In September, the San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas launched the Orchestra’s milestone Centennial Season with a celebratory gala concert dubbed "Fanfare for a New Century" at Davies Symphony Hall. The gala concert will be presented as a two-hour special, San Francisco Symphony at 100, by Great Performances on PBS. Check your local listings for times and channels.
The broadcast is hosted by Bay Area author Amy Tan and features MTT conducting the Orchestra and two of the leading artists of our time, legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman performing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto and the dynamic pianist Lang Lang performing Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1. Capping off the concert is Bay Area composer John Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine featuring projected images of San Francisco.
Woven into the concert footage, San Francisco Symphony at 100 includes historical documentary features highlighting the Orchestra’s early beginnings, its rich history of touring and its commitment to young people and innovations in media.
KQED will also broadcast Michael Tilson Thomas's The Thomashefskys: Music and Memories of a Life in the Yiddish Theater, performed with the New World Symphony. Watch The Thomashefskys at the following times, and check your local listings for more information: Thu, March 29 at 8pm on KQED 9; Fri, March 30 at 7pm on KQED Life; Mon, April 2 at 10pm on KQED Life.