Celebrate. Michael Tilson Thomas. San Francisco Symphony SEASON

Transcription

1 Celebrate Michael Tilson Thomas San Francisco Symphony SEASON

2 Listen and You ll See Join us as we celebrate the 25th and final season of Michael Tilson Thomas extraordinary tenure as Music Director of the SF Symphony! One of the most remarkable and meaningful creative partnerships in the orchestral world, MTT s artistic vision has sparked radical transformation for the Orchestra, for San Francisco, and for the American and global soundscape. Listen and you ll see a season filled with the unique artistic connections forged during the MTT/SF Symphony era, which continue to shape and illuminate the world of music. 4 A Historic Season 9 Concert Series 22 Special Concerts 25 Season Calendar 41 Discover Your Symphony 42 How to Subscribe & Pricing 44 Make a Gift 44 Education & Community Subscribe today to experience this historic season! Season 1

3 Be front and center for a landmark season celebrating MTT s incredible legacy with the SF Symphony. Get ready to explore a season full of cherished masterworks and the inspiring music that you love. Subscribe today to experience this historic season! Join the Celebration! BENEFITS OF SUBSCRIBING Best Seats, Best Value! Save more than 30% over full-priced single tickets* Reserved seats for the subscription concerts Prices may rise, subscriber prices remain the same Premium Handling Free seat upgrades Easy ticket exchange Convenient Pre-Paid Parking Exclusive Subscriber Offers Early access to special events and concerts 10% off at the Symphony Store Enhance your Symphony experience and support the music you love by becoming an SF Symphony Donor. see page 44 for more information. FREE TICKET OFFER ** Subscribe or renew your subscription by Friday, April 12 to get free SF Symphony Orchestral Series concerts: 2 FREE concerts when you subscribe to 6 or more concerts 3 FREE concerts when you subscribe to 12 or more concerts 3 FREE concerts, an additional one-time seat upgrade, and 2 complimentary beverage vouchers when you subscribe to 18 or more concerts Renewing subscribers, keep the seats you love! All seats will be released after Friday, April 12. BE A PART OF A SPECTACULAR KICK-OFF! opening night gala in honor of michael tilson thomas & joshua robison Co-Chairs Rachael Bowman & Nicole Lacob On September 4, MTT launches his final season as Music Director with a magnificent party, the SF Symphony Opening Night Gala, which combines the very best in music, glamour, and giving. Nick Platoff Associate Principal Trombone Don t miss MTT s final Gala! As a subscriber, be one of the first to access tickets to the party of the year! see special concerts on page Season *Actual savings may vary based on seat location and prices. **Restrictions apply. See promotional insert for details. 3

4 A Historic Season This season you ll experience the staggering diversity of music that MTT and the SF Symphony have explored during their groundbreaking 25-year partnership! MTT&Mahler Under the baton of MTT, the SF Symphony s performances and recordings of Mahler have garnered international acclaim for unparalleled excellence. Listen and you ll see the SF Symphony s heart, power, eloquence, and inimitable artistry in a season that showcases MTT s visionary Mahler interpretations. SEP MTT & Mahler 6 JAN 9 12 MAR 6 JUN MTT: Love & Lyricism, featuring Mahler s Des Knaben Wunderhorn MTT: Mahler 6 & John Adams MTT & Mahler s Symphony of a Thousand MTT & the SF Symphony MTT s final season as Music Director is filled with opportunities to witness the breadth, adventure, and collaboration that underpins his remarkable tenure. A Historic Season BEETHOVEN250 In 2020, MTT and the SF Symphony join the global celebration of the 250th birthday of music s most iconic composer, Ludwig van Beethoven. Experience an incredible line-up of artists, concerts, and events that lay bare the composer s creative genius. JAN MTT & Emanuel Ax: Beethoven & Julia Wolfe JAN Beethoven 7 & Sibelius Violin Concerto JAN 26 Violin Recital with Anne-Sophie Mutter JAN 27 Chamber Music with Mutter, Choi, Babesko, & Mueller-Schott FEB 7 9 Blomstedt, Beethoven 2, & Brahms 4 APR 5 Piano Recital with Yefim Bronfman APR 30, MAY 1 2 Mirga & Beethoven 5 MAY 24 Piano Recital with Igor Levit JUN 4 6 MTT & Anne-Sophie Mutter SEP MTT & Mahler 6 SEP MTT & Trifonov: Rachmaninoff & John Adams SEP MTT, Stravinsky, and Haydn JAN 9 12 MTT: Love & Lyricism JAN MTT & Emanuel Ax: Beethoven & Julia Wolfe MAR 6 MTT: Mahler 6 & John Adams MAR MTT, Capuçon, Shostakovich, & Stravinsky MAY 14, 15, 17 MTT, Yuja, Sibelius, & Brahms MAY MTT & Brahms A German Requiem JUN 4 6 MTT & Anne-Sophie Mutter JUN 11, 13, 15 MTT & Wagner s The Flying Dutchman JUN 18, 20, 21 MTT, Shaham, & Shostakovich 5 JUN MTT & Mahler s Symphony of a Thousand Season 5

5 A Historic Season Emanuel Ax JAN Nicola Benedetti MAY 7 9 The World s Greatest Artists Top-tier artists from around the globe join our celebration of MTT and the Orchestra s triumphant run. Not to be missed is the jaw-dropping virtuosity of our SF Symphony musicians. James Gaffigan MAY 7 9 Gabriela Montero MAY Jacob Nissly OCT Gil Shaham JUN 18, Jean-Yves Thibaudet FEB Daniil Trifonov SEP Artists-in-Residence Throughout his remarkable 25 years with the SF Symphony, MTT has built meaningful relationships with today s great artists, mentored tomorrow s superstars, and supported the virtuosity of our own musicians. This season, three of music s biggest influencers join MTT and the SF Symphony in special artist residencies that encompass concerts and community and educational events throughout the city. Julia Bullock FEB 20 22, APR Sasha Cooke FEB 20 22, MAY 31 Gabriela Montero MAY Alexander Barantschik NOV 7 9 Gautier Capuçon MAR Antonio Pappano NOV Yuja Wang MAY 14 15, 17 Anne-Sophie Mutter JAN 26, JAN 27, & JUN Season Subscribe today! sfsymphony.org/mtt25 7

6 A Historic Season Choose from our specially curated Concert Series full of cherished masterworks, the world s premier artists, and the excitement of the new American sound! Katie Kadarauch Assistant Principal Viola Julia Wolfe Jessie Montgomery The New American Sound Premieres & Commissions MTT and the SF Symphony s 25-year musical journey has brought fresh expression and terrific beauty to the celebrated masterworks of the last century and introduced us to the masterworks of the next. Listen and you ll see MTT s extraordinary insight on the new American sound through an exciting slate of premieres and specially commissioned works by trailblazing and established voices alike. Wynton Marsalis WORLD PREMIERES SEP OCT John Adams New Work SFS Co-commission with Carnegie Hall PAGE 26 Adam Schoenberg s Losing Earth SFS Commission PAGE 27 JAN 9 12 MTT s Rilke Songs PAGE 30 APR US & WEST COAST PREMIERES JAN FEB Mason Bates World s Greatest Synth SFS Co-commission PAGE 35 Julia Wolfe s Fountain of Youth SFS Co-commission PAGE 31 Aaron Zigman s Tango Manos US Premiere PAGE 32 MAR MTT s Lope PAGE 34 FIRST SFS PERFORMANCES OCT L. Boulanger s D un matin de Printemps PAGE 27 NOV 7 9 Rebel s Chaos from Les Élémens PAGE 28 JAN Jörg Widmann s Con brio PAGE 31 FEB Stucky s Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary & Ravel Three Poems of Stéphane Mallarmé PAGE 33 APR 30 MAY 2 Raminta Šerkšnytė s Fires PAGE 36 MAY 7 9 John Adams Wynton Marsalis Violin Concerto & Jessie Montgomery s Starburst PAGE 37 Concert Series SF SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAL SERIES THURSDAYS 11 FRIDAYS 12 SATURDAYS 14 SUNDAYS 15 GREAT PERFORMERS 17 ORGAN 18 OPEN REHEARSAL 18 CHAMBER MUSIC 19 MUSIC FOR FAMILIES 20 YOUTH ORCHESTRA 20 FILM 21 SPECIAL CONCERTS Season 9

