San Francisco Symphony Announce 2017-2018 Season

Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) and the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) today announced plans for the 2017-18 season, comprising more than 200 concerts in eleven months presented at Davies Symphony Hall. The Orchestra's 106th season is highlighted by musical touchstones that are trademarks of MTT's artistic vision for the Orchestra. In MTT's 23rd season as Music Director, the San Francisco Symphony explores the adventurous American sound; creates unique concert experiences through staging, multimedia elements, and immersive settings; champions the creation and performance of new music; brings distinct perspectives and pairings to core symphonic repertoire; captures live performances for release as reference recordings; and celebrates the longevity and meaningful impact of the San Francisco Symphony's commitment to music education.

MTT leads a season featuring celebrations of the centennial of multifaceted composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein's birth; an exploration of American music prominently featuring Ives's Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4, which will be recorded live; a new semi-staged production of Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov; the fourth season of experimental SoundBox programs; first SFS performances of contemporary and less familiar works, including a commission and world premiere by American composer Charles Wuorinen; the release of a highly anticipated complete cycle of Schumann's symphonies on in-house record label SFS Media; the 35th anniversary of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra, and the 30th anniversary of SFS music education program Adventures in Music.

SEASON-LONG CELEBRATION OF Leonard Bernstein'S BIRTH CENTENNIAL

Throughout the 2017-18 season, the San Francisco Symphony joins the worldwide performing arts community in celebrating the birth centennial of Leonard Bernstein. Over the course of six concert programs, the SFS exhibits Bernstein's multifaceted catalog spanning diverse genres, musical styles, and thematic topics. Michael Tilson Thomas first met Leonard Bernstein after spending a summer at the Tanglewood Music Center in 1968 and they became longtime friends and colleagues. MTT, who has championed Bernstein's music throughout his career, curated this season's centennial tributes to showcase the breadth and depth of the composer's musical genius.

"It is a joy to celebrate my friend and longtime colleague Leonard Bernstein's spirit and legacy through his music next season," comments Michael Tilson Thomas. "The programs I have planned throughout the season showcase widely varying sides of Bernstein's work, from his comic operetta Candide and groundbreaking musical West Side Story, to his narrative symphony The Age of Anxiety and song cycle Arias and Barcarolles. Arias and Barcarolles is especially dear to me because I was involved in its premiere in 1988. Bernstein was a great friend to many people, and gifted us all his tremendously adventurous spirit."

Following a season-opening gala on September 14 that includes Bernstein's Overture to Candide, MTT explores the composer's extensive and varied compositional output September 22-24 with celebratory performances of jazz ensemble showpiece Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs with SFS Principal Clarinet Carey Bell; liturgical choral and orchestral work Chichester Psalms; deeply personal, often humorous song cycle Arias and Barcarolles featuring mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard and bass-baritone Ryan McKinney;and Symphonic Dances from Broadway musical West Side Story. On November 2, 3, and 5, MTT leads the Orchestra and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet in Bernstein's The Age of Anxiety, Symphony No. 2. A musical representation of W.H. Auden's narrative poem of the same name, Bernstein's symphony follows four characters in a complex quest for meaning and showcases themes the composer revisited many times in his career, most prominently the difficult search for faith. Further highlighting the Symphony's Bernstein centennial celebrations, the SFS performs a full concert version of the composer's satirical comic operetta Candide conducted by MTT, January 19-21. Performers for Candide will be announced at a later date.

Presented February 1-3 as a part of the Symphony's popular Film Series, West Side Story further showcases Bernstein's reach and range as a composer. The winner of ten Academy Awards, the film version of Bernstein's iconic musical is presented on the big screen with the SFS performing the score live to picture at Davies Symphony Hall. February 22-24, guest conductor Andrey Boreyko also salutes Bernstein in a program featuring his exuberant series of vignettes, Divertimento, and virtuosic violin work in praise of love, Serenade, performed by Vadim Gluzman.

SEMI-STAGED PRODUCTION OF MUSSORGSKY'S BORIS GODUNOV CONCEIVED AND CONDUCTED BY MTT

For more than twenty seasons, Michael Tilson Thomas and the SFS have been at the forefront in creating original staging for works of the orchestral and operatic repertory in a symphonic setting. From The Flying Dutchman, Peter Grimes, and Peer Gynt, to West Side Story and On The Town, MTT continues to explore new ways to provide context for core masterworks with visionary staging, lighting, set design, and imagery. On June 14, 15, and 17, MTT and the SFS continue this innovative approach, performing Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov in the original Russian, in a semi-staged production conceived by MTT.

