The San Francisco Symphony Reveals 2025-26 Season Featuring World Premieres and More

The San Francisco Symphony has revealed details of the Orchestra’s 114th season, taking place September 4, 2025–June 28, 2026.

The 2025–26 Orchestral Series features 23 guest conductors—including six in their Orchestral Series debuts—with a star-studded lineup of returning and first-time guest artists performing across 26 weeks of programs highlighted by major orchestral works, exciting world and United States premieres, thematic programs, unique experiences, and more. The season kicks off in September with an Opening Gala performance featuring renowned pianist Yuja Wang. San Francisco Symphony musicians Timothy Higgins (Principal Trombone), Mark Inouye (Principal Trumpet), and Yubeen Kim (Principal Flute) take the spotlight on five programs, and the Orchestra launches a three-season Beethoven symphony cycle with conductor Jaap van Zweden. Outside of its Orchestral Series, the SF Symphony welcomes violinist and conductor Itzhak Perlman and cellist Yo-Yo Ma for special event performances and celebrates Día de los Muertos and Lunar New Year, two of the Orchestra’s annual, family-friendly events.  

This season’s repertoire is rich with orchestral masterpieces, from Bruckner’s majestic Seventh Symphony and Dvořák’s beloved Symphonies Nos. 7 and 9 to Mahler’s exhilarating First Symphony and Shostakovich’s powerful Eighth. The Symphony also delves into the timeless genius of Beethoven and Mozart, performing Beethoven’s Symphonies Nos. 2, 5, 7, and 9, and five programs featuring the music of Mozart, including a dramatic presentation of Mozart’s Requiem conceived by conductor Manfred Honeck. 

All San Francisco Concert

The annual All San Francisco Concert, taking place this year on September 11, will be led by conductor Jaap van Zweden and feature a program to be announced later. Now in its 46th year, the All San Francisco Concert honors local social service and neighborhood organizations who work to make the Bay Area a more just and equitable place. A special San Francisco Symphony program is offered at a subsidized ticket price of $12 for employees of Bay Area nonprofits, social services, and grassroots organizations. Previous concert attendees include community members, volunteers, and employees from a broad range of local organizations. Founded by native San Franciscan, veteran philanthropist, patron of the arts, and San Francisco Symphony Life Governor Ellen Magnin Newman, and led by an advisory committee of nonprofit and community leaders, the All San Francisco Concert is an important pillar of the San Francisco Symphony’s ongoing work to make the Symphony an accessible, welcoming space for all Bay Area residents, regardless of income. 

In honor of its founder, the All San Francisco Concert also includes the presentation of the Ellen Magnin Newman Award, which includes a grant, in recognition of an outstanding community-based arts organization that serves those most in need. Local organizations interested in receiving an invitation to the concert are encouraged to email allsf@sfsymphony.org.    
Three San Francisco Symphony musicians take center stage 
Principal Trombone Timothy Higgins, Principal Trumpet Mark Inouye, and Principal Flute Yubeen Kim take center stage during the 2025–26 season across five Orchestral Series programs.  

Principal Trombone Timothy Higgins, Robert L. Samter Chair, features as both composer and soloist this season. October 3–5, Gustavo Gimeno and the San Francisco Symphony give the world premiere of Higgins’ Market Street, 1920s, commissioned by the SF Symphony. The San Francisco Symphony previously performed the world premiere of Higgins’ Trombone Concerto (an SF Symphony commission) with Higgins as soloist, and his works for brass and chamber ensembles have been performed on many other Symphony programs. May 29–30, Higgins joins Miguel Harth-Bedoya for the United States premiere of Jimmy López’s Shift, a concerto for trombone and orchestra, co-commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony with the Rotterdam Philharmonic and San Diego Symphony. “Any time a musician can step out of their section into a different role is a breath of fresh air,” said Higgins. “The San Francisco Symphony has a long tradition of successful world premieres, and I'm thrilled to add my work to that list again. And Jimmy López’s trombone concerto, Shift, is a tour de force. You won't want to miss either of these new pieces!” 

