in ebony (No. 125947) will take center stage. The piano was generously donated to Mount Wilson Observatory by Dr. James Vail, Professor Emeritus of Choral and Sacred Music at the University of Southern California. Following a restoration by Teri Meredyth—made possible through anonymous gifts—and a skilled move and install by P&O Movers, the piano made its debut at MWO in April, and has been featured throughout the 2026 concert season.
As in previous seasons, Artistic Director Cécilia Tsan (Principal Cellist, Long Beach Symphony and Los Angeles Master Chorale) curates the series. Each concert date of the season features the same program presented twice—first at 3:00pm and again at 5:00pm. There will be an artist reception at 4:00pm between each concert’s hour-long session. Tickets cost $65 each and are available for purchase online.
For more on the Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome series and upcoming concerts, please visit www.mtwilson.edu/concerts
VISITING MWO
The gate to Mount Wilson’s campus opens at 10:00am daily and closes at 5:00pm from early April through November. Entrance to the grounds is free. Visitors can hike, gaze at the telescope domes and towers that dot the landscape, and take a look at historic Mount Wilson photos and letters in the Museum.
The Cosmic Cafe (www.mtwilson.edu/cosmic-cafe), located above the main parking lot at the Observatory entrance, is open on weekends in the spring, summer, and fall. In addition to traditional menu items such as hot dogs, drinks, and snacks, the Cafe offers wraps, salads, and sweet treats from Little Flower.
PARKING
A U.S. Forest Service Adventure Pass is required to park at the Observatory. A $5 day pass or a $30 dollar annual pass may be purchased at the Cosmic Cafe on weekends between 10:00am and 5:00pm. During the week, passes are available at locations around Los Angeles. The most convenient location before heading up is at the Shell station in La Cañada Flintridge at the bottom of the Angeles Crest Highway (https://find.shell.com/us/fuel/10007957-4530-angeles-crest-hwy/en_US). Visit the U.S. Forest Service website for more information about Passes and other locations to buy them: www.fs.usda.gov/r05/passes/adventure-pass
PLEASE NOTE
The Observatory is not ADA-compliant. Access to the 100-inch dome is via an open-air, 53-step staircase inside the building that could present challenges to those with difficulties.
There is a 10-minute walk from the parking lot to the 100-inch Telescope; be prepared with comfortable shoes.