"My goal with each semi-staged production, whether opera, musical theater, or symphonic work, is to use lighting, costumes, projections, and stage direction to further illuminate the music and story so that the audience comes away with a deeper and more immersive concert experience," explains Michael Tilson Thomas. "I'm looking forward to this production which will showcase the incredible artistry of the San Francisco Symphony, our esteemed soloists, and our remarkable design team and stage crew."

The accomplished Eastern European cast assembled for Boris Godunov features bass Stanislav Trofimov (Boris Godunov), tenor Maxim Paster (Prince Shuisky), tenor Sergei Skorokhodov (Grigory), and bass Vyacheslav Pochapsky (Varlaam), as well as the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, directed by Ragnar Bohlin. This production will be performed using Mussorgsky's original 1869 version.

MTT LEADS PROGRAMS EXPLORING CHARLES IVES AND AMERICAN MUSIC

In November 2017, Michael Tilson Thomas leads the San Francisco Symphony in performances of Ives's Symphony No. 3, The Camp Meeting (November 16-18) andPsalm 90 and Symphony No. 4 (November 10-12). Both symphonies will be recorded live in PCM 192kHz/24-bit audio for release on the Symphony's Grammy award-winning in-house record label SFS Media during the 2019-20 season. MTT has long been a renowned interpreter of Ives's work, championing the composer's provocative music throughout his career on stages around the world and in recordings. To enhance the listener's understanding of and to give context to Ives's Fourth Symphony, MTT will present the work in a program of music by American composers and inspired by America.

The November 10-12 program begins with two works shaped by travel-Gershwin's An American in Paris, inspired by his visit to Paris in 1928, and first SFS performances of Dvo?ák's rarely performed The American Flag, inspired by the Czech composer's journey to the United States in 1892-95. The SF Symphony Chorus joins the orchestra for one of Ives's most significant choral works, Psalm 90. MTT then leads the San Francisco Symphony Chorus in a series of American hymns that Ives drew from in his Fourth Symphony before the culminating performances of the work.

"At its core, the music of Charles Ives is an expression of the heart and soul of America," states Michael Tilson Thomas. "The complexity of Ives's rhythmic and harmonic ideas was very much ahead of his time, and, even as he was often labeled eccentric by his peers, he created a uniquely American sound. My aim with these programs is to reveal the true essence of Ives's music in order to allow the audience to see America through his eyes."

SFS MEDIA RELEASES TWO-CD BOX SET OF SCHUMANN'S FOUR SYMPHONIES

In October 2017, the San Francisco Symphony's Grammy award-winning in-house record label SFS Media will release a deluxe two-disc box set of the complete Schumann symphonic cycle conducted by MTT. Critically acclaimed performances of all four of the composer's completed symphonies were recorded live at Davies Symphony Hall between November 2015 and May 2016.

"Robert Schumann's music has captivated me since I became a musician," says Michael Tilson Thomas. "His symphonic music requires great imagination, attention, and sensitivity on the part of the orchestra and conductor alike. This project comes at an outstanding moment in the Orchestra's history and in our relationship. I'm looking forward to sharing our fresh perspective on this songful music with our audiences."

SFS COMMISSIONS NEW WORK BY CHARLES WUORINEN

The San Francisco Symphony gives the world premiere of a new SFS-commissioned work by composer Charles Wuorinen in the 2017-18 season. A 1986 MacArthur Fellow and Pulitzer-winning composer, Wuorinen is one of the most prolific composers living today, having written more than 260 compositions. From 1985 to 1989, Wuorinen was the Composer-in-Residence for the San Francisco Symphony. In addition to programming and conducting concerts, Wuorinen composed several major works for the SFS: Genesis, with text in Latin from the Vulgate, The Golden Dance, Machaut Mon Chou (based on the Messe de Nostre Dame), and Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra. Celebrating the composer's 80th birthday and his long-standing friendship with MTT, the new orchestral piece will receive its world premiere on March 15-17.

"Some of my most rewarding musical experiences came during the years I was the San Francisco Symphony's Composer-in-Residence, some 25 years ago, so it is a great joy again to be composing a new work for these wonderful musicians," stated Charles Wuorinen. "And of course I have known and admired Michael Tilson Thomas for almost 50 years; renewing a collaboration we have had over these years is deeply gratifying."