In the 2025–26 season, Principal Flute Yubeen Kim, Caroline H. Hume Chair, makes his first solo appearances with the San Francisco Symphony since joining the Orchestra in 2024. May 8–9, Kim joins conductor Dima Slobodeniouk and the Orchestra as soloist in Jacques Ibert’s Flute Concerto, an undeniably compelling work that showcases the flute’s full expressive range. The SF Symphony’s last full performances of Ibert’s concerto took place in September 1983 with Sir James Galway as soloist, making these performances a rare treat for SF Symphony audiences. November 20–22, Kim joins violinist and leader Alexi Kenney for Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, a dazzling Baroque work that showcases playful interplay between the violin, flute, and harpsichord. “I’m thrilled to be making my solo debut with the San Francisco Symphony in the 2025-26 season,” said Kim. “It’s especially exciting because I’ll be performing two of my favorite pieces. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 has been on my playlist for years—it’s not programmed often these days, so I’m really looking forward to bringing it to life in concert, especially alongside Alexi Kenney. The Ibert Flute Concerto is a true gem of the repertoire, standing alongside the Nielsen and Jolivet concertos as a showcase of the flute’s incredible virtuosity. I can’t wait to share these works with the audience!” 

January 22–24, Principal Trumpet Mark Inouye, William G. Irwin Charity Foundation Chair, joins conductor John Storgårds and pianist Seong-Jin Cho for Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1, effectively a double concerto. “I am honored and grateful to be performing Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 with Seong-Jin Cho,” said Inouye. “Shostakovich had confessed to a student of his that the work was originally conceived as a concerto for trumpet and orchestra, but it ultimately became a piano concerto with a solo trumpet part. The concerto was composed three years before the devastating critique in Pravda, the Soviet Communist Party's newspaper, that viciously attacked and condemned Shostakovich's music. The piano concerto's outer movements contain a lightness and joy that are seldom found in his orchestral compositions. The inner movements provide a deep contrast that is hauntingly beautiful and profoundly lyrical. It is a unique portrait of Shostakovich that I'm so thrilled that we’ll be able to perform!” 

Cross-cultural currents

September 18–20, James Gaffigan leads a vibrant program highlighting the multifaceted influences that shape the sounds of American music through the jazz-inflected style of Duke Ellington, the genre-blending compositions of George Gershwin, and the textural storytelling of Carlos Simon. The program opens with Simon’s The Block, a short orchestral study inspired by six paintings by artist Romare Bearden. Bearden’s work highlights the energy and joyous scenery of six different buildings located on one block in Harlem. Gaffigan then conducts two jazz-influenced works by Gershwin—Piano Concerto in F, featuring Hélène Grimaud as soloist, and An American in Paris. The program closes with Duke Ellington’s Harlem. “Growing up in New York City, I got to meet all sorts of people from all types of backgrounds,” said Gaffigan. “My high school was a microcosm for our country, and it was beautiful. I wish everyone had the opportunity to experience that. This program is extraordinary music all rooted in our country and its diverse people and communities.” 

May 29–30, Miguel Harth-Bedoya conducts a program infused with Maurice Ravel and Joaquín Turina’s impressions of Spain alongside works rooted in South America by Alberto Ginastera and Jimmy López. The program opens with Alberto Ginastera’s Dances from Estancia based on a ballet depicting Argentine country life. SF Symphony Principal Trombone Timothy Higgins then joins Harth-Bedoya and the Orchestra for the United States premiere of Jimmy López’s Shift, a trombone concerto inspired by the Doppler Effect and the constant traffic in Lima, Peru, where the composer grew up. The program also includes Joaquín Turina’s Danzas fantásticas, the Spanish composer’s best-known work, and Maurice Ravel’s Rapsodie espagnole, which draws on the composer’s Spanish heritage.  

Exploring works of Beethoven & Mozart 

Beginning in January 2026, the San Francisco Symphony performs works by Ludwig van Beethoven and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart over the course of several programs throughout the winter and spring.   

SF Symphony begins a three-season Beethoven Symphony Cycle with Jaap van Zweden 
Beginning in the 2025–26 season, Jaap van Zweden and the San Francisco Symphony embark on a three-season cycle performing Ludwig van Beethoven’s nine symphonies. The cycle begins February 19–21, with van Zweden and the Orchestra performing Symphonies Nos. 2 and 7. In the 2026–27 season, van Zweden returns for two weeks to conduct Beethoven’s Symphonies Nos. 5, 6, and 8, and in the 2027–28 season, he will conduct Symphonies Nos. 1, 3, 4, and 9. 