7 W SF Symphony Orchestral Series Radiant American soprano Julia Bullock joins our season celebration with an artist residency that includes performances of Britten and Ravel (Feb 20 22), the curation of an SFS SoundBox program (Apr 24 25), and more. Thursdays Thursday A 6 CONCERTS AT 8PM SEP 12 MTT & MAHLER Mahler 6 OCT 24 Prokofiev & Shostakovich s Leningrad JAN 9 MTT & MAHLER Love & Lyricism FEB 27 Leila Josefowicz Plays Salonen Violin Concerto MAY 7 Gaffigan Leads Marsalis & Dvořák s New World JUN 11 MTT & Wagner s The Flying Dutchman Thursday B 6 CONCERTS AT 8PM SEP 26 MTT, Stravinsky, & Haydn NOV 14 Pappano Conducts Music from Wagner s Die Walküre JAN 30 Blomstedt, Berwald, & Brahms MAR 12 MTT, Capuçon, Shostakovich, & Stravinsky APR 16 Tchaik 5 & Mason Bates World s Greatest Synth JUN 18 MTT, Shaham, & Shostakovich 5 Thursday C 6 CONCERTS AT 8PM OCT 17 Pictures & Percussion JAN 16 MTT & Emanuel Ax: Beethoven & Julia Wolfe FEB 20 Salonen: Julia Bullock Sings Ravel & Britten APR 30 BEETHOVEN250 Mirga & Beethoven 5 MAY 14 MTT, Yuja, Sibelius, & Brahms JUN 25 MTT & MAHLER Symphony of a Thousand Thursday Open Rehearsal 8 CONCERTS AT 10AM OCT 17 Pictures & Percussion OCT 24 Prokofiev & Shostakovich s Leningrad JAN 16 MTT & Emanuel Ax: Beethoven & Julia Wolfe JAN 30 Blomstedt, Berwald, & Brahms FEB 27 Leila Josefowicz Plays Salonen Violin Concerto APR 30 BEETHOVEN250 Mirga & Beethoven 5 MAY 7 Gaffigan Leads Marsalis & Dvořák s New World JUN 18 MTT, Shaham, & Shostakovich 5 The Open Rehearsals are endowed by a bequest from the estate of Katharine Hanrahan. Open Rehearsals are working rehearsals. The pieces rehearsed are at the conductor s discretion. Subscribe by April 12 and get FREE SF Symphony Orchestral Series concerts! Purchase subscription package(s) including: 6 or more concerts and get 2 FREE concerts 12 or more concerts and get 3 FREE concerts Thursday Z 12 CONCERTS AT 8PM SEP 12 MTT & MAHLER Mahler 6 SEP 26 MTT, Stravinsky, & Haydn OCT 24 Prokofiev & Shostakovich s Leningrad NOV 14 Pappano Conducts Music from Wagner s Die Walküre JAN 9 MTT & MAHLER Love & Lyricism JAN 30 Blomstedt, Berwald, & Brahms FEB 27 Leila Josefowicz Plays Salonen Violin Concerto MAR 12 MTT, Capuçon, Shostakovich, & Stravinsky APR 16 Tchaik 5 & Mason Bates World s Greatest Synth MAY 7 Gaffigan Leads Marsalis & Dvořák s New World JUN 11 MTT & Wagner s The Flying Dutchman JUN 18 MTT, Shaham, & Shostakovich 5 Thursday M RHODA GOLDMAN THURSDAY MATINEE 6 CONCERTS AT 2PM SEP 19 MTT, Trifonov, & Rachmaninoff OCT 3 Mendelssohn Violin Concerto and Mozart s Jupiter NOV 7 Koopman Leads 18th-Century Delights JAN 23 BEETHOVEN250 Beethoven 7 & Sibelius Violin Concerto APR 23 Szeps-Znaider Plays & Conducts Mozart & Elgar s Enigma JUN 4 BEETHOVEN250 MTT & Anne-Sophie Mutter The Thursday Matinee concerts are endowed by a gift in memory of Rhoda Goldman. Thursday Matinee Bus Packages Sit back, relax, and let us bring you to the Symphony! We offer several Bus Packages that make enjoying SF Symphony concerts easier than ever! Our round-trip charter bus service will pick you up at a location close to your home and drop you off at Davies Symphony Hall for the Rhoda Goldman Thursday Matinee concerts. Bus Package pickup is available in several surrounding communities: Chico/Yuba City, Lodi, Los Gatos, Menlo Park, Modesto, Sacramento/Davis, San Carlos, Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley, Santa Rosa, Walnut Creek/Orinda For Bus Package information, contact Mary Mercurio at Season Subscribe today! sfsymphony.org/mtt25 11

8 W SF Symphony Orchestral Series Fridays Subscribe by April 12 and get FREE SF Symphony Orchestral Series concerts! Purchase subscription package(s) including: 6 or more concerts and get 2 FREE concerts 12 or more concerts and get 3 FREE concerts 18 or more concerts and get 3 FREE concerts + 2 complimentary beverage vouchers + An additional one-time seat upgrade Esa-Pekka Salonen FEB Karina Canellakis OCT Daniil Trifonov SEP Friday C 6 CONCERTS AT 8PM Friday F 6 CONCERTS AT 8PM Friday A Combo 12 CONCERTS AT 8PM Friday Z Combo 24 CONCERTS AT 8PM SEP 13 MTT & MAHLER Mahler 6 OCT 4 Mendelssohn Violin Concerto SEP 13 MTT & MAHLER Mahler 6 SEP 13 MTT & MAHLER Mahler 6 OCT 25 Prokofiev & Shostakovich s Leningrad JAN 10 MTT & MAHLER Love & Lyricism and Mozart s Jupiter NOV 22 Elegant Vienna: Honeck Conducts SEP 27 MTT, Stravinsky, & Haydn OCT 25 Prokofiev & Shostakovich s Leningrad SEP 20 MTT, Trifonov, & Rachmaninoff SEP 27 MTT, Stravinsky, & Haydn FEB 28 Leila Josefowicz Plays Salonen Violin Concerto APR 17 Tchaik 5 & Mason Bates World s Greatest Synth MAY 22 MTT & Brahms A German Requiem Mozart & Bruckner JAN 31 Blomstedt, Berwald, & Brahms MAR 6 MTT & MAHLER Mahler 6 & John Adams NOV 15 Pappano Conducts Music from Wagner s Die Walküre JAN 10 MTT & MAHLER Love & Lyricism OCT 4 Mendelssohn s Violin Concerto and Mozart s Jupiter OCT 25 Prokofiev & Shostakovich s Leningrad MAY 8 Gaffigan Leads Marsalis & Dvořák s New World JAN 24 BEETHOVEN250 Beethoven 7 & Sibelius NOV 8 Koopman Leads 18th-Century Delights Friday D 6 CONCERTS AT 8PM SEP 20 MTT, Trifonov, & Rachmaninoff NOV 8 Koopman Leads 18th-Century Delights JAN 17 MTT & Emanuel Ax: Beethoven & Julia Wolfe FEB 21 Salonen: Julia Bullock Sings Ravel & Britten APR 24 Szeps-Znaider Plays & Conducts Mozart & Elgar s Enigma JUN 15 MTT & Wagner s The Flying Dutchman (The June 15th concert occurs on a Monday due to artist availability.) Friday E 6 CONCERTS AT 8PM SEP 27 MTT, Stravinsky, & Haydn NOV 15 Pappano Conducts Music from Wagner s Die Walküre JAN 24 BEETHOVEN250 Beethoven 7 & Sibelius Violin Concerto FEB 14 French Masters: Thibaudet & Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony MAY 1 BEETHOVEN250 Mirga & Beethoven 5 JUN 26 MTT & MAHLER Symphony of a Thousand JUN 5 BEETHOVEN250 MTT & Anne-Sophie Mutter Friday G 6 CONCERTS AT 8PM OCT 18 Pictures & Percussion DEC 13 Handel s Messiah FEB 7 BEETHOVEN250 Blomstedt, Beethoven 2, & Brahms 4 MAR 13 MTT, Capuçon, Shostakovich, & Stravinsky MAY 15 MTT, Yuja, Sibelius, & Brahms MAY 29 Gardner & Montero: Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 Violin Concerto FEB 14 French Masters: Thibaudet & Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony FEB 28 Leila Josefowicz Plays Salonen Violin Concerto APR 17 Tchaik 5 & Mason Bates World s Greatest Synth MAY 1 BEETHOVEN250 Mirga & Beethoven 5 MAY 22 MTT & Brahms A German Requiem JUN 26 MTT & MAHLER Symphony of a Thousand Friday B Combo 12 CONCERTS AT 8PM SEP 20 MTT, Trifonov, & Rachmaninoff OCT 4 Mendelssohn Violin Concerto and Mozart s Jupiter NOV 8 Koopman Leads 18th-Century Delights NOV 22 Elegant Vienna: Honeck Conducts Mozart & Bruckner JAN 17 MTT & Emanuel Ax: Beethoven & Julia Wolfe JAN 31 Blomstedt, Berwald, & Brahms FEB 21 Salonen: Julia Bullock Sings Ravel & Britten MAR 6 MTT & MAHLER Mahler 6 & John Adams APR 24 Szeps-Znaider Plays & Conducts Mozart & Elgar s Enigma MAY 8 Gaffigan Leads Marsalis & Dvořák s New World JUN 5 BEETHOVEN250 MTT & Anne-Sophie Mutter NOV 15 Pappano Conducts Music from Wagner s Die Walküre NOV 22 Elegant Vienna: Honeck Conducts Mozart & Bruckner JAN 10 MTT & MAHLER Love & Lyricism JAN 17 MTT & Emanuel Ax: Beethoven & Julia Wolfe JAN 24 BEETHOVEN250 Beethoven 7 & Sibelius Violin Concerto JAN 31 Blomstedt, Berwald, & Brahms FEB 14 French Masters: Thibaudet & Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony FEB 21 Salonen: Julia Bullock Sings Ravel & Britten FEB 28 Leila Josefowicz Plays Salonen Violin Concerto MAR 6 MTT & MAHLER Mahler 6 & John Adams APR 17 Tchaik 5 & Mason Bates World s Greatest Synth APR 24 Szeps-Znaider Plays & Conducts Mozart & Elgar s Enigma MAY 1 BEETHOVEN250 Mirga & Beethoven 5 MAY 8 Gaffigan Leads Marsalis & Dvořák s New World MAY 22 MTT & Brahms A German Requiem JUN 5 BEETHOVEN250 MTT & Anne-Sophie Mutter JUN 15 MTT & Wagner s The Flying Dutchman (The June 15th concert occurs on a Monday due to artist availability.) JUN 26 MTT & MAHLER Symphony of a Thousand JUN 15 MTT & Wagner s The Flying Dutchman (The June 15th concert occurs on a Monday due to artist availability.) Season 13

