Name: Gaffigan Conducts Beethoven 9
Start: 2026-06-21T14:00:00
Location: Davies Symphony Hall

The San Francisco Symphony presents a series of exceptional events at the Davies Symphony Hall that bring together cinematic and orchestral grandeur. From the epic adventures of 'The Lord of the Rings' to the profound spiritual explorations of Mahler's Second Symphony and the timeless beauty of Mozart’s Requiem, these events promise to captivate audiences with stunning performances and thought-provoking compositions. Join us as we delve into the details of these remarkable performances, highlighting their unique contributions to the cultural tapestry of San Francisco.

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As the San Francisco Symphony unveils its 2025-2026 season, music enthusiasts can expect a journey across time and emotion. Featuring orchestral marvels like Mahler's Second Symphony, Verdi's powerful Requiem, and Beethoven's Ninth, the events explore profound themes of existence, redemption, and unity. With celebrated conductors and a lineup of stellar soloists, this season promises to be an unforgettable exploration of humanity's most pressing questions through the universal language of music.

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The San Francisco Symphony is set to present an extraordinary series of concerts at the renowned Davies Symphony Hall. Featuring a vibrant mix of classical orchestral works and film scores, the events promise an immersive experience for enthusiasts and newcomers alike. From Manfred Honeck's theatrical rendition of Mozart's Requiem to Bernard Labadie's premiere of Bach’s Easter Oratorio, the performances underscore the evocative power of music. Highlighting these remarkable events is James Gaffigan's interpretation of Beethoven's transcendent Ninth Symphony and a live orchestral performance of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'.

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Experience a symphonic journey into the heart of classical music with the San Francisco Symphony's diverse lineup of events. From Honeck's theatrical interpretation of Mozart's Requiem to Labadie's debut with Bach's Easter Oratorio, and even a live score performance of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,' these performances promise to captivate audiences. In this exploration of masterpieces, Gaffigan's rendition of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony stands as a testament to music's transformative power. Join us as we delve into these events, where artistry meets emotion.

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Experience the magic of orchestral music and film in an extraordinary lineup hosted by the San Francisco Symphony at Davies Symphony Hall. From Manfred Honeck's gripping interpretation of Mozart's final work to Bernard Labadie's vivid rendition of Bach's Easter Oratorio, these events offer a unique exploration of musical masterpieces. Dive into a world where classical music meets the cinematic grandeur of 'The Lord of the Rings', and witness the transformative power of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, conducted by James Gaffigan, that resonates with timeless themes of unity and compassion.

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Kelley O’Connor

Thomas Cooley

Peixin Chen

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San Francisco Symphony Chorus

San Francisco Symphony

Ever subtle, ever ambivalent, Tchaikovsky juggles joy and tragedy in his Fourth Symphony, led here by guest conductor Dima Slobodeniouk. Tchaikovsky’s so-called “Fate” motif reminds us that we cannot live in the beautiful world of our dreams. “This is fate,” he explained, “that fatal force which hangs above your head like the sword of Damocles, and unwaveringly, constantly poisons the soul.” If fate is the soul’s poison, the Fourth’s shining finale is the antidote. Rarely programmed but undeniably compelling, Jacques Ibert’s Flute Concerto is among the most challenging pieces in the repertoire. The concerto is an electrifying assemblage of unlikely influences, ranging from Mozart to Stravinsky. SF Symphony Principal Flute Yubeen Kim takes on Ibert’s uncategorizable tour de force.

Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony

Davies Symphony Hall

At 97, San Francisco Symphony Conductor Laureate Herbert Blomstedt maintains a rigorous concert schedule that belies his age. He conducts Mahler’s massive Ninth Symphony, a 90-minute marathon of emotional catharsis and technical derring-do. It was the last symphony that Mahler completed, and death was on his mind. At its core, and in spite of its tragic touches, the Ninth Symphony offers solace, the salvation of sunshine, a passing cloud, a child’s laughter.