Additional Beethoven works performed this season 

In addition to Jaap van Zweden’s all-Beethoven program (February 19–21), the Symphony will perform two other iconic Beethoven symphonies in 2025–26: Symphony No. 5, conducted by John Storgårds, known for its heroic character and familiar opening motive (January 22–24), and Symphony No. 9, conducted by James Gaffigan, with the final movement “Ode to Joy” being performed by the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, soprano Jessica Faselt, mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor, tenor Thomas Cooley, and bass Peixin Chen (June 18 & 20–21). Manfred Honeck will also conduct Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture, a portrayal of a Roman general’s vengeful attack on his homeland inspired by an 1804 play by Heinrich Joseph von Collin, conducted by Manfred Honeck on a program also featuring a dramatic production of Mozart’s Requiem (February 26–27 & March 1). 

Manfred Honeck leads a dramatic production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem 
February 26–27 & March 1, Manfred Honeck leads the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus in a dramatic production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem, which was left incomplete at the time of the composer’s death in 1791. This unique production, conceived by Honeck, features portions of the Requiem that Mozart completed before his death, interspersed with dramatic readings, Gregorian chant and other musical interpolations, and additional concert enhancements, bringing new insights to Mozart’s final score. The performance features soprano Ying Fang, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, tenor David Portillo, bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen, and narrator Adrian Roberts. The program also features Ludwig van Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture, based on a play about a Roman general pulled in two different directions, and Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 93 in D major, written for a chamber orchestra, offering another opportunity to highlight the individual musicians of the Symphony.  

Additional programs highlighting works by Mozart 

Including the Manfred Honeck-led performances of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem, February 26–27 & March 1, the San Francisco Symphony will perform 10 works by Mozart across five programs in 2025–26, including two of the composer’s most loved piano concertos: Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, conducted by Jaap van Zweden and featuring pianist Emanuel Ax (January 29–31) and Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat major, conducted by Andrés Orozco-Estrada and featuring pianist Jan Lisiecki (March 20–22). 

February 5–7, conductor Harry Bicket leads the SF Symphony in an all-Mozart program including arias from The Marriage of Figaro, Così fan tutte, and Don Giovanni, featuring soprano Golda Schultz, alongside Serenade No. 6 in D major, K.239, and Symphonies Nos. 34 and 38, Prague. Finally, June 1, James Gaffigan leads the Orchestra in Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, Jupiter, featured on a special one-night-only program with Yo-Yo Ma in Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto.

Conducting Debuts 

Six conductors make their Orchestral Series debut with the San Francisco Symphony during the 2025–26 season. 

Jun Märkl (Music Director of the Taiwan National Symphony Orchestra and incoming Chief Conductor of the Residentie Orchestra of The Hague) makes his debut October 16–18 conducting Maurice Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé, written in 1909 for the Ballets Russes and based on the Greek pastoral myth. The program also includes Béla Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2 with soloist Leonidas Kavakos. 

October 24-26, conductor David Afkham (Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España) conducts a program featuring Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with Sergey Khachatryan as soloist, and Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 8.  

January 22–24, John Storgårds (Chief Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, and Principal Guest Conductor of the National Arts Centre Orchestra Ottawa) conducts the United States premiere of Outi Tarkiainen’s The Rapids of Life, which Tarkiainen describes as “a work about that paramount moment, about a female’s instinctive birth-giving and a little child of nature who opens his eyes for the first time.” The program also features pianist Seong-Jin Cho and Principal Trumpet Mark Inouye as soloists in Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1. Storgårds closes the program with Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5.

March 13 & 15, Daniele Rustioni (Music Director of Opéra National de Lyon) conducts Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 2. The program also includes Antonín Dvořák’s Cello Concerto featuring Daniel Müller-Schott in his Orchestral Series debut. Rustioni, Müller-Schott, and the SF Symphony also perform this program at UC Davis’ Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts on March 14.   

