The San Francisco Symphony (SFS) is a leading orchestra based in San Francisco, California. The current music director is Michael Tilson Thomas, who has held the position since September 1995.
The orchestra has long been an integral part of city life and culture in San Francisco. Its first concerts were led by conductor composer Henry Hadley, who had led the Seattle Symphony Orchestra from 1909 to 1911. There were sixty musicians in the orchestra...
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The San Francisco Symphony (SFS) is a leading orchestra based in San Francisco, California. The current music director is Michael Tilson Thomas, who has held the position since September 1995.
The orchestra has long been an integral part of city life and culture in San Francisco. Its first concerts were led by conductor composer Henry Hadley, who had led the Seattle Symphony Orchestra from 1909 to 1911. There were sixty musicians in the orchestra at the beginning of that first season. The first concert included music by Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Haydn, and Liszt. There were thirteen concerts in the 1911-1912 season, five of which were popular music.
Hadley was followed in 1915 by Alfred Hertz, who had conducted for many years at the Metropolitan Opera and had appeared with the company during their historic performances in San Francisco in April 1906, just prior to the earthquake and fire. Hertz helped to refine the orchestra and convinced the Victor Talking Machine Company to record it at...
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