MTT AND SFS TOUR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WITH GIL SHAHAM

March 27-29, MTT and the SFS embark on a West Coast tour featuring Mahler's Symphony No. 5 and Berg's Violin Concerto with violinist Gil Shaham. Four pre-tour performances will be given March 22-25 at Davies Symphony Hall, followed by concerts in Los Angeles' Walt Disney Concert Hall, Santa Barbara's Granada Theatre, and Costa Mesa's Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.

DISTINGUISHED INTERNATIONAL VISITING CONDUCTORS PRESENT MUSIC FROM THEIR HOME COUNTRIES AND FIRST SFS PERFORMANCES OF CONTEMPORARY WORKS

Guest conductors from around the globe lead the San Francisco Symphony in programs of music from their home countries (the Czech Republic, Poland, Finland, Russia, and Sweden) and new and rarely heard works by living composers in their first SFS performances.

DYNAMIC CONDUCTING DEBUTS
Guest conductors making their SFS debuts include Jakub Hr?ša, who leads the orchestra October 13-15 in a program that features music from his homeland of the Czech Republic, including the Carnival Overture by Dvo?ák, Vltava (The Moldau) from Má Vlast by Smetana, and Taras Bulba (Rhapsody for Orchestra) by Janá?ek. Conductor Edward Gardner debuts with the San Francisco Symphony March 8-10 in a program consisting of Tippett's Four Ritual Dances from The Midsummer Marriage, Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue featuring pianist Simon Trp?eski, and Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances. Conductor Daniel Harding debuts April 12-14 in a program featuring R. Strauss's Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony) and Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, with pianist Paul Lewis.

RETURNING CONDUCTORS BRING MUSIC FROM THEIR HOME COUNTRIES
Making their much anticipated SFS returns are Polish conductor Krzysztof Urba?ski and Finnish conductor Susanna Mälkki, who lead programs featuring rarely heard music from their home countries in the 2017-18 season. Krzysztof Urba?ski returns for two weeks, October 6-8 and 19-21, in concerts that include Penderecki's Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima and Lutos?awski's Concerto for Orchestra, respectively. Susanna Mälkki returns June 7-9 to lead Laterna Magica by Kaija Saariaho.

Russian conductor Semyon Bychkov leads the first SFS performances of Taneyev's Oresteia Overture as well as Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 2, Little Russian, May 31-June 2; Finnish conductor Osmo Vänskä leads the Orchestra in Sibelius's Finlandia and Violin Concerto, October 26-28; and SFS Conductor Laureate Herbert Blomstedt makes his annual return February 8-10 to conduct the first SFS performances of noted Swedish pianist and composer Stenhammar's Symphony No. 2 in G minor. Blomstedt also leads a program of Mozart and Beethoven, February 15-17.

GUEST CONDUCTORS BRING CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FOR FIRST SFS PERFORMANCES
SFS guest conductors in the 2017-18 season also lead the orchestra in works by living composers, all presented in their first San Francisco Symphony performances. Conductor Juraj Val?uha leads the SFS in Andrew Norman's Unstuck, May 3-5; Stéphane Denève conducts Guillaume Connesson's E chiaro nella valle il fiume appare, May 10-12; Pablo Heras-Casado leads the Orchestra in Esa-Pekka Salonen's Helix, March 1-3; and Saint Louis Symphony Music Director David Robertson conducts Brett Dean's Engelsflügel,May 25 and 26.

Additional returning conductors in the upcoming season include Andrey Boreyko, who celebrates Bernstein's birth centennial with the composer's Divertimento and Serenade and leads Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5, February 22-24; and Itzhak Perlman, who both conducts and leads the orchestra as violin soloist with SFS Principal Oboe Eugene Izotov in J.S. Bach's Concerto in D minor for Oboe, Violin, and Orchestra on May 17, 18, and 20.

CHARLES DUTOIT TRACES RAVEL'S 1928 CONDUCTING TOUR
Conductor Charles Dutoit returns April 19-21 to lead the San Francisco Symphony in an all-Ravel program featuring mezzo-soprano Susan Graham and the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. The performance is part of a series of concerts commemorating the composer's historic 1928 tour and only visit to the United States. All five orchestras conducted by Ravel on his journey, those in New York, Boston, Cleveland, Chicago, and San Francisco, are participating in the re-creation and will be conducted by Dutoit in the 2017-18 season. The all-Ravel program nearly mirrors that of the 1928 tour and includes Shéhérazade and Daphnis et Chloé, as well as Debussy's Danse and Sarabande from Pour le Piano as orchestrated by Ravel.