Miguel Harth-Bedoya (Designate Distinguished Resident Director of Orchestras and Professor of Conducting at Rice University) joins the SF Symphony May 29–30 in a program including Alberto Ginastera’s Dances from Estancia, the United States premiere of Jimmy López’s Shift featuring Principal Trombone Timothy Higgins, Joaquín Turina’s Danzas fantásticas, and Maurice Ravel’s Rapsodie espagnole. Harth-Bedoya previously conducted the SF Symphony for its annual Día de los Muertos concert in 2023.   

June 12–14, Tianyi Lu (Former Conductor-in-Residence of the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra) conducts the first San Francisco Symphony performances of Iman Habibi’s Zhiân on a program with Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Violin Concerto with María Dueñas as soloist, and Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov's epic Scheherazade.  

Additionally, violinist Alexi Kenney makes his Orchestral Series debut November 20–22 as violinist and leader in a chamber orchestra program featuring Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 with Kenney, harpsichord player Jonathan Dimmock, and SF Symphony Principal Flute Yubeen Kim in his Orchestral Series solo debut. Kenney also performs as soloist and leads the SF Symphony in Antonio Vivaldi's The Four Seasons. The program also includes the first San Francisco Symphony performances of Olli Mustonen’s Nonet No. 2 for String Orchestra and Barbara Strozzi’s “Mercé di voi, mia fortunata stella,” from Il Primo Libro de Madrigali.
San Francisco Symphony Returning Conductors 
In addition to this season’s conducting debuts, 2025–26 features an exciting lineup of returning guest conductors bringing singular and innovative perspectives to the podium. 

Returning guest conductors include:

Harry Bicket (Music Director of Santa Fe Opera and Artistic Director of the English Concert), who is joined by soprano Golda Schultz for a program of music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (February 5–7) 

Conductor Laureate Herbert Blomstedt, conducting Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 (May 15–17)

Karina Canellakis (Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic and Principal Guest Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra), conducting Antonín Dvořák’s Scherzo capriccioso, Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 featuring Alexandre Kantorow in his Orchestral Series debut, and Jean Sibelius’ Four Legends from the Kalevala (November 6–8)

Stéphane Denève (Music Director of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Artistic Director of the New World Symphony, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra), conducting the first San Francisco Symphony performances of Guillaume Connesson’s Flammenschrift; and Francis Poulenc’s Organ Concerto and Camille Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3, Organ featuring organist Olivier Latry in his Orchestral Series debut (June 25–27)

James Gaffigan (General Music Director of Komische Oper Berlin and Music Director of the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía), conducting Carlos Simon’s The Block, George Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F with Hélène Grimaud as soloist, Gershwin’s An American in Paris, and Duke Ellington’s Harlem (September 18–20). Gaffigan also conducts Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, Jupiter and Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto with special guest Yo-Yo Ma (June 1) and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 featuring soprano Jessica Faselt, mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor, tenor Thomas Cooley, bass Peixin Chen, and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus (June 18 & 20–21) 

Edward Gardner (Principal Conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Music Director of the Norwegian Opera and Ballet), who conducts the first San Francisco Symphony performances of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Overture from The Wasps, Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 featuring violinist Randall Goosby, and Gustav Holst’s The Planets with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus (January 15–17) 

Gustavo Gimeno (Music Director of Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg and Music Director Designate of Teatro Real), conducting the world premiere of Principal Trombone Timothy Higgins’ Market Street, 1920s, Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto with Javier Perianes as soloist, and Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 (October 3–5) 

Jane Glover (Music Director of Music of the Baroque and Principal Guest Conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony), who conducts George Frideric Handel’s Messiah featuring soprano Heidi Stober, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano, tenor Josh Lovell in his Orchestral Series debut, baritone Will Liverman, and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus (December 5–6) 

Manfred Honeck (Music Director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra), conducting Ludwig van Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture; Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 93 in D major; and a dramatic production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem with soprano Ying Fang, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, tenor David Portillo in his Orchestral Series debut, bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen, narrator Adrian Roberts in his Orchestral Series debut, and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus (February 26–27 & March 1) 

Philippe Jordan (Music Director of the Vienna State Opera), who conducts Claude Debussy’s Prélude à L’Après-midi d’un faune; Camille Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 5, Egyptian, featuring pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet; and Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique (March 26–28) 