9 W SF Symphony Orchestral Series SF Symphony Orchestral Series Saturdays Sundays Subscribe by April 12 and get FREE SF Symphony Orchestral Series concerts! Purchase subscription package(s) including: 6 or more concerts and get 2 FREE concerts 12 or more concerts and get 3 FREE concerts Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla APR 30, MAY 1 2 Saturday A 7 CONCERTS AT 8PM Saturday D 7 CONCERTS AT 8PM SEP 14 MTT & MAHLER Mahler 6 OCT 5 Mendelssohn Violin Concerto and OCT 19 Pictures & Percussion NOV 23 Elegant Vienna: Honeck Conducts Mozart s Jupiter NOV 16 Pappano Conducts Music from Mozart & Bruckner JAN 25 BEETHOVEN250 Beethoven 7 & Sibelius Wagner s Die Walküre JAN 18 MTT & Emanuel Ax: Beethoven & Julia Wolfe Violin Concerto FEB 29 Leila Josefowicz Plays Salonen Violin Concerto FEB 22 Salonen: Julia Bullock Sings Ravel & Britten APR 25 Szeps-Znaider Plays & Conducts Mozart & MAY 2 BEETHOVEN250 Mirga & Beethoven 5 JUN 6 BEETHOVEN250 MTT & Anne-Sophie Mutter Elgar s Enigma MAY 23 MTT & Brahms A German Requiem JUN 27 MTT & MAHLER Symphony of a Thousand Steven Braunstein Contrabassoon Saturday B 7 CONCERTS AT 8PM SEP 21 MTT, Trifonov, & Rachmaninoff Saturday Z Combo 14 CONCERTS AT 8PM Sunday Matinee A 6 CONCERTS AT 2PM Sunday Matinee Z 12 CONCERTS AT 2PM OCT 26 Prokofiev & Shostakovich s Leningrad SEP 14 MTT & MAHLER Mahler 6 SEP 22 MTT, Trifonov, & Rachmaninoff SEP 15 MTT & MAHLER Mahler 6 DEC 14 Handel s Messiah SEP 21 MTT, Trifonov, & Rachmaninoff NOV 24 Elegant Vienna: Honeck Conducts SEP 22 MTT, Trifonov, & Rachmaninoff FEB 15 French Masters: Thibaudet & Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony MAR 14 MTT, Capuçon, Shostakovich, & Stravinsky OCT 19 Pictures & Percussion OCT 26 Prokofiev & Shostakovich s Leningrad NOV 23 Elegant Vienna: Honeck Conducts Mozart & Bruckner FEB 2 Blomstedt, Berwald, & Brahms FEB 16 French Masters: Thibaudet & Saint-Saëns NOV 24 Elegant Vienna: Honeck Conducts Mozart & Bruckner JAN 12 MTT & MAHLER Love & Lyricism MAY 9 Gaffigan Leads Marsalis & Dvořák s New World JUN 13 MTT & Wagner s The Flying Dutchman Mozart & Bruckner DEC 14 Handel s Messiah Organ Symphony MAY 24 MTT & Brahms A German Requiem FEB 2 Blomstedt, Berwald, & Brahms FEB 9 BEETHOVEN250 Blomstedt, Beethoven 2, Saturday C 7 CONCERTS AT 8PM SEP 28 MTT, Stravinsky, & Haydn NOV 9 Koopman Leads 18th-Century Delights JAN 11 MTT & MAHLER Love & Lyricism FEB 8 BEETHOVEN250 Blomstedt, Beethoven 2, & Brahms 4 APR 18 Tchaik 5 & Mason Bates World s Greatest Synth JAN 25 BEETHOVEN250 Beethoven 7 & Sibelius Violin Concerto FEB 15 French Masters: Thibaudet & Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony FEB 22 Salonen: Julia Bullock Sings Ravel & Britten MAR 14 MTT, Capuçon, Shostakovich, & Stravinsky MAY 2 BEETHOVEN250 Mirga & Beethoven 5 MAY 9 Gaffigan Leads Marsalis & Dvořák s New World JUN 6 BEETHOVEN250 MTT & Anne-Sophie Mutter JUN 13 MTT & Wagner s The Flying Dutchman JUN 21 MTT, Shaham, & Shostakovich 5 Sunday Matinee B 6 CONCERTS AT 2PM SEP 15 MTT & MAHLER Mahler 6 JAN 12 MTT & MAHLER Love & Lyricism FEB 9 BEETHOVEN250 Blomstedt, Beethoven 2, & Brahms 4 MAY 17 MTT, Yuja, Sibelius, & Brahms & Brahms 4 FEB 16 French Masters: Thibaudet & Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony MAY 17 MTT, Yuja, Sibelius, & Brahms MAY 24 MTT & Brahms A German Requiem MAY 31 Gardner & Montero: Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 JUN 21 MTT, Shaham, & Shostakovich 5 JUN 28 MTT & MAHLER Symphony of a Thousand MAY 30 Gardner & Montero: Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 JUN 20 MTT, Shaham, & Shostakovich 5 MAY 31 Gardner & Montero: Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 JUN 28 MTT & MAHLER Symphony of a Thousand Subscribe by April 12 and get FREE SF Symphony Orchestral Series concerts! Purchase subscription package(s) including: 6 or more concerts and get 2 FREE concerts 12 or more concerts and get 3 FREE concerts Season Subscribe today! sfsymphony.org/mtt25 15

10 Concert Series Yuja Wang FEB 23 MAY Joshua Bell MAR 1 Concert Series Great Performers We welcome top-tier ensembles and artists from across the globe to the Davies Symphony Hall stage. Gautier Capuçon MAR APR 26 Ray Chen NOV 3 Great Performers A 6 EVENING CONCERTS SUN NOV 3 Violin Recital with Ray Chen SUN JAN 26 BEETHOVEN250 Violin Recital with Anne-Sophie Mutter SUN FEB 23 Piano Recital with Yuja Wang TUE MAR 10 Piano Recital with Murray Perahia SUN APR 5 BEETHOVEN250 Piano Recital with Yefim Bronfman SUN MAY 31 Vocal Recital with Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke The BEETHOVEN250 Piano Recital with Yefim Bronfman on April 5, 2020 is supported by the Newton and Rochelle Becker Charitable Trust. Great Performers B 6 EVENING CONCERTS SUN NOV 10 Piano Recital with Chick Corea: From Mozart to Monk MON JAN 27 BEETHOVEN250 Chamber Music with Mutter, Choi, Babesko, & Mueller-Schott SUN MAR 1 Joshua Bell & the Academy of St Martin in the Fields SUN MAR 22 Piano Recital with Hélène Grimaud SUN APR 26 Cello Recital with Gautier Capuçon SUN MAY 24 BEETHOVEN250 Piano Recital with Igor Levit Great Performers Z Combo 12 EVENING CONCERTS + 3 FREE SF SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAL SERIES CONCERTS, AN ADDITIONAL ONE-TIME SEAT UPGRADE SUN NOV 3 Violin Recital with Ray Chen SUN NOV 10 Piano Recital with Chick Corea: From Mozart to Monk SUN JAN 26 BEETHOVEN250 Violin Recital with Anne-Sophie Mutter MON JAN 27 BEETHOVEN250 Chamber Music with Mutter, Choi, Babesko, & Mueller-Schott SUN FEB 23 Piano Recital with Yuja Wang SUN MAR 1 Joshua Bell & the Academy of St Martin in the Fields TUE MAR 10 Piano Recital with Murray Perahia SUN MAR 22 Piano Recital with Hélène Grimaud SUN APR 5 BEETHOVEN250 Piano Recital with Yefim Bronfman SUN APR 26 Cello Recital with Gautier Capuçon SUN MAY 24 BEETHOVEN250 Piano Recital with Igor Levit SUN MAY 31 Vocal Recital with Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke The BEETHOVEN250 Piano Recital with Yefim Bronfman on April 5, 2020 is supported by the Newton and Rochelle Becker Charitable Trust. Subscribe by April 12 and get FREE SF Symphony Orchestral Series concerts! Purchase subscription package(s) including: 6 or more concerts and get 2 FREE concerts 12 or more concerts and get 3 FREE concerts presenting sponsor Season Subscribe:

