100 Years for San Francisco Symphony

The San Francisco Symphony was established in the year 1911, with Henry Hadley as their conductor. With sixty musicians under his leadership, Hadley presented thirteen concerts in their first season, presenting music by composers such as Liszt, Wagner and Tchaikovsky. In 1995, Michael Tilson Thomas took over the music director’s position with the San Francisco Symphony. Now, with their 100 year anniversary around the corner, the symphony is planning a celebration like no other.

The 2011 – 2012 season of the San Francisco Symphony will mark their 100 year anniversary, and a year of concerts, tours and appearances by visiting orchestras are on the program. In a recent conference, Michael Thomas revealed the anticipated program for the symphony, including guest artists and venues. To bring the past and present of the San Francisco Symphony to life, Thomas has created a interesting lineup that will see the American Mavericks come back to life.

San Francisco Symphony President, John D. Goldman, commented on the centennial by saying: “In marking the Orchestra’s first hundred years, this season is the moment to define what this Orchestra will be for its next hundred. We celebrate the role our Symphony plays, not just in the lives of those who enjoy our distinctive brand of music-making here at home, but in sharing this great art form with the world and in celebrating its impact on all of our communities.”

Meredith Monk (Composer and Vocalist) will be making a guest appearance, as will Jessye Norman (Soprano), Emanuel Ax (Pianist), The St Lawrence String Quartet, John Adams, Jeremy Denk (Pianist), Joshua Bell (Violinist) and Mason Bates. Herbert Blomstedt and Edo de Waart, two former music directors of the symphony, have been invited to conduct the symphony during the celebrations.

To add to the magnificence of the centennial year of the San Francisco Symphony, an invitation has also been extended to the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra to perform at the Davies Symphony Hall, to celebrate this moment together. Thomas, who explained to the media that each performance is a celebration, spoke about the coming year’s lineup and project expansion, commenting that “I wanted the whole season to have a festive note, celebrating the things that have happened up to now, but also to showcase how phenomenal the orchestra is now, just in its regular playing.”