Bernard Labadie (Principal Conductor of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Music Director of La Chapelle de Québec), conducting the first San Francisco Symphony performances of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Easter Oratorio, as well as Sinfonia to Wir danken dir, Gott and Magnificat in D major. Easter Oratorio and Magnificat both feature soprano Joélle Harvey, countertenor Hugh Cutting in his Orchestral Series debut, tenor Andrew Haji in his Orchestral Series debut, baritone Joshua Hopkins, and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus (April 9–11) 

Cristian Măcelaru (Music Director Designate of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Orchestre National de France, and Chief Conductor of the WDR Sinfonieorchester), who conducts the world premiere of a new composition by Emerging Black Composers Project winner Tyler Taylor; Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with Simon Trpčeski as soloist; and Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, From the New World (May 22–24) 

Andrés Orozco-Estrada (Chief Conductor of the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI and Designate General Music Director of the city of Cologne and Gürzenich Kapellmeister) conducts Carl Maria von Weber’s Overture to Euryanthe, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat major featuring Jan Lisiecki, and Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7 (March 20–22) 

Donald Runnicles (Chief Conductor Designate of the Dresden Philharmonic, Music Director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra), conducting Alban Berg’s Seven Early Songs with mezzo-soprano Irene Roberts in her Orchestral Series debut, and Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 (September 26–28) 

Dima Slobodeniouk (Former Music Director of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia), who conducts Henri Dutilleux’s Métaboles, Jacques Ibert’s Flute Concerto featuring Principal Flute Yubeen Kim, and Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 (May 8–9) 

Jaap van Zweden (Music Director of the Seoul Philharmonic, Music Director-Designate of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, and Former Music Director of the New York Philharmonic), who conducts Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major with pianist Emanuel Ax, and Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 (January 29–31). Van Zweden also conducts Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 and Symphony No. 7 (February 19–21); the Symphony’s Opening Gala, including John Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine, Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, featuring Yuja Wang, and Ottorino Respighi’s Pines of Rome (September 12); and the annual All San Francisco Concert (September 11)

Simone Young (Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra), who conducts the first San Francisco Symphony performances of Ella Macens’ The Space Between Stars, Camille Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1 with Gautier Capuçon as soloist, and selections from Richard Wagner’s The Ring of the Nibelung (April 17–19) 
Premieres and Commissions 
The San Francisco Symphony’s 2025–26 Orchestral Series features 12 works new to the Orchestra, including two world premieres, two United States premieres, and six works receiving their first San Francisco Symphony performances. The Great Performers Series features Gautier Capuçon performing several world premieres of cello works, all commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony. 

World & United States premieres 

The San Francisco Symphony will present the world premiere of SF Symphony Principal Trombone Timothy Higgins’ Market Street, 1920s, an SF Symphony commission, conducted by Gustavo Gimeno, October 3–5. “America has always been a divided culture,” said Higgins. “Yet, in actuality, Americans are more united in our ideals of freedom and the American dream. Market Street, 1920s is an over the top, farcical, tongue-in-cheek argument over the direction of our culture.” 

The Orchestra, conducted by Cristian Măcelaru, will also give the world premiere of a new work by Tyler Taylor, the winner of the 2024 Emerging Black Composers Project, May 22–24. “The piece will be a virtuosic display of the orchestra’s forces, taking full advantage of its varied textures and color palettes,” said Taylor. “Expressively, I find myself drawn to exploring the extremes of these realms to create analogies for events happening around us. Recordings of the San Francisco Symphony were foundational to me as a young musician—I look forward to our work together.” 

January 22–24, conductor John Storgårds will give the United States premiere of Outi Tarkiainen’s The Rapids of Life. “The Rapids of Life is a work about that paramount moment, about a female’s instinctive birth-giving and a little child of nature who opens his eyes for the first time,” said Tarkiainen in her program note for the piece. “The form of the work imitates the physiological delivery and its different stages, carried along by the ever-shifting waves.” Tarkiainen dedicated the piece to the memory of fellow Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, who passed away while Tarkiainen was composing The Rapids of Life. “The composition began to reflect her as a person; a little flash of her cello concerto slipped into the cello solo at the beginning, and many of the instruments that meant a lot to her appeared to bear the flame of life along.” 