In addition, Dutoit conducts the SFS the following week on April 26, 27, and 29 in a program that includes Nicolai's Overture to The Merry Wives of Windsor, Holst's The Planets featuring the Women of the SFS Chorus, and Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 2 featuring pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet.

GUEST SOLOISTS WITH THE SFS INCLUDE EMERGING TALENT AND THE WORLD'S FINEST PERFORMERS

ARTIST DEBUTS
Four Eastern European vocalists make their SFS debut in performances of the semi-staged production of Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov on June 14, 15, and 17, including tenor Maxim Paster, bass Vyacheslav Pochapsky, tenor Sergei Skorokhodov and bass Stanislav Trofimov. Violinist Ray Chen makes his San Francisco Symphony subscription concert debut performing Brahms's Violin Concerto in D major. Winner of the Queen Elisabeth and Yehudi Menuhin Competitions, Chen has quickly established himself as an artist to watch. Other soloists making their SFS debuts are Uzbek pianist Behzod Abduraimov performing Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 March 15-17; Argentinian cellist Sol Gabetta performing Dvo?ák's Cello Concerto, October 19-21; bass-baritone Ryan McKinny in performances of Bernstein's Arias and Barcarolles, September 22-24; British pianist Paul Lewis performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3, April 12-14; and violinist Baiba Skride, well known for her performances and recordings of Scandinavian music, performing Sibelius's Violin Concerto in D minor, October 26-28.

RETURNING ARTISTS
Artists returning to Davies Symphony Hall include pianists Piotr Anderszewski, Emanuel Ax, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Jeremy Denk, Kirill Gerstein, Katia & Marielle Labèque, Paul Lewis, Garrick Ohlsson, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Daniil Trifonov, and Simon Trp?eski; violinists Vadim Gluzman, Augustin Hadelich, Hilary Hahn, Itzhak Perlman, Gil Shaham and Pinchas Zukerman; cellists Gautier Capuçon and Yo-Yo Ma; soprano Susanna Phillips; and mezzo-sopranos Sasha Cooke, Susan Graham and Isabel Leonard.

DANIIL TRIFONOV RESIDENCY

Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov returns to the San Francisco Symphony for a varied season-long residency. Winner of both the Rubenstein and Tchaikovsky Competitions by age 20, Trifonov is one of the world's most celebrated pianists active today. On October 30, Trifonov gives a solo recital exploring Chopin through performances of the composer's Mazurkas and Piano Sonata No. 2, as well as works by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Mompou that were inspired by Chopin. On February 27, Trifonov is joined by his teacher and mentor Sergei Babayan for a duo recital of Schumann, Schubert, and Rachmaninoff. June 21-24, Trifonov performs Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 with Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony. Additional details of Daniil Trifonov's 2017-18 SFS residency will be announced at a later date.

OPENING NIGHT GALA WITH Yo-Yo Ma

Michael Tilson Thomas launches his 23rd season as Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony with the 2017 Opening Night Gala on Thursday September 14. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma performs Saint-Saëns's Cello Concerto No. 1 and Tchaikovsky's Variations of a Rococo Theme in a festive program that also kicks off the SFS's celebration of Leonard Bernstein's centennial year with the Overture to Candide, while Ravel's Boléro completes the program.

The Gala Concert will be broadcast live on Classical KDFC 90.3/89.9/104.9 FM and streamed globally online at kdfc.com. Proceeds from the Opening Night Gala benefit the Orchestra's variety of artistic, community, and education programs, which provide music education to more than 75,000 Bay Area schoolchildren each year.

SEASON FOUR OF SOUNDBOX

The San Francisco Symphony's alternative performance space and experimental concert series, SoundBox, enters its fourth season in 2017-18. Michael Tilson Thomas and San Francisco Symphony musicians continue to work with guest composers and artists to curate multidisciplinary programs that explore music from around the world and across the centuries. Performances are scheduled between December 2017 and April 2018; individual SoundBox programs and dates will be announced at a later date.

SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY MUSICIANS AND CHORUS

SFS musicians take center stage throughout the season in Davies Symphony Hall, at chamber music venues around the Bay Area, and in SoundBox. At Davies Symphony Hall, Principal Clarinet Carey Bell is featured in Bernstein's Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs in an all-Bernstein celebration led by MTT, September 22-24. Concertmaster Alexander Barantschik performs Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 2 in C-sharp minor, March 1-3. Principal Oboe Eugene Izotov joins violinist and conductor Itzhak Perlman in performances of J.S. Bach's Concerto in D minor for Oboe, Violin, and Orchestra on May 17, 19, and 20.