Blomstedt Conducts Mahler 9

Just how American is the New World Symphony? Although many listeners swear that they hear snatches of such classic folk tunes as “Turkey in the Straw,” “Three Blind Mice,” and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” Dvořák later claimed that the Ninth’s title was meant only to describe “impressions and greetings from the New World.” Kicking things off with a commissioned premiere by Tyler Taylor—the 2024 winner of the Emerging Black Composers Project—Romanian conductor Cristian Măcelaru leads the San Francisco Symphony in a rousing and profound program that also boasts Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto, No. 1, spotlighting Macedonian pianist Simon Trpčeski. The piano tumbles recklessly, sings ardently, mimics, mocks, and pounds until the meter-juggling finale drives home the happy ending.

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Peruvian conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya leads the San Francisco Symphony in a globe-hopping, toe-tapping program that’s bursting with rhythm and color. Among the highlights is Shift, a new trombone concerto by Lima native Jimmy López—performed by SF Symphony Principal Trombone Timothy Higgins—inspired by “the behavior of waves as observed through the Doppler effect.” The Spanish composer Joaquín Turina wrote his most famous work, Danzas fantásticas, in 1919, inspired by the novel La orgía by José Más. Printed on the score at the start of each dance are quotations from the novel, which convey the ecstatic splendor of Turina’s music. Born in the French Pyrenees to a Basque mother reared in Madrid, Maurice Ravel embraced a cross-cultural style. Rapsodie espagnole boasts Spanish-inflected castanets and tambourine, shadowy low winds, muted brass, and blazing instrumental colors.

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Yo-Yo Ma takes the stage with conductor James Gaffigan and the San Francisco Symphony for one night only. Written in the aftermath of World War I, Elgar’s Cello Concerto is an urgent elegy, a late-life affirmation of Englishness. Also heard on the program is Mozart’s final symphony, the majestic Jupiter.

Yo-Yo Ma with the San Francisco Symphony

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Njioma Grevious

The Chinese-born New Zealand conductor Tianyi Lu makes her San Francisco Symphony debut with Rimsky-Korsakov’s cinematic orchestral showpiece Scheherazade, paired with the first Symphony performances of Iranian-American composer Iman Habibi’s Zhiân, dedicated to “the brave people of Iran, in the hope of better days ahead.” Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s side job as a film composer likely saved his life. In 1938, the Jewish former prodigy fled Vienna for Hollywood; five years later, he became a US citizen. His violin concerto, performed here by María Dueñas, was written for his neighbor, none other than Jascha Heifetz, who helped ensure that the violin writing was perfectly pitched between lyricism and virtuosity.

Scheherazade

Beethoven wanted his Ninth Symphony—led here by James Gaffigan—to enact a journey of transformation, exploring themes of struggle and salvation, community and compassion. Although he wasn’t religious in the conventional sense, he found spiritual sustenance in his art. Even in our hyperpolarized times, Beethoven’s Ninth feels like a unifying force across the globe, a cultural common good. For its creator, who drafted, revised, and perfected his final symphony over more than 30 years, its meaning was urgent, immediate, vital: In those decades he saw the humanist ideals of the French Revolution trampled by repressive regimes.

Gaffigan Conducts Beethoven 9

Conductor Stéphane Denève joins the San Francisco Symphony for an extraordinary program featuring two powerhouses of the French symphonic organ tradition, performed by Olivier Latry. Poulenc’s Organ Concerto was inspired by the intricate organ fantasies of Buxtehude, Bach, and other Baroque composers. “This is not the happy-go-lucky Poulenc,” he confessed in a letter, “but a Poulenc en route to the cloister—a 15th-century Poulenc, if you like.” Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony has been a hit with audiences since 1886, when the composer led the Royal Philharmonic Society in its world premiere. His writing for the organ—quietly shaded at first, commanding later—is the perfect showcase for Davies Symphony Hall’s magnificent Ruffatti Organ.

Gaffigan Conducts Beethoven 9

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