SF Symphony Principal Trombone Timothy Higgins will perform the United States premiere of Jimmy López’s trombone concerto Shift, conducted by Miguel Harth-Bedoya in his Orchestral Series debut, May 29–30. The piece was inspired by the bustling traffic in Lima, Peru, where the composer grew up. “I’m always aware of sounds in my environment, and Lima is a very busy place,” López told the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra before the world premiere of the piece in 2024. “During a walk I heard the pitch of beeping cars and ambulances change as they flew by, known as the Doppler effect in natural science. Shift is about this kind of change in sound. Every part in this trombone concerto represents a different element, like water, light and sound. In the final act these elements come together to create an explosion of sound.” 

In addition, as part of the Great Performers Series, Cellist Gautier Capuçon will present a recital of world premiere cello works on November 16. The San Francisco Symphony commissioned 16 composers for Capuçon’s project, including Bryce Dessner, Joe Hisaishi, Missy Mazzoli, Gabriela Montero, Nico Muhly, Max Richter, Ayanna Witter-Johnson, and more. The recital will also feature a new work by composer and cellist Quenton Xavier Blache, who Capuçon anonymously selected for a new commission under the umbrella of the Emerging Black Composers Project. Quenton was selected from the pool of applicants from the 2023 Emerging Black Composers Project. 

First San Francisco Symphony performances 

The San Francisco Symphony will perform eight additional works for the first time this season: Johann Sebastian Bach’s Easter Oratorio; Guillaume Connesson’s Flammenschrift; Iman Habibi’s Zhiân; Ella Macens’ The Space Between Stars; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Don Ottavio, son morta!…Or sai chi l’onore,” from Don Giovanni; Olli Mustonen’s Nonet No. 2 for String Orchestra; Barbara Strozzi’s “Mercé di voi, mia fortunata stella,” from Il Primo Libro de Madrigali; and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Overture from The Wasps.  
Guest Artists Perform with the San Francisco Symphony 
Guest artists making their San Francisco Symphony Orchestral Series debuts include soprano Jessica Faselt; mezzo-soprano Irene Roberts; countertenor Hugh Cutting; tenors Andrew Haji, Josh Lovell, and David Portillo; bass Peixin Chen; pianist Alexandre Kantorow; violinist Alexi Kenney; cellist Daniel Müller-Schott, organist Olivier Latry; and narrator Adrian Roberts. SF Symphony Principal Flute Yubeen Kim also makes his soloist debut this season, performing Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in November and Jacques Ibert’s Flute Concerto in May. 

Returning instrumental soloists include pianists Emanuel Ax, Seong-Jin Cho, Hélène Grimaud, Jan Lisiecki, Javier Perianes, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and Simon Trpčeski; cellist Gautier Capuçon; violinists María Dueñas, Randall Goosby, Leonidas Kavakos, and Sergey Khachatryan; and harpsichordist Jonathan Dimmock. SF Symphony Principal Trombone Timothy Higgins returns as soloist, performing the United States premiere of Jimmy López’s Shift, and Principal Trumpet Mark Inouye performs with the Orchestra as soloist in Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1.  

Vocal soloists returning to perform with the San Francisco Symphony include mezzo-sopranos Jennifer Johnson Cano, Sasha Cooke, and Kelley O’Connor; tenor Thomas Cooley; sopranos Ying Fang, Joélle Harvey, Golda Schultz, and Heidi Stober; baritones Joshua Hopkins and Will Liverman; and bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen. 

San Francisco Symphony Chorus performances 

The 2025–26 season features the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Chorus Director Jenny Wong, in five Orchestral Series programs.  

December 5–6, Jane Glover conducts the Symphony’s annual holiday performances of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah featuring the San Francisco Symphony Chorus and a cast of vocal soloists including soprano Heidi Stober, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano, tenor Josh Lovell in his Orchestral Series debut, and baritone Will Liverman. Handel’s Messiah was an instant classic after its 1742 premiere and has been a holiday tradition around the world ever since.  

January 15–17, Edward Gardner is joined by the San Francisco Symphony Chorus for Gustav Holst’s The Planets, an iconic representation of our solar system and the astrological significance of each planet. On the first half of the program, Gardner conducts the first San Francisco Symphony performances of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Overture from The Wasps, followed by Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, featuring violinist Randall Goosby. 

