Every summer, the San Francisco Symphony lets down its hair (or rather, its baton) and takes a detour from the standards to offer a sampling of shows with something for everyone—from the truly young to the young at heart.
“It’s meant to be highly entertaining and audience-friendly,” says Edwin Outwater, Director of Summer Concerts. “Like walking into a musical candy store.”
Mark your calendar with these classic compositions:
July 6-7: The lineup starts with the iconic stylings of American composer John Williams. Experience the legendary scores featured in some of cinema’s most epic films, including cult classics like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Harry Potter. “There’s something about hearing that music live that’s just stunning,” says Outwater. See for yourself as these movies come alive inside Davies Symphony Hall.
July 8: Take a day-trip to Paris and spend an unforgettable evening at the steamy and sensational Moulin Rouge, where vivacious vamp and Pink Martini songstress Storm Large caresses the can-can and belts out ballads a la Edith Piaf. Hear selections from Bizet, Ravel, and Offenback, and an original arrangement by Outwater.
July 13-14: There’s no time like summer to celebrate sharks and suspense, and no better way than with a viewing of Jaws. Listen for the legendary melody of the ocean’s most feared predator as you watch Steven Spielberg’s action-packed thriller set to a live orchestra.
July 15-16: Get all the feels and all the fun of an animated adventure with Pixar in Concert, a symphony performance that will delight the whole family. Enjoy a selection of songs from some of the studio’s most beloved movies, including Ratatouille, Monsters University, and Up, as film clips play on the big screen. Kids’ tickets are half off.
July 16: Mexico’s Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra is coming to San Francisco, and they’re bringing the sounds of Latin America and the rhythms of the Tambuco percussion ensemble with them. You’ll also hear a sampling of Copland’s and Gershwin’s musical tributes to Mexico.
July 20: Classic American composers Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin are set back to back for an evening of narrative American music, including Gershwin’s symphonic poem, An American in Paris, and selections from Bernstein’s riveting score to West Side Story. The program concludes with songs performed by Rhiannon Giddens, a roots vocalist whom Outwater describes as, “Not only a great performer but a treasure-hunter of American music.”
July 21: If you’ve memorized the lyrics to “Annie Waits” or slow-danced with your special someone to “The Luckiest,” then this concert’s for you. Enjoy a blast from the past and some much-needed nostalgia with pianist and singer-songwriter Ben Folds, solo performer and former frontman of the Ben Folds Five.
July 22: The stars are out and the strings are up as the San Francisco Symphony takes you for an interstellar ride through Holst’s orchestral suite, The Planets. Inspired by myth and astrology, this program takes you through musical interpretations that are literally out of this world.
July 27: No solid summer program would neglect a good nod to the classics, and the SF Symphony makes theirs with an evening devoted to Beethoven, starting with the King Stephen Overture, moving to Piano Concerto No. 5, and ending with a grand performance of Symphony No. 7.
July 28-29: Making plans for summer travel? So is in the symphony. Inspired by Instagram, they’ll be sharing musical snapshots from Russia through Mussorgsky’s much-loved orchestration, Pictures at an Exhibition. The program will also include works from fellow Russian composers Glazunov and Tchaikovsky.
“We work really hard, but we also know that a lot of people who come in the summer are experiencing the symphony for the first time,” says Outwater. “Both the orchestra and I feel that energy of discovery. That’s the reward for all of our hard work—that sense of wonder from the audience.”
See more than one show that you’d like to discover? Purchase tickets for three and save 25 percent. Go forth and get cultured.