11 Concert Series Concert Series Chamber Concerts Organ There s nothing quite like being engulfed in the immense power and beauty of sound. Discover Davies Symphony Hall s gleaming, 8,264-pipe Ruffatti organ the largest of its kind in North America through awe-inspiring performances by the instrument s most celebrated players. Open Rehearsal Guy Piddington Trumpet Anne L. & Charles B. Johnson Chair Take your seat at a San Francisco Symphony open rehearsal for a behind-the-scenes look at how conductors and musicians create eyeopening, ear-stretching musical experiences. Experience music curated and performed by small ensembles of San Francisco Symphony musicians. CHAMBER MUSIC AT DAVIES SYMPHONY HALL 5 SUNDAY CONCERTS AT 2PM SEP 29, NOV 3, DEC 1, FEB 23, APR 26 CHAMBER MUSIC AT THE GUNN THEATER AT LEGION OF HONOR 4 SUNDAY CONCERTS AT 2PM OCT 20, DEC 1, MAR 1, JUN 7 Nadya Tichman Associate Concertmaster San Francisco Symphony Foundation Chair Amy Hiraga Violin Nancy Ellis Viola Peter Wyrick Associate Principal Cello Peter & Jacqueline Hoefer Chair Daniel G. Smith Associate Principal Bass Organ 3 SUNDAY CONCERTS AT 3PM OCT 20 The experience begins at 8:30am with coffee and free donuts, followed by an informational pre-rehearsal talk at 9am. JAN 5 MAR 22 Open Rehearsal 8 THURSDAY CONCERTS AT 10AM OCT 17 Pictures & Percussion OCT 24 Prokofiev & Shostakovich s Leningrad JAN 16 MTT & Emanuel Ax: Beethoven & Julia Wolfe JAN 30 Blomstedt, Berwald, & Brahms FEB 27 Leila Josefowicz Plays Salonen Violin Concerto APR 30 BEETHOVEN250 Mirga & Beethoven 5 MAY 7 Gaffigan Leads Marsalis & Dvořák s New World JUN 18 MTT, Shaham, & Shostakovich 5 The Open Rehearsals are endowed by a bequest from the estate of Katharine Hanrahan. Open Rehearsals are working rehearsals. The pieces rehearsed are at the conductor s discretion Season Subscribe today! sfsymphony.org/mtt25 19

12 Concert Series Concert Series Film Enjoy the magic of cinema like never before with the score performed live-toscreen by the SF Symphony. FILM A FOUR FILMS WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA FRI NOV 1 7:30PM Coco SAT NOV 30 7:30PM Ghostbusters FRI DEC 6 7:30PM It s a Wonderful Life THU JUL 2 7:30PM Apollo 13 FILM B FOUR FILMS WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA Add Get Out to your package. See page 23. SAT NOV 2 7:30PM Coco FRI NOV 29 7:30PM Ghostbusters TUE DEC 3 7:30PM It s a Wonderful Life SUN JUL 5 2:00PM Apollo 13 Music for Families Share the joy of music with all your loved ones. Discover how music speaks to young listeners ages 5 12 and longtime fans alike, through enriching, interactive performances and fun-filled pre-concert activities. Youth Orchestra The superstars of tomorrow are on your doorstep! Experience the phenomenal SF Symphony Youth Orchestra featuring more than 100 of the Bay Area s brightest young talent in exhilarating showcases of music s most virtuosic repertoire. Coco This Academy Award -winning smash hit (Best Original Song, Best Animated Feature Film) stars a music-loving boy who makes a dazzling journey to the Land of the Dead to reunite with his great-great-grandfather. Disney/Pixar Ghostbusters Boasting an unforgettable theme song that topped Billboard s Hot 100, this infectiously fun comedy classic follows an eccentric band of paranormal investigators as they wage a spectacular battle with the supernatural in New York City. Music for Families 3 SATURDAY CONCERTS AT 2PM DEC 14 FEB 29 SF Symphony Youth Orchestra alumni Oliver Herbert and Teddy Abrams take center stage in SF Symphony Orchestral Series concerts, Sep and Apr TM & Universal Studios APR 4 Supported by Youth Orchestra 3 SUNDAY CONCERTS AT 2PM NOV 17 MAR 15 MAY 10 Supported by It s a Wonderful Life This film comes to life with Dimitri Timokin s timeless score performed by a live symphony orchestra while the full film is shown on the big screen. Jimmy Stewart portrays the down-and-out George, a lovable failure with so many problems that he is thinking about ending it all and it s Christmas! Clarence, his guardian angel, shows George what his town would be like if it hadn t been for all of his good deeds. Experience the most beloved holiday movie of all time transformed into an unforgettable live film concert event! Apollo 13 Featuring an epic, gripping score by acclaimed film composer James Horner, director Ron Howard s Academy Award -winning drama (Best Sound, Best Film Editing) recounts the harrowing true story of the aborted Apollo 13 lunar mission and NASA s effort to return the jeopardized astronauts (Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton) to Earth safely Season 21

13 Special Concerts Special Concerts Get Out Deck the Hall Get Out FEATURE FILM WITH THE SF SYMPHONY Deck the Hall SUN DEC 8 11AM & 3PM WED OCT 30 7:30PM When a young African-American man visits his white President, Junior Committee Antonia Cohen Event Chair Amy Christodoulo girlfriend s family estate, he becomes ensnared in a more Deck the Hall is the perfect way to make your family s sinister, real reason for the invitation. As the weekend holiday season merry and bright. Enjoy a concert of Be one of the first to purchase advance tickets to these in-demand concerts in addition to your Subscription Package, and snag the best seats at the best price! progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he could have never imagined. festive favorites and sing-alongs with members of the SF Symphony, guest artists, and special appearances by beloved holiday characters. Tickets include postconcert festivities with entertainment, arts and crafts, and refreshments. To make the experience even more memorable, order a VIP package that includes premium concert seating plus an exclusive, fun-filled pre-concert party. Call the SF Symphony Volunteer Council at or visit sfsymphony.org/deck for further details. Opening Night Gala OPENING NIGHT GALA IN HONOR OF MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS & JOSHUA ROBISON WED SEP 4 8PM Co-Chairs Rachael Bowman & Nicole Lacob This spectacular celebration of Michael Tilson Thomas 25th and final season as Music Director of the San Francisco Día de los Muertos Community Concert SAT NOV 2 2PM Día de los Muertos Chinese New Year Concert & Banquet SAT FEB 1 5PM Event Chairs Gorretti & Lawrence Lui Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Chinese New Year Concert and Banquet is an elegant, colorful celebration of the Lunar New Year with the SF Symphony. Drawing upon vibrant Asian traditions, past and present, guests enjoy the Festival Reception s host of activities followed by a performance of Eastern and Western repertoire by Symphony will be one for the ages. From the pre-concert sparkling wine promenade, to the one-of-a-kind concert, to the exciting after-party, you will be a part of San Francisco history while toasting the arts in style. For an elevated experience, upgrade to one of four unique VIP dinner packages. Michael Tilson Thomas & Joshua Robison Join us at Davies Symphony Hall for a vibrant celebration of Latin American music and culture at our annual Day of the Dead celebration! Arrive early for live music, dancing, colorful altars, and folk art in the lobby. For an elevated experience, upgrade to a pre-concert lunch package. Call the SF Symphony Volunteer Council at for more information. the Symphony and notable guest artists. Continue the festivities after the concert by purchasing a ticket to the dramatic and exciting Banquet. Call the SF Symphony Volunteer Council at for further details. The Chinese New Year Concert & Banquet is made possible through the generous support of Presenting Sponsors Gorretti & Lawrence Lui. Call the Volunteer Council for more information at Season Subscribe today! sfsymphony.org/mtt25 23

14 Special Concerts SFS DEBUT! Listen and you ll see why this is a season 25 years in the making! Exclusive Free Ticket Offer! Subscribe by APRIL 12. (Details p. 3) Siberian State Symphony Orchestra MAR 15 Lang Lang with the SF Symphony MON OCT 21 8PM Experience the musical fireworks of superstar virtuoso Lang Lang, who takes center stage Beethoven s breakthrough Piano Concerto No. 2. Siberian State Symphony Orchestra SUN MAR 15 7:30PM Direct from Russia, the Siberian State Symphony Orchestra makes its SF Symphony debut playing the great Russian classics under the baton of Music Director Vladimir Lande. Flute Recital with James Galway TUE MAR 17 8PM Experience one of the great masters of the flute repertoire in recital, when the internationally acclaimed James Galway takes the Davies Symphony Hall stage for the first time in nearly two decades. Lang Lang OCT 21 Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra Featuring Randy Newman WED MAR 23 THU MAR 24 Legendary songwriter Randy Newman joins the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra in a program featuring hits from his catalog of unforgettable film scores and pop songs. Chineke! Orchestra with Sheko Kanneh-Mason SUN APR 19 2PM Europe s first black and minority professional orchestra makes its SF Symphony debut in a concert featuring cellist Sheko Kanneh-Mason, winner of the 2016 BBC Young Musician Award and soloist at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. James Galway MAR 17 Season Calendar Melissa Kleinbart Violin Katharine Hanrahan Chair Season 25