On February 26–27 & March 1, Manfred Honeck conducts a dramatic production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem, which was unfinished upon the composer’s death. The performance features soprano Ying Fang, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, tenor David Portillo in his Orchestral Series debut, bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen, narrator Adrian Roberts in his Orchestral Series debut, and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. Honeck also conducts Ludwig van Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture and Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 93 in D major. 

On April 9–11, Bernard Labadie is joined by the San Francisco Symphony Chorus for the first San Francisco Symphony performances of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Easter Oratorio along with Bach’s Magnificat in D major. The program also features soprano Joélle Harvey, countertenor Hugh Cutting in his Orchestral Series debut, tenor Andrew Haji in his Orchestral Series debut, and baritone Joshua Hopkins. 

On June 18 & 20–21, James Gaffigan conducts Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. The final movement, which prominently highlights the composer’s famous “Ode to Joy” theme, features the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, soprano Jessica Faselt, mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor, tenor Thomas Cooley, and bass Peixin Chen. 

The Chorus also performs in the film series program The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, featuring a score composed by Howard Shore, on April 30–May 2. 

SoundBox 

The San Francisco Symphony’s groundbreaking SoundBox series returns for a 12th season with programs curated by violinist Alexi Kenney (February 6–7) and composer Gabriella Smith (April 10–11). SoundBox features performances by guest artists and members of the San Francisco Symphony, accompanied by unique video projections and lighting design. Launched in 2014 as an experimental, late-night concert series for culturally curious audiences, SoundBox is known for continuously pushing the envelope with adventurous programming, innovative design, and multimedia elements. SoundBox performances take place in a warehouse-like rehearsal space adjacent to Davies Symphony Hall, enhanced by a Meyer Constellation Sound System, which can alter the space’s acoustics to accommodate a variety of musical styles and ensembles, providing ultimate versatility.   

The 2025–26 Great Performers Series includes an orchestral presentation with Academy of St Martin in the Fields led by violinist Joshua Bell, a San Francisco Symphony performance led by violinist Alexi Kenney and featuring Principal Flute Yubeen Kim and harpsichordist Jonathan Dimmock, and an orchestral presentation featuring the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, pianist and director Yuja Wang, and concertmaster and leader Matthew Truscott. Artists presenting solo recitals in the series include violinists Joshua Bell and Itzhak Perlman, pianists Yefim Bronfman and Marc-André Hamelin, in addition to a program featuring violinist Nicola Benedetti with guitarist Plínio Fernandes, and a recital with violinist Pinchas Zukerman and pianist Shai Wosner. 

As part of the Great Performers Series, cellist Gautier Capuçon will present a recital of world premiere cello works on November 16. The San Francisco Symphony commissioned 16 composers for Capuçon’s project, including Bryce Dessner, Joe Hisaishi, Missy Mazzoli, Gabriela Montero, Nico Muhly, Max Richter, Ayanna Witter-Johnson, and more. The recital will also feature a new work by composer and cellist Quenton Xavier Blache, who Capuçon anonymously selected for a new commission under the umbrella of the Emerging Black Composers Project. Quenton was selected from the pool of applicants from the 2023 Emerging Black Composers Project. 

The San Francisco Symphony’s Shenson Spotlight Series, now in its fifth season, features ascendant artists in their Davies Symphony Hall debuts. Soloists presented in this series include violinist Nathan Amaral, joined by pianist Sophiko Simsive; pianist Mao Fujita; violinist Njioma Grevious; and pianist Jaeden Izik-Dzurko.

Films with Live Orchestra 

2025–26 film programs feature the San Francisco Symphony performing live accompaniment to iconic films as they are projected on a large screen above the stage. This year, the Film Series begins with Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga Concert Experience, a program conducted by Anthony Parnther on September 4–6 featuring iconic scenes from Marvel films. The series continues with Lee Unkrich’s Coco, featuring music by Michael Giacchino, conducted by Conner Gray Covington, October 29; Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, with music by Bernard Herrmann, conducted by Conner Gray Covington, October 30; and Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, featuring music by Tan Dun and conducted by Sarah Hicks, November 25. Additional film performances in the 2025–26 season include Barbie the Movie: In Concert, directed by Greta Gerwig with music by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, conducted by Sarah Hicks on November 28–29; Gore Verbinski’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, featuring music by Klaus Badelt, conducted by Julian Pellicano, January 9–10; and Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King with music by Howard Shore on April 30–May 2.
Signature Events 

