Celebrating Hardly Strictly Bluegrass
Lyle Lovett and his Acoustic Group with the SF Symphony
September 13, 2025
Overview
Presented in partnership with Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, the San Francisco Symphony comes together with Lyle Lovett and his Acoustic Group for a celebration of the iconic San Francisco music festival’s 25th anniversary. Coupled with his gift for storytelling, the Texas-based musician fuses elements of country, swing, jazz, folk, gospel and blues in a convention-defying manner that breaks down barriers.This concert also celebrates the legacy of Nancy Hellman Bechtle, former SF Symphony President and a vital part of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass’s storied history. Portions of the proceeds benefit the San Francisco Symphony’s Music and Mentors program, which provides assistance to instrumental music programs in San Francisco’s public middle schools and high schools.
Concert Extras
Now on View: A lobby exhibit in Davies Symphony Hall explores Gaïa—the latest project from cellist Gautier Capuçon, featuring newly commissioned works by 16 composers.
Sponsors
This concert is presented in partnership with
Edwin Outwater
Conductor
Edwin Outwater regularly works with the world’s top orchestras, institutions, and artists to reinvent the concert experience. His ability to cross genres has led to collaborations with Metallica, Wynton Marsalis, Renée Fleming, and Yo-Yo Ma. He is music director of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and music director laureate of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony.
Recent appearances include the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Seattle Symphony, and the New World Symphony, as well as the Royal Philharmonic. He also served as a producer and musical advisor for the National Symphony Orchestra’s 50th Anniversary Concert at the Kennedy Center. In December 2022, he premiered A Christmas Gaiety at the Royal Albert Hall with Peaches Christ and the BBC Concert Orchestra, and returned in 2023.
Outwater has held a long association with San Francisco Symphony. He was appointed Resident Conductor and Wattis Foundation Music Director of the SF Symphony Youth Orchestra by Michael Tilson Thomas in 2001 and they have been friends and colleagues since.
Recent appearances include the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Seattle Symphony, and the New World Symphony, as well as the Royal Philharmonic. He also served as a producer and musical advisor for the National Symphony Orchestra’s 50th Anniversary Concert at the Kennedy Center. In December 2022, he premiered A Christmas Gaiety at the Royal Albert Hall with Peaches Christ and the BBC Concert Orchestra, and returned in 2023.
Outwater has held a long association with San Francisco Symphony. He was appointed Resident Conductor and Wattis Foundation Music Director of the SF Symphony Youth Orchestra by Michael Tilson Thomas in 2001 and they have been friends and colleagues since.
Lyle Lovett
Guitar and Vocals
A singer, composer, and actor, Lyle Lovett has broadened the definition of American music in a career spanning 14 albums. Coupled with his gift for storytelling, the Texas-based musician fuses elements of country, swing, jazz, folk, gospel, and blues in a convention-defying manner that breaks down barriers.
Whether touring as a duo, with his Acoustic Group, or with his Large Band, Lovett’s live performances show not only the breadth of his talents, but also the diversity of his influences, making him one of the most compelling and captivating musicians in popular music.
Since his self-titled debut in 1986, Lyle Lovett has evolved into one of music’s most vibrant and iconic performers. Among his many accolades including four Grammy Awards, he was given the Americana Music Association’s inaugural Trailblazer Award, and was named Texas State Musician. His works, rich and eclectic, are some of the most beloved of any artist working today.
Whether touring as a duo, with his Acoustic Group, or with his Large Band, Lovett’s live performances show not only the breadth of his talents, but also the diversity of his influences, making him one of the most compelling and captivating musicians in popular music.
Since his self-titled debut in 1986, Lyle Lovett has evolved into one of music’s most vibrant and iconic performers. Among his many accolades including four Grammy Awards, he was given the Americana Music Association’s inaugural Trailblazer Award, and was named Texas State Musician. His works, rich and eclectic, are some of the most beloved of any artist working today.
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