15 Season Calendar / SEPTEMBER Season Calendar / OCTOBER THU (A) SEP 12 8PM FRI (C) SEP 13 8PM SAT (A) SEP 14 8PM SUN (B) SEP 15 2PM THU (M) SEP 19 2PM FRI (D) SEP 20 8PM SAT (B) SEP 21 8PM SUN (A) SEP 22 2PM MTT & MAHLER MTT & Mahler 6 Mahler Symphony No. 6 MTT opens his final subscription season as Music Director with the piece that began our love affair with Mahler. Experience the fury and relentless searching of Mahler s high-stakes Sixth Symphony, a work imbued with impassioned expression, inspired melodies, and tragic vision. MTT and the Orchestra s 2001 recording of the Sixth launched the wildly successful SFS Media label, and its release garnered the first of seven Grammy wins for the historic Mahler Project. Sponsored by MTT & Trifonov: Rachmaninoff & John Adams John Adams New Work SFS Co-commission with Carnegie Hall, World Premiere Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 4 Schumann Symphony No. 3, Rhenish Daniil Trifonov piano Experience the coming together of extraordinary artists. MTT leads the Orchestra in the world premiere of a new work by one of America s most celebrated and oft-performed living composers, John Adams. Then, fiery Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov tackles Rachmaninoff s athletic Fourth Piano Concerto, which blends American jazz, Russian folksong, and Orthodox chant. The concert concludes with Schumann s five- movement Symphony No. 3, an optimistic and buoyant vision of the Rhine river. Sponsored by These concerts, a part of The Barbro and Bernard Osher Masterworks Series, are made possible by a generous gift from Barbro and Bernard Osher. THU (O) SEP 26 10AM THU (B) SEP 26 8PM FRI (E) SEP 27 8PM SAT (C) SEP 28 8PM MTT, Stravinsky, & Haydn Stravinsky Canticum sacrum Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms (1948 rev.) Haydn Cello Concerto No. 1 Stravinsky Symphony in Three Movements Nicholas Phan tenor TBD baritone Oliver Herbert cello SF Symphony Chorus Ragnar Bohlin director Igor Stravinsky is a giant among composers. He broke his own rules, shocking modern music lovers with an inspired return to the delicate elegance of 18th-century melodies, an era in which Haydn reigned supreme. Experience a captivating program of masterpieces by two inextricably intertwined composer greats as only Stravinsky friend and disciple Michael Tilson Thomas can present. The superb SF Symphony Chorus joins the Orchestra in Stravinsky s kaleidoscopic three-movement choral masterpiece, Symphony of Psalms. Oliver Herbert s appearance is generously supported by the Shenson Young Artist Debut Fund. The Open Rehearsals are endowed by a bequest from the estate of Katharine Hanrahan. Jacob Nissly Principal Percussion Jacob is soloist in Losing Earth on Oct 17 19, and says Adam Schoenberg s mastery of both the traditional and modern soundscape makes him the perfect composer for a project involving instruments known and unknown. THU (M) OCT 3 2PM FRI (F) OCT 4 8PM SAT (D) OCT 5 8PM THU (O) OCT 17 10AM THU (C) OCT 17 8PM FRI (G) OCT 18 8PM SAT (A) OCT 19 8PM Mendelssohn Violin Concerto and Mozart s Jupiter Hindemith Concert Music for String Orchestra and Brass Mendelssohn Violin Concerto Mozart Symphony No. 41, Jupiter Marek Janowski conductor María Dueñas violin Acclaimed Polish-born, German- based conductor Marek Janowski and the Orchestra welcome astonishing 16-year-old Spanish violinist María Dueñas, who makes her SF Symphony debut in one of the most popular concertos of all time, Mendelssohn s effervescent Violin Concerto. The revelry continues with Mozart s final symphony. The Jupiter is filled with such radiance and majesty, someone named it after the king of the gods and it stuck. The Thursday Matinee concerts are endowed by a gift in memory of Rhoda Goldman. Pictures & Percussion L. Boulanger D un matin de Printemps Adam Schoenberg Losing Earth SFS Commission, World Premiere Mussorgsky (orch. Ravel) Pictures at an Exhibition Cristian Măcelaru conductor Jacob Nissly percussion Featuring a parade of famous solos, Ravel s ingenious orchestration transformed Mussorgsky s Pictures at an Exhibition into one of the most radiantly hued and popular works of all time. The artistry continues when Cristian Măcelaru and the SF Symphony present the world premiere of Grammy-nominated American composer Adam Schoenberg s Losing Earth, expressly written for dynamic SFS Principal Percussion Jacob Nissly. Setting the tone is a spritely work by Lili Boulanger, who in 1913 became the first woman to win the prestigious Prix de Rome. The Open Rehearsals are endowed by a bequest from the estate of Katharine Hanrahan. The Thursday Matinee concerts are endowed by a gift in memory of Rhoda Goldman Season Subscribe today! sfsymphony.org/mtt25 27

16 Season Calendar / OCTOBER NOVEMBER Season Calendar / NOVEMBER DECEMBER SFS DEBUT! SFS DEBUT! Karina Canellakis Alexander Barantschik Concertmaster Naoum Blinder Chair Antonio Pappano Leif Ove Andsnes THU (A) OCT 24 8PM FRI (C) OCT 25 8PM SAT (B) OCT 26 8PM Prokofiev & Shostakovich s Leningrad Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 1 Shostakovich Symphony No. 7, Alexander Gavrylyuk Leningrad Karina Canellakis conductor Alexander Gavrylyuk piano Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Karina Canellakis makes her SF Symphony debut leading the Orchestra in the music of two Russian heavyweights. Dynamic Ukranian pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk, also making his debut here, delivers young Prokofiev s ravishingly colorful and percussive Concerto No. 1. Then, a powerful statement from the Russia of a different time: Shostakovich s defiant 1941 bombshell, the wild and sprawling Leningrad Symphony. THU (M) NOV 7 2PM FRI (E) NOV 8 8PM SAT (D) NOV 9 8PM Koopman Leads 18th-Century Delights J.S. Bach Violin Concerto No. 1 J.S. Bach Orchestral Suite No. 4 Rebel Chaos from Les Élémens Haydn Symphony No. 100, Military Ton Koopman conductor Alexander Barantschik violin World-renowned early music specialist Ton Koopman brings a feast of 18th-century delights, including two exalted works by J.S. Bach. SFS Concertmaster Alexander Barantschik takes center stage in Bach s lyrical Violin Concerto No. 1, before the Orchestra dives in to Chaos, a vivid work by one of Bach s most inventive Baroque contemporaries, Rebel. The program concludes with a radiant work by the father of the symphony, Haydn. The Thursday Matinee concerts are endowed by a gift in memory of Rhoda Goldman. THU (B) NOV 14 8PM FRI (E) NOV 15 8PM SAT (D) NOV 16 8PM Pappano Conducts Music from Wagner s Die Walküre R. Strauss Metamorphosen Wagner Act I from Die Walküre Antonio Pappano Antonio Pappano conductor Emily Magee soprano Stuart Skelton tenor Ain Anger bass Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Music Director Antonio Pappano makes his SF Symphony debut leading a monumental and operatic program. The concert opens with R. Strauss Metamorphosen, an ensemble work with 23 solo parts that showcase the virtuosity of our brilliant string players. The evening concludes with Act I of Wagner s masterful Die Walküre, featuring three of the world s leading Wagnerian singers. These concerts, a part of The Barbro and Bernard Osher Masterworks Series, are made possible by a generous gift from Barbro and Bernard Osher. FRI (F) NOV 22 8PM SAT (A) NOV 23 8PM SUN (B) NOV 24 2PM Manfred Honeck FRI (G) DEC 13 8PM SAT (B) DEC 14 8PM Elegant Vienna: Honeck Conducts Mozart & Bruckner Mozart Piano Concerto No. 22 Bruckner Symphony No. 4, Romantic Manfred Honeck conductor Leif Ove Andsnes piano Vienna-born Manfred Honeck, Music Director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, returns to lead a program of works written in Vienna, the capital of classical music. Fan favorite Leif Ove Andsnes brings signature poise to a gorgeous Mozart piano concerto. Crowning the performance is Bruckner s towering Symphony No. 4, a work whose soaring and seemingly limitless harmonic landscape reveals his lush Romantic voice. Handel s Messiah Handel Messiah Ragnar Bohlin conductor TBD vocal soloists SF Symphony Chorus Experience the glorious majesty of Handel s Messiah performed by the joined forces of the SF Symphony, Chorus, and renowned soloists. Featuring the famous Hallelujah Chorus, the magnificent power of 100 voices in harmony demonstrates why this celebrated masterpiece is a holiday favorite and one of the most loved works of all time Season 29