Día de los Muertos Celebration  

On November 1, the San Francisco Symphony presents its 18th annual Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration, including a concert program of traditional and contemporary Latin American music conducted by Lina Gonzalez-Granados, and featuring longtime collaborators Casa Círculo Cultural. The concert is preceded by a festive array of family-friendly activities and altars designed by local artists and organizations. Curated by Martha Rodríguez-Salazar, these installations aim to commemorate the Day of the Dead. Beginning in mid-October, altars and artwork will appear in and around Davies Symphony Hall, available to peruse before or after any Symphony concert. 

Deck the Hall 

Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, the San Francisco Symphony’s Resident Conductor of Engagement and Education, conducts the annual Deck the Hall matinee concerts on December 7. Deck the Hall is the Symphony’s annual holiday children’s concert and celebration featuring a lively array of musical performances from Symphony musicians and special guests. The concert ends with a holiday singalong complete with costumed characters. To make the experience even more memorable, guests can purchase a VIP package that includes premium concert seating, a preconcert VIP celebration, and other perks. Proceeds from this event support Deck the Hall Community Day, which takes place on December 8 and invites 3,500 children from public programs to this holiday concert free of charge, providing many of them with their first opportunity to visit a concert hall and hear a live orchestral performance. Proceeds provide additional support for the Symphony’s many artistic, education, and community programs. 

Lunar New Year Celebration  

On February 28, the San Francisco Symphony celebrates the Year of the Horse with the 26th annual Lunar New Year Concert, conducted by Mei-Ann Chen. The performance highlights vibrant Asian traditions through Eastern and Western repertoire and multimedia presentations. Patrons can also purchase an elevated Lunar New Year experience, which includes special festivities, a preconcert reception, and celebratory banquet dinner. Proceeds from Lunar New Year benefit the Symphony’s artistic, education, and community programs. 

Music for Families, Teen Night, and San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra 

The San Francisco Symphony provides unique opportunities for children, families, and young adults to engage with classical music through programs like the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and Music for Families. 

Music for Families 
The Music for Families series is designed to bring children together with their families to engage with classical music through interactive themed performances. In 2025–26, Radu Paponiu, Wattis Foundation Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra, conducts the San Francisco Symphony in Around the World Through Music on October 11, and the SF Symphony’s Resident Conductor of Engagement and Education Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser conducts a concert on February 14. 

Teen Night
Designed for teenagers 13 and up, Teen Night features an eclectic program of music centered alongside interactive elements like games and trivia, plus prizes. In 2025–26, Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser leads the San Francisco Symphony in the fifth annual Teen Night on April 25. 

San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra 
Led by Wattis Foundation Music Director Radu Paponiu, the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra opens its season on November 23, followed by its annual holiday performance of Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf on December 14. Additional Youth Orchestra performances will take place March 8 and May 17. The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra provides a tuition-free, preprofessional orchestral training experience to talented young musicians from the greater Bay Area, with weekly rehearsals led by Paponiu. Youth Orchestra members benefit from weekly coachings by San Francisco Symphony musicians and enjoy the opportunity to work with world-renowned artists and conductors performing with the San Francisco Symphony. 
Free and low-cost opportunities to see the San Francisco Symphony 

Community Ticket Program 

The San Francisco Symphony believes in equitable access to our concerts. The Community Ticket Program is designed to provide San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit, social services, healthcare, arts, community, and other frontline workers and constituents with free tickets to see Symphony concerts year-round. Since its launch in 2021, the Free Community Ticket Program has provided tens of thousands of free Symphony tickets to Bay Area nonprofits and the constituents they serve. Organizations can request information about the Community Ticket Program here.  

Community Chamber Concerts 

Small ensembles from the San Francisco Symphony present Community Chamber Concerts at San Francisco Public Library branches, Flower Piano at Gardens of Golden Gate Park, and other community hubs on a regular basis. These concerts are an opportunity to get to know SF Symphony musicians and see them perform in an intimate setting. All Community Chamber Concerts are free of charge, and information about upcoming concerts can be found here. 

Student Rush 

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