Chamayou Performs Liszt’s Totentanz

Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen and the San Francisco Symphony journey through Hector Berlioz’s phantasmic Symphonie fantastique, Franz Liszt’s devilish Totentanz with pianist Bertrand Chamayou, and Modest Mussorgsky’s supernatural Night on Bald Mountain.

Yuja Wang Performs the World Premiere of Lindberg’s Third Piano Concerto

Plus Nielsen’s sun-drenched Helios Overture and Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra.

Stravinsky, Sibelius, and Kidane

Igor Stravinsky’s explosive ballet score, The Firebird, along with Jean Sibelius’s cosmic Luonnotar with soprano Golda Schultz, and the United States premiere of Daniel Kidane’s SF Symphony commission, Sun Poem.

Mahler 2 and a World Premiere by Trevor Weston

Season Premiere: Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts the SF Symphony in Gustav Mahler’s glorious Symphony No. 2 with vocalists Golda Schultz and Michelle DeYoung and the world premiere of Push by Trevor Weston.

Esa-Pekka Salonen to leave San Francisco Symphony, citing dispute with orchestra’s board

“I do not share the same goals for the future of the institution as the board of governors does,” Salonen said in a statement.

Follow Live: Grammy 2024 Winners

Follow live on Sunday, February 4, as music’s biggest awards are given out!

Alan Gilbert and Frank Huang Perform Ein Heldenleben

Plus visiting the West Coast by way of Salonen’s L.A. Variations.

Salonen & Kuusisto

Esa-Pekka Salonen returns to the CSO podium for Ravel, Stravinsky, and Dessner.

Grammy 2024 Nominees Announced

Peruse the hopefuls for classical, jazz, soundtrack, and more!

Aimard Plays Bartók

Season Finale: Music by Boccherini, Bartók, Montgomery, and Respighi conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen.

Ólafsson plays Adams

Vikingur Ólafsson plays John Adams’ Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes? under the baton of music director Esa-Pekka Salonen.

Josefowicz Plays Stravinsky

Music director Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts the SF Symphony and violinist Leila Josefowicz in music by Stravinsky and Ogonek.

Demarre McGill

Chicago-born flutist Demarre McGill joins music director Esa-Pekka Salonen and the SF Symphony to perform Notturno by the orchestra’s former music director, Michael Tilson Thomas.

Salonen & Bronfman

Esa-Pekka Salonen leads works by Richard Strauss, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Anders Hillborg in a recital featuring pianist Yefim Bronfman.

Pekka Kuusisto

Music director Esa-Pekka Salonen leads the SF Symphony and guest artist Pekka Kuusisto, violin in music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Bryce Dessner, and Franz Schubert.

Jeremy Denk & Claire Chase

Music director Esa-Pekka Salonen leads the SF Symphony and guest artists Jeremy Denk, piano, and Claire Chase, flute in music by Claude Debussy, Olivier Messiaen, and Kaija Saariaho.

Music by Kendall, Chin, Beethoven

Season Premiere: Music director Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts the San Francisco Symphony in works by Hannah Kendall, Unsuk Chin, and Ludwig van Beethoven.

Salonen & Kuusisto

Esa-Pekka Salonen returns to the CSO podium for Ravel’s Mother Goose, Stravinsky’s Symphony in Three Movements, and a 2021 concerto by Bryce Dessner.

Dudamel to become NY Philharmonic music director, leave LA

Dudamel is scheduled to conduct three performances of Mahler’s Ninth Symphony in May.

CSO Announces Winter/Spring 2022 Concerts

Music director Riccardo Muti will conduct music by Beethoven, Price, Glass, and Montgomery while welcoming guest artists like Anne-Sophie Mutter, Leif Ove Andsnes, and Mitsuko Uchida.

CSO Contract Ratified, Strike Ends After 7 Weeks

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra strike has ended and a new, five-year contract through September 2023 has been ratified, the CSO musicians and management have confirmed.

Salonen to become San Francisco Symphony music director

Salonen will take the baton from longtime music director Michael Tilson Thomas with the 2020-21 season.

Esa-Pekka Salonen: Without New Music, Orchestras and Opera Houses Will “Dry up”

Composer and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen is known for his innovative approach to creating new music and curating concerts. During his Chicago residency, he sat down for a wide-ranging conversation about the importance of new works and the future of classical music.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Announces 2018/19 Season, Muti Extends Contract Through 2022

Today, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association announced programming for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Symphony Center Presents 2018/19 season.

Playlist: 10 Finnish Composers You Should Know (Who Aren’t Sibelius)

Osmo Vänskä, the Finnish music director of the Minnesota Orchestra, shared 10 Finnish composers that everyone should know who aren’t Sibelius.