The San Francisco Symphony Chorus, led by Chorus Director Ragnar Bohlin, is featured this season in Bernstein's Chichester Psalms September 22-24 as part of the SFS's season-long Bernstein centennial celebration; the first SFS performance of Dvo?ák's The American Flag and Ives's Symphony No. 4, conducted by MTT along with Resident Conductor Christian Reif and Chorus Director Ragnar Bohlin November 10-12; Handel's Messiah on December 14 and 15, conducted by Bohlin; a concert production of Bernstein's Candide led by MTT, January 18-21; the annual concert featuring the San Francisco Chorus conducted by Ragnar Bohlin on March 30; Mozart's music in the movie Amadeus, performed live with the film on April 6 and 7; Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé led by Charles Dutoit April 19-21; Holst's The Planets, led by Dutoit on April 26, 27 and 29; the first SFS performance of Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov led by MTT on June 14, 15, and 17; and Mahler's Symphony No. 3 led by MTT, June 28-30.

The musicians of the SF Symphony perform a wide array of repertory in intimate settings for the Sunday Chamber Music series, and in concerts at the Florence Gould Theater at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor on October 29, December 3, February 18, and May 13. Sunday afternoon Chamber Music concerts take place in Davies Symphony Hall on October 29, February 4, February 25, April 15, May 6, and June 3. Chamber music program details will be announced at a later date.

FILM SERIES

The SFS's popular Film Series begins its fifth season on December 1 and 2 with North By Northwest, the 1959 movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock that remains one of the most popular spy thrillers of all time. Featuring Bernard Herrmann's score, the newly restored film is orchestrated by Christopher Husted from Herrmann's original manuscripts, including music that wasn't included in the final film. On December 16 and 17, holiday classic Home Alone is presented, featuring the Orchestra, along with live children's choruses, performing John Williams's charming and endearing score. On February 1-3, the SFS continues its season-long centennial celebration of Leonard Bernstein by performing the score to the 1961 classic West Side Story with the movie projected live on the big screen. The SFS Chorus joins the Orchestra April 6 and 7 for the final film of the series-Amadeus, the Academy award-winning fictionalized biography of Mozart featuring the composer's own music throughout. In addition, an add-on to the series is Tim Burton's Batman which will be screened with a live performance of Danny Elfman's Grammy award-winning score by the San Francisco Symphony on April 4 and 5.

GREAT PERFORMERS SERIES AND SPECIAL CONCERTS

VISITING ORCHESTRAS
The 2017-18 Season is highlighted by visits from some of the world's most renowned orchestras and conductors, including the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor Zubin Mehta performing Schubert's Symphony in C major, The Great, October 31; China National Centre for the Performing Arts Orchestra with conductor Lu Jia presenting a program that pairs western classics with eastern traditions, including Lou Harrison's Concerto for Pipa with String Orchestra and Brahms's Symphony No. 4 on November 5; a holiday concert with the Bach Collegium Japan with conductor Masaaki Suzuki performing J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio on December 9; the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor Charles Dutoit bringing two festive programs including Debussy's Petite Suite, Stravinsky's The Firebird and Petrushka, and Respighi's Fountains of Rome on January 28 and 29; and Academy of St Martin in the Fields with violinist and leader Joshua Bell leading and performing Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 6 in G major, a new work by Edgar Meyer, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 on March 11.

Itzhak Perlman AND MARTHA ARGERICH IN RECITAL
A highlight of the San Francisco Symphony's recital season is a rare joint performance by violinist Itzhak Perlman and pianist Martha Argerich. In 2016, Perlman and Argerich released a highly anticipated follow-up album to their legendary 1998 live recital recording. The duo perform a recital of J.S. Bach's Violin Sonata No. 4 in C minor and Franck's Violin Sonata on March 16.

SOLO RECITALS
American pianist George Li makes his San Francisco Symphony debut, first in the invitation-only All San Francisco community concert with the Orchestra on September 16, and then in a recital featuring works by Rachmaninoff, Liszt, and Haydn on October 8. The 2017-18 season also features solo recitals by pianists Yuja Wang, Yefim Bronfman, and András Schiff; and violinist Christian Tetzlaff. The San Francisco Symphony's organ recital series includes appearances from Nathan Laube and Grammy award-winner Paul Jacobs.

SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY COMMUNITY AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS

COMMUNITY CONCERTS / HERITAGE EVENTS
In its second century, the San Francisco Symphony continues to be a vital resource in the Bay Area, committed to serving its community as a leading cultural partner. The Orchestra performs a variety of free and low-cost family and community concerts throughout the year, offering the Bay Area numerous opportunities to hear and experience orchestral music. In September, the Orchestra performs its annual low-priced All-San Francisco concert for San Francisco's community groups, the Community Deck the Hall Holiday Concerts on December 3, and its low-cost Concerts for Kids series for more than 25,000 children and teachers from throughout Northern California.

The San Francisco Symphony continues its long-standing commitment to celebrate the Bay Area's rich cultural heritage through music. The Orchestra's annual Día de los Muertos community concerts celebrating Latin American music and culture for the Day of the Dead are on November 4. The Chinese New Year concert and celebration, with its family-friendly entertainment and pre-concert activities including arts and crafts, lion dancing, games, complimentary food, desserts, and tea bars, takes place on February 24.

MUSIC FOR FAMILIES SERIES
The popular Music for Families series is designed to introduce children and their parents to live orchestral music. Part performance and part family outing, the series consists of interactive matinee children's concerts paired with pre-concert activities in the Davies Symphony Hall lobbies. Each program features fascinating musical discoveries, informative talks, and festive pre-concert activities such as instrument petting zoos, conductor photo station, and art making stations. Ticket-buyers receive a link to free online resources to help families prepare for the concerts and provide opportunities for continued music engagement at home. 2017-18 Music for Families concerts include Stringing It All Together: The Elements of Music-Making, December 2; Melodic Marvels: The Music of Asia, February 3; Work Hard, Play Hard: The Life of Composers and Conductors, April 28; and Breaking the Rules: Musical Rebels, May 19. Tickets for children age 17 and under to these concerts, all on Saturday afternoons, are half-price. All concerts are conducted by Resident Conductor Christian Reif except the December program, which is conducted by Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser.

SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA AT 35
Recognized as one of the finest youth orchestras in the world, the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra (SFSYO) celebrates its 35th anniversary in the 2017-18 season. It will perform three concerts in Davies Symphony Hall November 19, March 4, and May 13, as well as its annual holiday concert on December 10. Part of the San Francisco Symphony's ongoing commitment to nurture young musicians, SFSYO participants are chosen from more than 300 applicants from the greater Bay Area through annual auditions and receive a pre-professional caliber and tuition-free orchestral experience. The SFSYO rehearses and performs at Davies Symphony Hall under the direction of Wattis Foundation Music Director Christian Reif and are coached weekly by SFS musicians. Since its inception, the SFSYO has toured internationally on ten occasions and released ten recordings. Many of its distinguished alumni hold positions in leading orchestras around the world.

AIM AT 30: MUSIC EDUCATION AND RESOURCES FOR ALL AGES
The San Francisco Symphony is committed to bringing orchestral music and access to music to people of every age and life stage. The Symphony's education and community programs reach thousands of people of all ages throughout Northern California, touching a broad economic and cultural cross-section of the population. The Adventures in Music (AIM) program celebrates thirty years of partnering with San Francisco's public schools to reach every first through fifth grader with comprehensive music education experiences. AIM launched in 1988 in partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District and ensures that every child in grades 1-5 in San Francisco's elementary schools receives equitable access to music education for five consecutive years. The impact of AIM and the resulting demand in music participation allowed the SFS to expand its programs for older students in grades 6-12; the Instrument Training and Support program provides every San Francisco public middle and high school band and orchestra program with professional coaching and opportunities to attend selected concerts at Davies Symphony Hall. Through the SFS Youth Orchestra and discounted ticket program and outreach to Bay Area college campuses, the SFS continues to offer connections to young adults. SFSKids.org, the Symphony's free online educational resource specially created to serve children, adults, families, teachers, and schools, continues to offer opportunities to learn about music through interactivity, animation, and game-based learning. SFSKids.org has now reached more than five million users and averages 1,500-2,000 visits per day.

ON-SALE DATES

Subscription packages for the San Francisco Symphony's 2017-18 season go on sale TUESDAY, March 7 at 10 am at www.sfsymphony.org/1718season, (415) 864-6000, and at the Davies Symphony Hall Box Office, located on Grove Street between Franklin and Van Ness.

Single tickets for individual 2017-18 concerts will go on sale July 17, 2017.

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