June 30, 2025
30 (Or So) Highlights
We Can't Wait to Hear Next Season
Ready for your next San Francisco Symphony concert? Here’s a handy preview of what to expect in the 2025–26 season.
Tchaikovsky and Mozart: Odd couple or perfect pairing?
Of Mozart, Tchaikovsky once said, “I don’t just like Mozart, I idolize him.” Next season, music lovers get a generous helping of both. September and October are rich with Tchaikovsky: Yuja Wang kicks off the new season with the Piano Concerto No. 1, Gustavo Gimeno conducts the fate-filled Fifth Symphony, and Sergey Khachatryan essays the Violin Concerto with debuting conductor David Afkham. In May, Dima Slobodeniouk conducts the Fourth Symphony, a work that juggles joy and tragedy.
As for Mozart, Tchaikovsky would be pleased. Emanuel Ax and Jan Lisiecki perform Mozart’s piano concertos; Harry Bicket leads an all-Mozart program with the bewitching Prague Symphony and opera arias sung by soprano Golda Schultz; and conductor Manfred Honeck offers a theatrical take on the Requiem, complete with dramatic readings and additional works by Mozart.
Story continues below...
Tchaikovsky and Mozart: Odd couple or perfect pairing?
Of Mozart, Tchaikovsky once said, “I don’t just like Mozart, I idolize him.” Next season, music lovers get a generous helping of both. September and October are rich with Tchaikovsky: Yuja Wang kicks off the new season with the Piano Concerto No. 1, Gustavo Gimeno conducts the fate-filled Fifth Symphony, and Sergey Khachatryan essays the Violin Concerto with debuting conductor David Afkham. In May, Dima Slobodeniouk conducts the Fourth Symphony, a work that juggles joy and tragedy.
As for Mozart, Tchaikovsky would be pleased. Emanuel Ax and Jan Lisiecki perform Mozart’s piano concertos; Harry Bicket leads an all-Mozart program with the bewitching Prague Symphony and opera arias sung by soprano Golda Schultz; and conductor Manfred Honeck offers a theatrical take on the Requiem, complete with dramatic readings and additional works by Mozart.
Story continues below...
Hometown Heroes
Several SF Symphony musicians step into the spotlight as soloists next season. Principal Trombone Timothy Higgins does double duty: premiering Shift, a new trombone concerto by Jimmy López, and debuting his own Market Street, 1920s. Higgins’s compatriot in the brass section, Principal Trumpet Mark Inouye, takes a featured role in Shostakovich’s sprightly Piano Concerto No. 1, with pianist Seong-Jin Cho. Principal Flute Yubeen Kim makes his Symphony solo debut in two programs: Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 this fall, alongside violinist/leader Alexi Kenney, and Ibert’s riveting, rarely heard Flute Concerto in the spring, conducted by Dima Slobodeniouk. The SF Symphony Chorus also shines in Bach’s Easter Oratorio and in a spring concert conducted by Chorus Director Jenny Wong.
Youth or Experience? Why not Both?
Whether you prize seasoned mastery or are drawn to rising-star energy, 2025–26 delivers. At 98, San Francisco Symphony Conductor Laureate Herbert Blomstedt returns to lead Mahler's massive Ninth Symphony, a 90-minute journey of catharsis and complexity. If a “fire-breathing virtuoso” is more your speed, French pianist Alexandre Kantorow makes his San Francisco Symphony debut performing Prokofiev's fiendishly difficult Third Piano Concerto. The 27-year-old Tchaikovsky Competition winner turned heads performing Ravel’s Jeux d’eau in the rain-soaked opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics last summer. For more breakout talent, check out the Shenson Spotlight Series of four intimate debut recitals.
Legends in the Building…With a Twist
The Great Performers Series lives up to its name with hotly anticipated concerts by renowned artists and ensembles. Violin legends Itzhak Perlman and Joshua Bell each appear twice—Perlman in recital and as conductor/soloist with the full orchestra; Bell in his annual visit with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and in recital. Looking for something out of the box? Try violinist Nicola Benedetti in a recital with guitarist Plínio Fernandes, accordionist Hanzhi Wang, and cellist Adrian Daurov, or cellist Gautier Capuçon performing a full evening of newly commissioned works—17 in all—from composers including Joe Hisaishi, Bryce Dessner, and Max Richter.
We’re Gonna Need a Bigger…Stage?
The Symphony’s film series pairs your favorite movies with the power of a live orchestra. It’s a rich season for fantasy and adventure fans: Superheroes assemble in the action-packed Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga Concert Experience; Frodo and Sam complete their journey in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King; and lovable rogue Jack Sparrow sets sail in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Last season’s unconventional Disney–Hitchcock Halloween double bill was a hit, and this year Coco and Vertigo return to cast their spells. The balletic Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon makes its San Francisco Symphony debut and Barbie the Movie adds bubblegum charm to Thanksgiving weekend. And stay tuned for Holidays with the Symphony, full of festive films perfect for the season.
