San Francisco Symphony Launched 115th Season
The annual Opening Gala at Davies Symphony Hall featured violinist Hilary Hahn and guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero.
Updated on Sept. 25, 2026 in Classical
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The San Francisco Symphony officially launched its 115th season with an annual Opening Gala at Davies Symphony Hall. The evening featured performances by violinist Hilary Hahn under the baton of guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero.
Why it matters
The gala serves as a primary funding source for the symphony, which provides critical music education to more than 20,000 Bay Area students every year. These proceeds are essential for maintaining the orchestra's community outreach programs.
The symphony provides free music education to 20,000 Bay Area students annually. The gala event was funded entirely by proceeds raised during the evening's festivities.
The players
Hilary Hahn
She is an acclaimed American violinist who performed as the featured guest for the gala.
Giancarlo Guerrero
He is a distinguished conductor who served as the guest conductor for the season-opening concert.
Elim Chan
She is an accomplished conductor who is slated to assume the role of music director for the San Francisco Symphony.
San Francisco Symphony
This is a world-class orchestra based in San Francisco that is currently marking its 115th season.
The details
The celebratory evening consisted of a pre-performance reception, a formal dinner catered by McCalls, a concert, and a post-performance afterparty. The musical program included works by John Adams, Felix Mendelson, and Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
Timeline
The Opening Gala took place on September 25, 2026.
Elim Chan will begin her tenure as music director in 2026.
Industry Dynamics
The gala ensures the financial stability required to sustain the San Francisco Symphony's youth music education initiatives. This fundraising model remains critical as major orchestras nationwide navigate shifting donor priorities and long-term organizational transitions.
Local residents and music fans can now access the full performance schedule for the 115th season through the symphony's official box office. Ticket availability remains the primary method for the public to engage with the upcoming repertoire.
The takeaway
The symphony's long-term artistic direction is set to shift significantly when Elim Chan assumes the music director position. Attending seasonal galas offers patrons a tangible way to support both high-level musical performances and local music education access.
Further reading
Learn more about the local arts scene in the Classical section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by San Francisco Chronicle.
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