17 Season Calendar / JANUARY Season Calendar / JANUARY THU (A) JAN 9 8PM FRI (C) JAN 10 8PM SAT (C) JAN 11 8PM SUN (B) JAN 12 2PM MTT & MAHLER MTT: Love & Lyricism Berlioz Overture to Benvenuto Cellini Michael Tilson Thomas Rilke Songs World Premiere Mahler Songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn Ravel La Valse SFS DEBUT! Sasha Cooke mezzo-soprano Ryan McKinny bass-baritone MTT, magnetic mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke (in residence this season), elegant bass-baritone Ryan McKinny, and the SF Symphony bring their signature extraordinary depth of emotion to Mahler s storied and exquisitely textured song cycle, Des Knaben Wunderhorn. The program opens with a spirited orchestral mini-drama by Berlioz: his overture to the opera Benvenuto Cellini. At the core of this luxuriant program is the world premiere of Rilke Songs, MTT s imaginative musical setting of lyric poems by modernist Rainer Maria Rilke. La Valse, Ravel s whirling portrayal of Gilded Age excess, brings this evocative program to a close. These concerts, a part of The Barbro and Bernard Osher Masterworks Series, are made possible by a generous gift from Barbro and Bernard Osher. Sasha Cooke Mezzo-soprano This season marks the 10-year anniversary of Sasha s close musical collaboration with MTT and the SF Symphony, with highlights including tours, recordings, and critically acclaimed performances of Berlioz, Debussy, and Mahler. Emanuel Ax THU (O) JAN 16 10AM THU (C) JAN 16 8PM FRI (D) JAN 17 8PM SAT (D) JAN 18 8PM BEETHOVEN250 MTT & Emanuel Ax: Beethoven & Julia Wolfe Julia Wolfe Fountain of Youth SFS Co-commission, West Coast Premiere Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 2 Wagner Siegfried Idyll Berg Three Pieces for Orchestra Emanuel Ax piano A program of legends! Audience favorite Emanuel Ax performs Beethoven s Piano Concerto No. 2, a wondrous work that is equal parts muscle and effervescence. Then, Wagner s Siegfried Idyll (a work the composer gifted his wife for her birthday), and Berg s spellbinding Three Pieces for Orchestra, a revival of recent performances issued on our acclaimed SFS Media label. Opening the program is the West Coast premiere of Fountain of Youth, an SFS co-commission by Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer Julia Wolfe, famed for her melding of folk, rock, and classical idioms. The Open Rehearsals are endowed by a bequest from the estate of Katharine Hanrahan. THU (M) JAN 23 2PM FRI (E) JAN 24 8PM SAT (A) JAN 25 8PM BEETHOVEN250 Beethoven 7 & Sibelius Violin Concerto Jörg Widmann Con brio Sibelius Violin Concerto Beethoven Symphony No. 7 Dima Slobodeniouk conductor Sergey Khachatryan violin Finland-based conductor Dima Slobodeniouk makes his SF Symphony debut leading the Orchestra in Beethoven s Seventh a symphony so arresting, so charged with fervor, that music has never been the same. Jörg Widmann s spectacular Con brio, a remarkable contemporary lens through which to gaze at Beethoven s musical monument, uniquely resounds with the German master s orchestral color. Armenian virtuoso Sergey Khachatryan, the youngest-ever winner of the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition, brings his insight to Sibelius urgent and utterly bewitching concerto. Dima Slobodeniouk The Thursday Matinee concerts are endowed by a gift in memory of Rhoda Goldman Season Subscribe today! sfsymphony.org/mtt25 31

18 Season Calendar / JANUARY FEBRUARY Season Calendar / FEBRUARY Herbert Blomstedt Jean-Yves Thibaudet Esa-Pekka Salonen Leila Josefowicz THU (O) JAN 30 10AM THU (B) JAN 30 8PM FRI (F) JAN 31 8PM SUN (A) FEB 2 2PM FRI (G) FEB 7 8PM SAT (C) FEB 8 8PM SUN (B) FEB 9 2PM Blomstedt, Berwald, & Brahms Berwald Symphony No. 1 Brahms Symphony No. 3 Herbert Blomstedt conductor SFS Conductor Laureate Herbert Blomstedt leads the Orchestra in a program bursting with contrasts. Experience the power, tenderness, vigor, and lyricism of Brahms dramatic Third Symphony, written when the established composer was at his zenith. Countering this fundamental work is a distinctively inventive first symphony by 19th-century Romantic master Berwald, whose colorful music Blomstedt has long championed. The Open Rehearsals are endowed by a bequest from the estate of Katharine Hanrahan. BEETHOVEN250 Blomstedt, Beethoven 2, & Brahms 4 Beethoven Symphony No. 2 Brahms Symphony No. 4 Herbert Blomstedt conductor SFS Conductor Laureate Herbert Blomstedt brings special insight to Beethoven s invigorating Second Symphony. Already troubled by hearing loss, we hear Beethoven leaning into his inner strength, writing music filled with humor and good cheer. Brahms produced some of the most popular symphonies of the Romantic age including his Fourth, which cuts as close to the heart as music can. FRI (E) FEB 14 8PM SAT (B) FEB 15 8PM SUN (A) FEB 16 2PM French Masters: Thibaudet & Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony Dukas La Péri Aaron Zigman Tango Manos US Premiere Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3, Organ Fabien Gabel conductor Jean-Yves Thibaudet piano French pièces de résistance! Québec Symphony Orchestra Music Director Fabien Gabel makes his debut leading the SF Symphony in the alluring, heady ardor of Dukas La Péri, one of the great neglected masterpieces of the early 20th century. Then, wildly virtuosic pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet brings his customary joie de vivre to award-winning film composer Aaron Zigman s piano concerto Tango Manos, in its US premiere performances. Saint-Saëns cutting-edge, gloriously tuneful Symphony No. 3 the composer s most famous instrumental work closes this program with panache. THU (C) FEB 20 8PM FRI (D) FEB 21 8PM SAT (A) FEB 22 8PM Salonen: Julia Bullock Sings Ravel & Britten Stucky Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary Britten Les Illuminations Ravel Three Poems of Stéphane Mallarmé Ravel Ma Mère l Oye (Mother Goose) Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor SFS Music Director Designate Julia Bullock soprano Esa-Pekka Salonen conjures up an evocative and inspired program. Ravel s enchanting Mother Goose, based on a collection of folktales, is a work of imaginative musical abandon. Radiant soprano Julia Bullock, in residence this season, sings Britten s Les Illuminations (based on hallucinatory verses by Rimbaud) and Ravel s Three Poems of Stéphane Mallarmé, which evoke the Symbolist writer s mystery of somber abstractions. The evening begins with a work written after a suggestion by Salonen to Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Steven Stucky: the haunting, freely conceived Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary, an adaptation of a stately march by the great English composer Henry Purcell. These concerts, a part of The Barbro and Bernard Osher Masterworks Series, are made possible by a generous gift from Barbro and Bernard Osher. Julia Bullock s appearance is generously supported by the Shenson Young Artist Debut Fund. THU (O) FEB 27 10AM THU (A) FEB 27 8PM FRI (C) FEB 28 8PM SAT (A) FEB 29 8PM Leila Josefowicz Plays Salonen Violin Concerto Beethoven Overture to King Stephen Esa-Pekka Salonen Violin Concerto Nielsen Symphony No. 5 Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor SFS Music Director Designate Leila Josefowicz violin Astonishing virtuoso Leila Josefowicz teams up with Esa-Pekka Salonen for a fiery performance of his Violin Concerto, a tour de force written especially for her. The SF Symphony brings fresh perspective to Beethoven s innovative and finely crafted Overture to King Stephen. Our program closes with Danish composer Carl Nielsen s passionate postwar lament, his Symphony No. 5 one of the most sonorous and affirmative works in the repertoire. These concerts, a part of The Barbro and Bernard Osher Masterworks Series, are made possible by a generous gift from Barbro and Bernard Osher. The Open Rehearsals are endowed by a bequest from the estate of Katharine Hanrahan Season 33

19 Season Calendar / MARCH Season Calendar / APRIL Mason Bates Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider FRI (F) MAR 6 8PM MTT & MAHLER MTT: Mahler 6 & John Adams John Adams New Work SFS Co-commission with Carnegie Hall Mahler Symphony No. 6 During their 25-year partnership, Michael Tilson Thomas and the SF Symphony forged a new identity for the Orchestra, one that won international acclaim for their interpretations of the masterworks and explorations of the new American sound. This artistic legacy is represented in this meaningful program: Opening the evening is a new work by an elder statesman of American music, former SFS composer-in-residence John Adams, followed by a profound performance of Mahler s tragic Sixth Symphony. Experience the SF Symphony playing these works paired together for the first time, ahead of the Orchestra s 2020 European Tour. THU (O) MAR 12 10AM THU (B) MAR 12 8 PM FRI (G) MAR 13 8 PM SAT (B) MAR 14 8 PM MTT, Capuçon, Shostakovich, & Stravinsky Michael Tilson Thomas Lope West Coast Premiere Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 2 Stravinsky The Firebird Gautier Capuçon cello MTT, the SF Symphony, and audience favorite Gautier Capuçon journey into the turbulent soundscape of Shostakovich s Cello Concerto No. 2, a profound, percussive, and potent showpiece. Also on the program, MTT pairs Lope, his whimsical piece about walking the dog from the dog s perspective with Stravinsky s landmark work about another magical creature: The Firebird. The Open Rehearsals are endowed by a bequest from the estate of Katharine Hanrahan. THU (B) APR 16 8PM FRI (C) APR 17 8PM SAT (C) APR 18 8PM Tchaik 5 & Mason Bates World s Greatest Synth Barber Second Essay for Orchestra Mason Bates World s Greatest Synth SFS Co-commission, West Coast Premiere Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 Teddy Abrams conductor MTT protégé Teddy Abrams conducts the West Coast premiere of World s Greatest Synth, an SFS co-commission. A vivid concerto for orchestra and animated film by Mason Bates, Musical America s 2018 Composer of the Year and 2019 Grammy Award winner, this imaginative, multi-sensory experience blends music, visual art, and sound design, and zooms inside instruments to explore the age-old connection between creativity and technology. Experience a spectacular musical illustration of unity from diversity as the orchestra s various families overcome tribal differences and synthesize as one. THU (M) APR 23 2PM FRI (D) APR 24 8PM SAT (D) APR 25 8PM Szeps-Znaider Plays & Conducts Mozart & Elgar s Enigma Mozart Violin Concerto No. 2 R. Strauss Death and Transfiguration Elgar Enigma Variations Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conductor and violin Discover the glorious vividness of young R. Strauss Death and Transfiguration and the expressive beauty of Elgar s popular Enigma Variations. The brilliant Szeps-Znaider takes the podium for these wondrous orchestral works, and takes center stage as soloist and conductor in Mozart s captivating Violin Concerto No. 2. The Thursday Matinee concerts are endowed by a gift in memory of Rhoda Goldman. The World s Greatest Synth experience is the brainchild of composer and DJ Mason Bates; seven-time Academy Award-winning sound designer and director Gary Rydstrom; and Academy Award-nominated animator Jim Capobianco Season Subscribe today! sfsymphony.org/mtt25 35

