Name: Yuja Wang & Víkingur Ólafsson Duo Piano Recital
Start: 2025-03-02T19:30:00
Location: Davies Symphony Hall

San Francisco is set to become a haven for classical music enthusiasts with a series of riveting events celebrating the genius of Sergey Rachmaninoff. From a morning recital at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music to electrifying performances by Marc-André Hamelin and Yuja Wang & Víkingur Ólafsson at Davies Symphony Hall, the city will resonate with the timeless compositions of Rachmaninoff. Let's dive into the details of these extraordinary musical experiences.

San Francisco Hosts a Spectacular Tribute to Rachmaninoff

This concert season, the cities of San Francisco and Berkeley come alive with the timeless melodies of Franz Schubert. From intimate chamber music performances to grand symphony concerts, delight in a series of events that showcase Schubert's profound influence. Highlights include the San Francisco Symphony's performance of Schubert's Symphony No. 5, the emotive Winterreise song cycle, and the collaborative brilliance of renowned musicians such as Yuja Wang, Víkingur Ólafsson, and Anne-Sophie Mutter.

Celebrate Schubert: A Musical Journey Across San Francisco and Berkeley

Get ready, San Francisco! The Davies Symphony Hall is set to host a series of mesmerizing events, featuring the legendary works of John Adams. From the powerful 'Carmina Burana & Adams’ Piano Concerto' to the iconic 'Also Sprach Zarathustra,' and the dynamic 'Yuja Wang & Víkingur Ólafsson Duo Piano Recital,' these performances promise to be unforgettable. Whether you’re a classical music aficionado or a curious newcomer, the San Francisco Symphony has something for everyone this season.

Musical Extravaganza in San Francisco: Celebrating John Adams and More

The San Francisco Symphony's 2025 season is a cornucopia of musical brilliance, showcasing orchestral grandeur and intimate recitals. From Ticciati's interpretation of Rachmaninoff and Beethoven to the dynamic duo of Yuja Wang and Víkingur Ólafsson, audiences are in for a treat. Not to be missed are the youthful vigor of the Symphony's Youth Orchestra and an engaging Teen Night. Elim Chan takes center stage with Tchaikovsky's emotional suites, while chamber music enthusiasts can revel in curated performances. This season, the harmonious blend of classical and contemporary works promises an unforgettable experience.

A Symphony of Seasons: Unveiling San Francisco's Musical Masterpieces of 2025

Yuja Wang

Víkingur Ólafsson

San Francisco Symphony

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

Davies Symphony Hall

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.

Denève Conducts Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony

Settle in as the world’s most electrifying artists and ensembles converge at Davies Symphony Hall. Two of today’s leading pianists join forces for a wide-ranging duo recital.

Yuja Wang & Víkingur Ólafsson Duo Piano Recital

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