In This Program
- Welcome
- Three Questions for… Violinist Stella Chen
- News & Notes
- Community Connections: Mission Bit
- Print Edition
San Francisco Symphony
Welcome
Welcome to the Summer with the San Francisco Symphony! There’s something for everyone to enjoy in performances at Davies Symphony Hall and beyond this summer:
Time for Classics Conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto and the Symphony delve into the vibrant world of Spanish music, with works of Albéniz, Rodrigo, and Falla performed by guitarist Pablo Sáinz-Villegas and soprano Caroline Corrales. Earl Lee unveils a recent work by Carlos Simon inspired by Beethoven while also tackling Tchaikovsky’s meditation on fate, the Fourth Symphony. Also on the program: Barber’s Violin Concerto, showcasing the extraordinary talent of violinist Stella Chen.
Time for Film For lovers of cinema and film music, our summer series offers enchanting performances of Disney in Concert: The Sound of Magic—a musical celebration of Disney’s centennial—and La La Land in Concert, conducted by the film’s composer Justin Hurwitz. For John Williams fans, we have a concert program devoted to some of his best-loved movie music.
Time for Pops We are delighted to welcome special guest performances by two leading singer-songwriters, John Legend and Ben Folds, in concerts with the San Francisco Symphony. And for a journey through timeless popular songs, immerse yourself in the Trailblazing Music of Joni Mitchell, Carole King, & Carly Simon, as well as Classical Mystery Tour: A Tribute to the Beatles.
Time for Music Outdoors As always, Summer with the Symphony would not be complete without outdoor concerts across the Bay Area. We celebrate Independence Day with our annual Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular at Shoreline Amphitheatre and perform a free concert at Sigmund Stern Grove, a San Francisco tradition for more than 80 years. Additionally, we continue our partnership with Stanford Live with two concerts under the stars at Frost Amphitheater.
We are thrilled you have made the San Francisco Symphony your home for summer concerts. It’s time for a summer full of musical magic and unforgettable moments!
Three Questions for…
Violinist Stella Chen
Stella Chen has been making waves in recent seasons, winning first prize at the 2019 Queen Elisabeth International Competition and receiving a 2020 Avery Fisher Career Grant and Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award. The 2023–24 season saw her premiere new violin concertos by Jörg Widmann and Jon Cziner, in addition to making her San Francisco Symphony debut in a Shenson Spotlight Series recital last month.
What’s your process for preparing for a concert and how do you know when a piece is ready for an audience?
Luckily, my answer to this one is simple: My relationship with any great piece will be a lifelong journey. The longer I get to spend with a piece or a program, the better. But every performance of a piece will be special in its own way—each with its own unique perspective, circumstances, audience, venue, energy—yet all with the utmost love and joy to share in the music and the experience together.
Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in classical music?
There have been many people and pivotal points in my life that gave me the courage to pursue a career in classical music. First was going to the Perlman Music Program as a teenager. Not just having lessons and playing chamber music, but spending seven weeks every summer having lunch, playing pool, and just being around Itzhak and Toby Perlman and all the young, passionate musicians all day every day was transformative.
The other moment I’ll mention is hearing Robert Levin talk about the Schubert G-major Quartet when I was taking his class at Harvard. The way he spoke about this piece, which brought tears to my eyes despite never having heard it, sparked my lifelong love of Schubert. The Schubert Fantasie became a monumental piece for me—that story will have to wait for another time.
What are some of your interests outside of music and how do they influence your creativity and artistic expression?
I have long been a fan of figure skating, having been a terrible amateur skater myself for half a decade. The aesthetic beauty of the lines that the top skaters create is absolutely spellbinding, not to mention the athleticism and finesse required to create that much torque and hurl yourself into the air, rotate 3-4 times before landing perfectly on one leg. There is also a constant debate in the skating world on how much to reward jumps/stunts, per se, as opposed to beautiful skating quality, choreography, etc.—essentially all deemed the “artistic side.” This is a dichotomy of which the hierarchy seems so clear to me in music (athleticism in service of the art), and it’s fascinating to observe in skating.
Photo: Abigel Kralik
News & Notes
The San Francisco Symphony announces the release of three new digital-only spatial audio recordings from SFS Media, available exclusively via the Apple Music Classical app.
The first of these, released last month, is a recording of Stravinsky’s The Firebird, captured in a performance led by Esa-Pekka Salonen from October 2022. Following on August 2 is music from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, recorded by Salonen and the Symphony in February 2023. Coming September 23 is a Salonen-led release of Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, recorded in October 2022.
Salonen and the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Symphony Chorus received 2024 Grammy Award nominations for digital recordings of Ligeti’s Lux Aeterna and Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring on SFS Media.
Community Connections
Mission Bit
Mission Bit is a transformative force in tech education, bridging the gap between ambition and opportunity for San Francisco’s youth. Their mission is clear: to empower underrepresented students with the skills, mentorship, and resources needed to thrive in the digital age. Through dynamic programming and hands-on learning experiences, Mission Bit propels students into the world of technology, equipping them with the tools to code their futures.
At Mission Bit, diversity is not just a buzzword, it is a strength. They embrace students from all backgrounds, fostering an inclusive community where everyone can flourish. Dedicated instructors guide students through immersive courses in Python, web design, game development, and virtual reality. But Mission Bit is more than just a nonprofit that teaches computer science; it is a launchpad for dreams.
Beyond technical skills, Mission Bit instills confidence, creativity, and resilience. They believe in the power of mentorship, connecting students with professionals who inspire and guide them toward success. Through workshops, student-led events hosted by their Student Advisory Board, and networking opportunities, they open doors to a world of possibilities.
Join Mission Bit in shaping tomorrow’s tech leaders. Learn more about Mission Bit at missionbit.org.
The San Francisco Symphony thrives on collaboration, and we’re proud to work with the most creative, innovative groups and individuals shaping the Bay Area today.
Print Edition