20 Season Calendar / APRIL MAY Season Calendar / MAY SFS DEBUT! THU (C) APR 30 8PM FRI (E) MAY 1 8PM SAT (A) MAY 2 8PM BEETHOVEN250 Mirga & Beethoven 5 Raminta Šerkšnytė Fires Weinberg Violin Concerto Beethoven Symphony No. 5 Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla conductor Gidon Kremer violin The electrifying Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, makes her SF Symphony debut at these performances of Beethoven s iconic Symphony No. 5, a work whose opening four notes are among the most recognizable in all of music. Mirga begins the program with a thunderous and bluesy overture by Lithuanian composer Raminta Šerkšnytė (who ingeniously slips in a punchline that quotes Beethoven s Fifth), while leading violinist Gidon Kremer promises to enrapture in Weinberg s angular and lyric concerto, a composer championed by both Mirga and Gidon. Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla s appearance is generously supported by the Shenson Young Artist Debut Fund. THU (O) MAY 7 10AM THU (A) MAY 7 8 PM FRI (F) MAY 8 8 PM SAT (B) MAY 9 8 PM THU (C) MAY 14 8PM FRI (G) MAY 15 8PM SUN (B) MAY 17 2PM Gaffigan Leads Marsalis & Dvořák s New World Jessie Montgomery Starburst Wynton Marsalis Violin Concerto Dvořák Symphony No. 9, From the New World James Gaffigan conductor Nicola Benedetti violin The SF Symphony celebrates the staggering diversity of the American Sound. Former SFS resident conductor and current Chief Conductor of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra James Gaffigan brings a spirited program of three radically different works jazz icon Wynton Marsalis Violin Concerto (with sizzling virtuoso Nicola Benedetti); the multi-layered Starburst, by stylish New York composer Jessie Montgomery; and Dvořák s quintessential vision of the American frontier, the Symphony No. 9, From the New World. The Open Rehearsals are endowed by a bequest from the estate of Katharine Hanrahan. MTT, Yuja, Sibelius, & Brahms Sibelius Symphony No. 5 Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 FRI (C) MAY 22 8PM SAT (D) MAY 23 8PM SUN (A) MAY 24 2PM FRI (G) MAY 29 8PM SAT (C) MAY 30 8PM SUN (B) MAY 31 2PM MTT & Brahms A German Requiem Ruggles Angels Ruggles Sun-treader Brahms A German Requiem Joélle Harvey soprano TBD baritone SF Symphony Chorus Ragnar Bohlin director Enthralling, intimate, spacious, human. In A German Requiem, Brahms crafts an exquisite hymn of consolation. MTT and the SF Symphony join forces with our majestic Chorus and superstar vocalists in this revelatory masterpiece, which ballasts an ambitious program of visionaries past and present. Devoted to the discovery of America s musical voice, MTT pairs Brahms masterwork with two magically sonorous 20th-century pieces Angels and Sun-treader both by pioneering composer Carl Ruggles, whose music MTT has esteemed for decades. Gardner & Montero: Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Gidon Kremer, and the SF Symphony celebrate the 60th anniversary of Weinberg s imaginative Violin Concerto in a year that follows the centennial of his birth. Yuja Wang piano The SF Symphony welcomes the return of piano superstar and MTT protégé Yuja Wang, who pours ferocious technique into Brahms breakout piece, the Piano Concerto No. 1. MTT and the Orchestra open the program with the ebullient Fifth Symphony of iconic Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, who conducted the work s world premiere on his 50th birthday in a show of his vitality and vigor. Stravinsky Fireworks Bartók Dance Suite Prokofiev Scenes from Romeo and Juliet Edward Gardner conductor Gabriela Montero piano Venezuelan Gabriela Montero injects her larger-than-life personality into Tchaikovsky s scintillating thrill ride, the beloved and blistering Piano Concerto No. 1. Edward Gardner, Chief Conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic, leads the Orchestra in Bartók s boisterous Dance Suite, and in Prokofiev s gorgeous and lyrical Scenes from Romeo and Juliet Season 37

21 Season Calendar / JUNE Season Calendar / JUNE THU (M) JUN 4 2PM FRI (F) JUN 5 8 PM SAT (A) JUN 6 8 PM BEETHOVEN250 MTT & Anne-Sophie Mutter Schubert Symphony in B minor, Unfinished Schoenberg Five Pieces for Orchestra Beethoven Violin Concerto Anne-Sophie Mutter violin Beethoven wrote only one violin concerto and it is undeniably singular in scope, vision, and majesty. Legendary violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter offers up an inspired take on this sublime favorite as part of her SF Symphony Michael Tilson Thomas Gil Shaham Anne-Sophie Mutter Legendary violinist and Artist-in-Residence Anne-Sophie Mutter celebrates MTT s final season as SF Symphony Music Director with three brilliant and diverse BEETHOVEN250 programs: a recital (Jan 26), a chamber music concert (Jan 27), and as soloist with the Orchestra at these concerts (Jun 4 6). residency this season. Also on the program, MTT leads the Orchestra in Schubert s hauntingly beautiful Unfinished Symphony and revolutionary composer Arnold Schoenberg s extraordinary boundary-blurring Five Pieces for Orchestra. The Thursday Matinee concerts are endowed by a gift in memory of Rhoda Goldman. THU (A) JUN 11 8PM SAT (B) JUN 13 8PM MON (D) JUN 15 5PM a semi-staged event MTT & Wagner s The Flying Dutchman Wagner Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman) Cast to be announced SF Symphony Chorus Ragnar Bohlin director MTT stirs up a tempest with the SF Symphony, our phenomenal Chorus, and a superstar cast of the great Wagnerian singers of our time. Experience the vast soundscape of Wagner s musical maritime drama The Flying Dutchman in a semi-staged spectacular that features original set design and costuming. The theater is in MTT s genes, and that led him to explore how the concert hall and theater can merge. Since the 1996 performances of Bernstein s On the Town, semi-staged productions featuring scenic design, lighting, costumes, and stage action have highlighted SF Symphony seasons. Funding from the Barbro and Bernard Osher Staged Production Fund began in 2003 with the Symphony s semi-staged production of Wagner s The Flying Dutchman. Be a part of MTT/SFS history as we come full circle with this season s new semi-staged production of Wagner s masterpiece. These performances are supported by The Barbro and Bernard Osher Staged Production Fund. THU (O) JUN 18 10AM THU (B) JUN 18 8PM SAT (C) JUN 20 8PM SUN (A) JUN 21 2PM MTT, Shaham, & Shostakovich 5 John Corigliano Three Hallucinations Barber Violin Concerto Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 Gil Shaham violin Living in fear for his life in Stalinist Russia, rule-breaker Shostakovich produced his mighty Fifth Symphony scoring an instant success, redeeming himself in the eyes of the authorities, and giving the world one of the most heart-pounding symphonies to come out of the 20th century. MTT leads an electrifying program that also explores the American spirit, featuring Barber s rhapsodic and romantic Violin Concerto with San Francisco favorite, Gil Shaham. The program opens with a suite from the landmark 1980 motion picture Altered States, a sensory-altering film scored by the multi-award-winning composer John Corigliano. The Open Rehearsals are endowed by a bequest from the estate of Katharine Hanrahan Season Subscribe today! sfsymphony.org/mtt25 39

