San Francisco Symphony

Founded in 1911, the San Francisco Symphony is widely recognized as one of the world's leading orchestras. For more than a century, the Orchestra has played a central role in the cultural life of the Bay Area while earning international acclaim through its performances, tours, broadcasts, recordings, and educational initiatives. Throughout its history, the Symphony has been shaped by a distinguished line of music directors, including Pierre Monteux, Enrique Jordá, Josef Krips, Seiji Ozawa, Edo de Waart, Herbert Blomstedt, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Esa-Pekka Salonen, each contributing to the Orchestra's artistic growth and global reputation. The Symphony has long been celebrated for its commitment to both the core orchestral repertoire and contemporary music; championing works by leading composers of the 20th and 21st centuries. Through its innovative programming, award-winning recordings, and deep engagement with the community, the Orchestra has established itself as one of America's premier cultural institutions. In 2026, the San Francisco Symphony announced the appointment of conductor Elim Chan as Music Director Designate, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the Orchestra's history. Chan will become the first woman to serve as Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony, building on the Orchestra's legacy of artistic excellence while helping shape its future on the concert stage, in the recording studio, and around the world.

 SFS Media is the San Francisco Symphony’s award-winning in-house media production company and label, launched in 2001. Since launching its in-house label, SFS Media, in 2001, the Symphony has earned multiple Grammy® Awards and nominations for recordings spanning orchestral masterworks, contemporary music, and choral repertoire. SFS Media captures, records, and releases audio and audio/visual material reflecting the Orchestra’s restless creativity and commitment to leading-edge production standards and showcasing the vibrant and inclusive musical communities it serves. SFS Media productions and recordings have garnered multiple Grammys, Emmys, and Peabody Awards. Recent highlights include Grammy®-nominated spatial audio recordings of Stravinsky’s The Firebird (2025) and The Rite of Spring (2024), as well as acclaimed performances of works by Berlioz, Sibelius, Respighi, Hillborg, Ligeti, Ogonek, and Prokofiev. The San Francisco Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Ragnar Bohlin, received a 2024 Grammy® nomination for its recording of Ligeti’s Lux Aeterna. In 2025, SFS Media expanded its digital catalog with four new releases: Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Cello Concerto, Stravinsky’s Symphony in Three Movements, Sibelius’s Finlandia, and Sibelius’s Symphony No. 1. Upcoming releases include Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 in May 2026 and Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in June 2026, continuing the Symphony’s commitment to preserving and sharing its artistic legacy through recordings. All distributed worldwide by Warner Classics.