Press Room

May 4, 2021

SAN FRANCISCO, CA—The San Francisco Symphony today announces increased audience capacities for live concerts at Davies Symphony Hall in May and June, 2021, following the City’s approval of the Symphony’s Health & Safety Plan. Additional tickets are now available for concerts on May 6 and 7, with the majority of tickets reserved for health care professionals and community partners who have been at the front lines supporting the people of our city in critical ways throughout the pandemic. A limited number of the added tickets will be made available to SF Symphony donors and subscribers beginning Tuesday, May 4 at 10am and can be purchased by calling the SF Symphony Box Office at 415-864-6000.

Audience capacities for performances on May 13–June 25 will be increased to 35% of Davies Symphony Hall’s total capacity. There will be two seating zones—a vaccinated-only zone with limited social distancing on the Orchestra Level and Side Boxes, which will require proof of vaccination, and a socially-distanced zone in the Loge, First Tier, and Second Tier for those who have not been vaccinated (but who present proof negative COVID-19 test) in addition to vaccinated patrons who prefer to maintain social distancing. Once San Francisco moves into the yellow tier status, capacities are expected to further increase to 50% of venue capacity.* Tickets for May 13–June 25 concerts can be purchased by members of the general public beginning May 6 at 10am by calling the SF Symphony Box Office at 415-864-6000.**

*UPDATE 5/7: Since San Francisco has moved into Yellow Tier, a decision has officially been made to open Davies Symphony Hall to 50% capacity starting with the concerts on May 13 and 14.

**UPDATE 5/11: In addition to calling the Box Office, tickets for May 13–June 25 concerts can now be purchased online via sfsymphony.org.  

Programming is now available for all concerts in May and June. Concerts on May 27–28, conducted by Ken-David Masur, feature performances of Somei Satoh’s Saga, Qigang Chen’s L’Eloignement, and Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings. Kicking off the month of June with concerts on June 3 and 4, Joseph Young leads the SF Symphony in Jessie Montgomery’s Banner, Carlos Simon’s An Elegy: A Cry from the Grave, and Rodion Shchedrin’s arrangement of George Bizet’s Carmen Suite for string orchestra and percussion. On June 10 and 11, Joshua Weilerstein conducts the Orchestra in Bohuslav Martinů's Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano, and Timpani; the Andante moderato movement of Florence Price’s String Quartet in G major, arranged for string orchestra; and Antonín Dvořák's Serenade for Strings. Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen returns to lead the final two concert weeks in June, conducting the Orchestra in the U.S. premiere of Daniel Kidane’s Be Still, Leonard Bernstein’s Serenade, and Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, featuring violinist Augustin Hadelich, on June 17–18; and Jessie Montgomery’s Strum, Richard Strauss’ Metamorphosen, and the opening movement of Gustav Mahler’s arrangement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, on June 24–25.

The San Francisco Symphony’s live concert reopening plan was developed in accordance with regulations set by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, the City and County of San Francisco, and the San Francisco War Memorial & Performing Arts Center. These San Francisco Symphony performances will require proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test for all patrons, musicians, staff, and volunteers as well as universal mask wearing. There will be significantly reduced concert hall capacity, contactless tickets, assigned seats that maximize physical distancing, 75-minute performances without intermission, increased ventilation and filtration standards, social distancing requirements, and other safety measures in place. Please visit sfsymphony.org/safety to read the San Francisco Symphony’s Health and Safety FAQ.

Click here to access the online Press Kit, which includes downloadable artist headshots.

Calendar editors, please note:

All concerts take place at Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco.

Tickets for May 6 & 7 have been given free of charge to medical professionals, community partners, and other groups. A limited number of tickets is available for sale to SF Symphony donors and subscribers beginning May 4, 2021 at 10am.

Tickets for all other performances go on sale May 6, 2021 at 10am by calling the San Francisco Symphony Box Office at 415-864-6000. Tickets for May 13–June 25 concerts can also be purchased online via sfsymphony.org. Tickets: $45/$75/$95.  

[For the full press release and concert calendar, click on the Download PDF link]