22 Season Calendar / JUNE At the close of these concerts, Michael Tilson Thomas becomes the SF Symphony s first Music Director Laureate. A Historic Finale THU (C) JUN 25 8PM FRI (E) JUN 26 8PM SAT (D) JUN 27 8PM SUN (B) JUN 28 2PM MTT & MAHLER Mahler s Symphony of a Thousand Mahler Symphony No. 8 Soloists to be announced SF Symphony Chorus Ragnar Bohlin director Celebrate the extraordinary achievements of Michael Tilson Thomas in his final program as the SF Symphony s Music Director, with Mahler s mind-blowing sonic masterpiece, nicknamed the Symphony of a Thousand. After a magnificent 25-year partnership with MTT, the SF Symphony now sits at the vanguard of ensembles, finding white heat at the intersection of community, artistic daring, and the great classical canon. Join MTT, the Grammy Award-winning SF Symphony and Chorus, and a superstar cast of soloists in what is sure to be the musical event of the season. Discover Your Symphony The Mahler Project 17-Disc Deluxe Box Set Featured releases from Michael Tilson Thomas and the 15-time Grammy Award-winning SF Symphony. SFS Media recordings reflect the broad range of programming that has been a hallmark of the MTT/ SFS partnership, showcasing music by maverick composers and core classical masterworks. Recorded live in concert and engineered at Davies Symphony Hall, these audio recordings are released on hybrid SACD and in high-quality digital formats. Find them wherever music is sold and streamed. Schumann Symphonies Nos Disc Deluxe Set Berlioz Roméo et Juliette 2-Disc Deluxe Set Experience the Wattis Room Enrich Your Experience Visit sfsymphony.org for resources like these Before Podcasts Listen and learn about the music on the go! Visit sfsymphony.org/podcasts Pre-concert lectures Discover the backstory & what to listen for from experts on the music At a Glance Concert summaries Pre-order an intermission drink During Insider Info Learn more about the music directly from the artists in the Playbill Program notes Special lobby exhibits After Off the Podium Post-concert Q&A s with the artists CD signings More about the Music Recommended readings & recordings featuring the music & musicians on the program Broadcasts Hear SFS broadcasts on KDFC 90.3 SF, 89.9 Napa, San Jose, Carmel, and streaming online at KDFC.com Symphony Store Choose from a wide variety of CDs, DVDs, literature, clothing, books, and more. Mon Fri, 11am 4pm, and during all concerts Repeat Performance With merchandise donated by Symphony patrons, Repeat Performance s proceeds support the Symphony s programs throughout the Bay Area Fillmore Street, SF Mon Sat, 10am 5:30pm In the Wattis Room, we invite Baton Circle and Maestro s Circle donors to enjoy an exclusive dining experience within Davies Symphony Hall. Savor your experience at the Symphony with pre-concert dining or cocktails and coffee at intermission. The Wattis Room is also perfect for special events, such as wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, corporate parties, and more. To learn more about how to become a Baton Circle or Maestro s Circle donor, please see page 44. For event inquiries in the Wattis Room, please contact or wattisroom@sfsymphony.org Season 41

23 Ordering Information Save more than 30% by purchasing a subscription! * Online sfsymphony.org/subscribe Call the Box Office In person Davies Symphony Hall Box Office Mon Fri: 10am 6pm Sat: 12pm 6pm Mail the order form with payment to Patron Services SF Symphony Davies Symphony Hall 201 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA Davies Symphony Hall Seating Chart Stage Loge Side Box Rear Box Orchestra Premier Orchestra Upper Orchestra Front Orchestra First Tier Premier First Tier Second Tier Premier Second Tier Side Terrace Center Terrace Your ticket price includes a Hall Improvement Fee, which allows the SF Symphony to elevate and refresh the concert experience through physical improvements and enriched offerings in our lobbies and hall before, during, and after performances. Series Pricing THU A, B, M THU C THU Z Add on these individual concerts to your subscription! FRI C, D, F FRI E SF Symphony Orchestral Series FRI G No. of Concerts Center Terrace nd Tier Premier 2nd Tier Upper Orchestra Orchestra Rear Box st Tier Front Orchestra Side Terrace Premier 1st Tier Orchestra Premier Orchestra Orchestra Side Box Loge Pre-paid Parking FRI A FRI B FRI Z SAT A, B, C SAT D SAT Z SUN A SUN B SUN Z Great Performers Series GPS A GPS B GPS Z Music for Families Adult Music for Families Child FILM A, B Chamber Music Other Concert Series Organ Youth Orchestra Open Rehearsal Legion of Honor Open Seating - Open Seating Package Package $ $45 - RESERVED RESERVED Seating in Seating in Loge/Side Box/ Loge/Side Box Rear Box/ $165 Premier Orch. $ *Actual savings may vary based on seat location and prices. **All SF Symphony Orchestral Series concerts, excluding Yuja Wang (5/14 15, 17) and MTT & Mahler 8 (6/25 28). All Great Perfomers Series concerts excluding Piano Recital with Yefim Bronfman (4/5); BEETHOVEN250 Piano Recital with Igor Levit (5/24); Piano Recital with Chick Corea, From Mozart to Monk (11/10); Piano Recital: Yuja Wang (2/23); Joshua Bell & the Academy of St Martin in the Fields (3/1) Premium seats, which include pre- or post-concert packages are available. For more information, contact the San Francisco Symphony Volunteer Council at Legion of Honor members price is $220 The Side Terrace may not be available for all SF Symphony Orchestral Series concerts. SF Symphony Orchestral Series Concerts Great Performers Series Concerts Film Series Concerts Special Concerts Subscriber Single Ticket Pricing All Concerts** Yuja Wang MTT & Mahler 8 All Concerts Yefim Bronfman, Igor Levit Chick Corea Yuja Wang, Joshua Bell All Concerts Opening Night Gala Lang Lang Get Out Film Día de los Muertos Kids Half Price Deck the Hall Peter and the Wolf Kids Half Price Chinese New Year Siberian State Symphony James Galway Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra Chineke! Orchestra Date See Exclusions Above 5/14 15, 17 6/25 28 See Exclusions Above 4/5, 5/24 11/10 2/23, 3/1-9/4/19 10/21/19 10/30/19 11/2/19 12/8/19 12/15/19 2/1/20 3/15/20 3/17/20 3/23/20 3/24/20 4/19/20 2nd Tier Premier 2nd Tier Upper Orchestra Orchestra Rear Box st Tier Front Orchestra Side Terrace Premier 1st Tier Orchestra Premier Orchestra Orchestra Side Box Loge Pre-paid Parking Season Subscribe today! sfsymphony.org/mtt25 43

24 HOW TO GIVE Join a community of music lovers who are committed to strengthening art and live music in the Bay Area. Gifts from our donors make the music possible. 1 WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION Include your gift in the contribution line of your subscription order. Your gift brings you closer to the music you love. In gratitude for your support, we invite you to enjoy*: Special receptions, tours, rehearsals, and other insider events Opportunities to meet the musicians and guest artists VIP ticket services and complimentary parking *Donor opportunities vary based on your membership level. Thank you to our Institutional Partners The San Francisco Symphony is exceedingly grateful to its corporate, foundation, and government partners for their generous support of the outstanding concerts, impactful educational programs, and engaging community events we create for people across the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. CORPORATIONS SEASON PARTNERS SECOND CENTURY PARTNER Official Airline Inaugural Partner $100,000 AND ABOVE 2 $50,000 TO $99,999 $35,000 TO $49,999 ONLINE Visit sfsymphony.org/give 3 CONTACT US At or support@sfsymphony.org $15,000 TO $34,999 CHANEL Become a Donor On the stage The Symphony presents more than 200 concerts each season, featuring the world s best musicians and guest artists. $10,000 TO $14,999 In schools 100% of San Francisco public elementary school students grades 1-5 receive free music education through our Adventures in Music program. FOUNDATIONS Throughout the community Thousands enjoy free concerts at Stern Grove, local community centers and hospitals, and millions more via SFS broadcasts on KDFC 90.3 SF, 89.9 Napa, San Jose, Carmel, and streaming online at KDFC.com. $100,000 and above The Eucalyptus Foundation The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation The James Irvine Foundation Koret Foundation The Bernard Osher Foundation Education This season, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of music education at the San Francisco Symphony. We are proud to be a leading provider of music education in the Bay Area and beyond. We extend a special thank you to our education donors and community and corporate partners for making this possible each and every year! The biggest responsibility we $50,000 $99,999 Louise M Davies Foundation The Frances K and Charles D Field Foundation Walter and Elise Haas Fund League of American Orchestras $35,000 $49,999 Clarence E Heller Charitable Foundation William G Irwin Charity Foundation The Kimball Foundation Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation $15,000 $34,999 Acacia Foundation Cresent Porter Hale Foundation Heising-Simons Foundation Alexander M and June L Maisin Foundation Newton and Rochelle Becker Charitable Trust performing arts organizations have for the future is to guide and encourage children and young people in their under- PUBLIC FUNDING $5,000 $14,999 Frank A Campini Foundation The Aaron Copland Fund for Music The Davis/Dauray Family Fund Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund John Brockway Huntington Foundation Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Walter S Johnson Foundation Kresge Foundation Laney Thornton Foundation The Joseph and Mercedes McMicking Foundation Nakamichi Foundation The Walther Foundation Zellerbach Family Foundation MEDIA PARTNERS standing of how music really works and what it means. Michael Tilson Thomas For more information on becoming an Institutional Partner, please contact Cia Glover at or cglover@sfsymphony.org Season 45

25 FREE TICKET OFFER FOR SUBSCRIBERS * Subscribe or renew your subscription by Friday, April 12 to receive free SF Symphony Orchestral Series concerts: 6 or more concerts Get 2 SF Symphony Orchestral concerts free! 12 or more concerts Get 3 SF Symphony Orchestral concerts free! 18 or 24 concerts Get 3 SF Symphony Orchestral concerts free! + 2 complimentary beverage vouchers + An additional one-time seat upgrade For renewals, keep the seats you love! All seats will be released after Friday, April Front cover and Musician portraits Mark Mahaney Back cover Portrait of Michael Tilson Thomas from his inaugural season with the SF Symphony in 1995 by Nancy Ellison. Additional photography Stefan Cohen, Kristen Loken, and Brandon Patoc