The Pipes are Calling
Want to hear Davies Symphony Hall’s Ruffatti Organ in full flight? Organist Olivier Latry is on the bench for two powerhouses of the French symphonic organ tradition—Poulenc’s Organ Concerto and Saint-Saëns’s Organ Symphony—conducted by Stéphane Denève. See if you can spot the organ in other concerts this year, like Holst’s The Planets with Edwin Gardner.
Symphony in the Stacks
Picture this: You’re heading to your neighborhood library to pick up a beach read—and you’re met by the sweet sounds of a live string duo performing just inside. Through the Community Chamber Concert series, small ensembles of San Francisco Symphony musicians bring free live music to San Francisco Public Library branches (19 and counting!) and oter venues across the city. It’s a great way to connect with Symphony musicians up close in familiar, welcoming settings. And with a Bay Area library card, you can also access free tickets to select Symphony concerts through the Discover & Go program. Visit sfsymphony.org/CommunityChamber for more information.
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Subscriptions for the 2025–26 season are on sale now. Individual tickets go on sale July 19.
Several SF Symphony musicians step into the spotlight as soloists next season. Principal Trombone Timothy Higgins does double duty: premiering Shift, a new trombone concerto by Jimmy López, and debuting his own Market Street, 1920s. Higgins’s compatriot in the brass section, Principal Trumpet Mark Inouye, takes a featured role in Shostakovich’s sprightly Piano Concerto No. 1, with pianist Seong-Jin Cho. Principal Flute Yubeen Kim makes his Symphony solo debut in two programs: Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 this fall, alongside violinist/leader Alexi Kenney, and Ibert’s riveting, rarely heard Flute Concerto in the spring, conducted by Dima Slobodeniouk. The SF Symphony Chorus also shines in Bach’s Easter Oratorio and in a spring concert conducted by Chorus Director Jenny Wong.
Youth or Experience? Why not Both?
Whether you prize seasoned mastery or are drawn to rising-star energy, 2025–26 delivers. At 98, San Francisco Symphony Conductor Laureate Herbert Blomstedt returns to lead Mahler's massive Ninth Symphony, a 90-minute journey of catharsis and complexity. If a “fire-breathing virtuoso” is more your speed, French pianist Alexandre Kantorow makes his San Francisco Symphony debut performing Prokofiev's fiendishly difficult Third Piano Concerto. The 27-year-old Tchaikovsky Competition winner turned heads performing Ravel’s Jeux d’eau in the rain-soaked opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics last summer. For more breakout talent, check out the Shenson Spotlight Series of four intimate debut recitals.
Legends in the Building…With a Twist
The Great Performers Series lives up to its name with hotly anticipated concerts by renowned artists and ensembles. Violin legends Itzhak Perlman and Joshua Bell each appear twice—Perlman in recital and as conductor/soloist with the full orchestra; Bell in his annual visit with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and in recital. Looking for something out of the box? Try violinist Nicola Benedetti in a recital with guitarist Plínio Fernandes, accordionist Hanzhi Wang, and cellist Adrian Daurov, or cellist Gautier Capuçon performing a full evening of newly commissioned works—17 in all—from composers including Joe Hisaishi, Bryce Dessner, and Max Richter.
We’re Gonna Need a Bigger…Stage?
The Symphony’s film series pairs your favorite movies with the power of a live orchestra. It’s a rich season for fantasy and adventure fans: Superheroes assemble in the action-packed Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga Concert Experience; Frodo and Sam complete their journey in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King; and lovable rogue Jack Sparrow sets sail in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Last season’s unconventional Disney–Hitchcock Halloween double bill was a hit, and this year Coco and Vertigo return to cast their spells. The balletic Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon makes its San Francisco Symphony debut and Barbie the Movie adds bubblegum charm to Thanksgiving weekend. And stay tuned for Holidays with the Symphony, full of festive films perfect for the season.
The Pipes are Calling
Want to hear Davies Symphony Hall’s Ruffatti Organ in full flight? Organist Olivier Latry is on the bench for two powerhouses of the French symphonic organ tradition—Poulenc’s Organ Concerto and Saint-Saëns’s Organ Symphony—conducted by Stéphane Denève. See if you can spot the organ in other concerts this year, like Holst’s The Planets with Edwin Gardner.
Symphony in the Stacks
Picture this: You’re heading to your neighborhood library to pick up a beach read—and you’re met by the sweet sounds of a live string duo performing just inside. Through the Community Chamber Concert series, small ensembles of San Francisco Symphony musicians bring free live music to San Francisco Public Library branches (19 and counting!) and oter venues across the city. It’s a great way to connect with Symphony musicians up close in familiar, welcoming settings. And with a Bay Area library card, you can also access free tickets to select Symphony concerts through the Discover & Go program. Visit sfsymphony.org/CommunityChamber for more information.
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Subscriptions for the 2025–26 season are on sale now. Individual tickets go on sale July 19.
