SAN FRANCISCO — Esa-Pekka Salonen will reduce the San Francisco Symphony following the 2024-25 season, simply his 5th as song director, saying his depart Thursday with a commentary crucial of the orchestra’s management.
“I do not share the same goals for the future of the institution as the board of governors does,” Salonen stated in a commentary.
Salonen was once no longer discussing his determination past the commentary, spokeswoman Amanda Ameer stated.
“There are significant financial pressures on the organization that have just become impossible to ignore,” Symphony CEO Matthew Spivey stated nearest Thursday. “It’s clear that the organization will have to evolve in various ways to respond to those pressures. The organization already has begin to make some of those difficult decisions.”
Spivey cited the cancellation of a few occasions at SoundBox, another venue that was once the web site of late-night concert events.
“Further changes are probably necessary and some of them are even yet to be determined, but clearly these decisions are steering the organization in a different direction than what we could have anticipated in 2018 when Esa-Pekka was appointed,” Spivey stated. “So given this, it’s understandable that Esa-Pekka would conclude his tenure as music director when his contract ends in June 2025.”
The symphony board is chaired by means of Priscilla B. Geeslin, whose husband, Keith Geeslin, is president of San Francisco Opera.
Orchestra spokeswoman Taryn Lott stated Priscilla B. Geeslin was once no longer to be had to remark.
Salonen, who turns 66 in June, was once rented in December 2018 first of all the 2020-21 season and apply the 25-year tenure of Michael Tilson Thomas. Salonen praised the orchestra, pronouncing in his commentary Thursday he’s “proud to continue working with the world-class musicians.”
Spivey stated the orchestra hopes to paintings with Salonen nearest his tenure ends.
His depart creates but every other emptiness on a big U.S. podium.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra has no longer introduced a substitute for Riccardo Muti, who retired on the finish of the 2022-23 season; the Los Angeles Philharmonic is in search of a successor to Gustavo Dudamel, who leaves nearest the 2025-26 season to go the Untouched York Philharmonic; and Franz Welser-Möst will quit from the Cleveland Orchestra nearest the 2026-27 season. James Conlon stated this while he’ll step unwell as Los Angeles Opera song director nearest the 2025-26 season.
The San Francisco Symphony introduced Salonen’s depart because it excepted the agenda for his ultimate season with the orchestra.
Salonen was once important conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1984-95 and song director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 1992-2009. He was once important conductor and creative helper for London’s Philharmonia from 2008–21.
