SFCM Announces Fall 2021 Schedule of Live Performances
Annual Fundraising Gala will Welcome Guest Yo-Yo Ma; Select Concerts to be Streamed for the Public from New Bowes Center
SAN FRANCISCO, CA—As classes resume on campus, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) is pleased to announce its fall 2021 concert series, which includes a combination of in-person and live-streamed events.
In November, the Conservatory will play host to its annual gala to support scholarships at the new Ute and William K. Bowes, Jr. Center for Performing Arts designed by Mark Cavagnero Associates (MCA) as a “vertical campus” where students can create, learn, and share music. In attendance will be guest artist Yo-Yo Ma, who will be part of a day-long celebration of music, education, and culture for which full details are forthcoming. Ma is represented by Opus 3 Artists, the leading artist management company with which SFCM formed a collaborative alliance in 2020.
Named in honor of a $46.4 million gift from the William K. Bowes, Jr. Foundation, the largest capital gift ever made to a music school, the Bowes Center at 200 Van Ness Avenue doubles the Conservatory’s square footage and is located walking distance from its 50 Oak Street location. MCA’s design integrates student housing with state-of-the-art teaching facilities and rehearsal rooms, alongside dining and three new performance halls that will be open to the public. This fall, as part of pandemic-related safety precautions, performances held at the Bowes Center will be open for in-person attendance by members of the SFCM community only and will be streamed live for broader audiences.
New this season is a series of concerts curated by acclaimed violist and faculty member Dimitri Murrath. Each “Chamber Music Tuesday” will feature an internationally renowned guest artist in collaboration with SFCM chamber music alumni, faculty, and students.
Further highlights include several performances by the SFCM Orchestra led by SFCM Music Director Edwin Outwater and guest and student conductors; a New Music Ensemble performance led by its director, Nicole Paiement; a Baroque period program by the SFCM Baroque Orchestra; a fully-staged opera production of Hansel and Gretel; and a concert by the Roots, Jazz, and American Music Big Band and Latin Ensemble. Violinist and pre-college alumna Amy Schwartz Moretti, cellist, and faculty member Bonnie Hampton and the Telegraph Quartet will also each bring a unique program to the SFCM stage.
Throughout the season, distinguished musicians from the roster of Opus 3 Artists, including pianist Shai Wosner, will join with SFCM faculty and students for new artistic partnerships and free master classes open to the public.
Calendar listings are below. Some events require ticketing. Please see SFCM’s performance calendar for a complete concert schedule and to register for attendance. Details and programs are subject to change.
The health and safety of the SFCM community and its guests continue to be of the highest priority. To help maintain a safe environment on campus, and in adhering to City of San Francisco guidelines, patrons are required to wear a face covering and show proof of full vaccination to attend SFCM events in person. Please visit this website to read SFCM's full event health and safety policy.
CALENDAR LISTINGS - FALL 2021 EVENT HIGHLIGHTS:
Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall, 50 Oak Street, San Francisco, CA
Open to the public
SFCM Orchestra
Edwin Outwater, conductor
PaviElle French, vocalist
Interdisciplinary artist PaviElle French’s Soul Symphony, A Requiem for Zula, honors her mother, Zula Young, and Saint Paul, Minnesota’s Rondo neighborhood where she grew up. Sarah Kirkland Snider’s Something for the Dark was inspired by the resilience of the city of Detroit.
The SFCM Orchestra will also be led by SFCM student conductor David Baker (’23) who is studying with Edwin Outwater.
Program
Sarah Kirkland SNIDER
Something for the Dark
PaviElle FRENCH
A Requiem for Zula
featuring PaviElle French, vocalist
Samuel BARBER
Essay for Orchestra, Op. 12
conducted by David Baker (’23)
Aaron COPLAND
Appalachian Spring
About Edwin Outwater
Barbro Osher Recital Hall, 200 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA
Livestream available to the public; in-person attendance for SFCM ID holders (and invited guests) only
SFCM Chamber Music Tuesday *NEW*
Featuring Shai Wosner, piano
Idunn Lohne (’22) and Suni Norman (’23), violins
Ian Swensen, violin (SFCM faculty)
Sohui Yun (’22), viola
Jennifer Culp, cello (SFCM faculty)
William Laney (’23) and Matthew Park (’22), cello
Yichun “Helen” Wu and Jung-eun Kim (’06), piano
Featuring Opus 3 artist and Avery Fisher Career Grant-winning pianist Shai Wosner and current SFCM faculty members Jennifer Culp and Ian Swensen, as well as SFCM chamber music students, this concert marks the first in a new chamber music series on Tuesday evenings.
The SFCM Orchestra will also be led by SFCM student conductor David Baker (’23) who is studying with Edwin Outwater.
Program
Gabriel FAURÉ
Piano Trio in D Minor, Op. 120
Franz SCHUBERT
Allegro in A Minor, D. 947, “Lebensstürme”
György KURTÁG
12 Microludes for String Quartet, Op. 13
Johannes BRAHMS
Piano Quartet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 26
About Shai Wosner
About SFCM String and Piano Chamber Music
Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall, 50 Oak Street, San Francisco, CA
Open to the public
SFCM Orchestra
Edwin Outwater, conductor
Ian Swensen, violin
The SFCM Orchestra will also be led by an SFCM student conductor Jaco Wong (’22) who is studying with Edwin Outwater.
Program
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
“Leonore” Overture No. 3 in C Major, Op. 72b
conducted by Jaco Wong (’22)
Ernest CHAUSSON
Poème for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 25
Jean SIBELIUS
Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43
About Edwin Outwater
About Ian Swensen
Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall, 50 Oak Street, San Francisco, CA
Open to the public
SFCM Baroque Orchestra
Jennifer Meller, dancer
Marc Schachman, baroque oboe
Corey Jamason and Elisabeth Reed, directors
Program to include music by Corelli, Handel, Vivaldi, and Destouches in this genre-mixing program that features dancer Jennifer Meller and baroque oboist Marc Schachman and soprano Jayne Diliberto (’22).
About Historical Performance
Barbro Osher Recital Hall, 200 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA
Livestream available to the public; in-person attendance for SFCM ID holders (and invited guests) only
SFCM Chamber Music Tuesday *NEW*
Featuring Amy Schwartz Moretti, violin
Idunn Lohne (’22), violin
Dimitri Murrath, viola (SFCM faculty)
Sohui Yun (’22), viola
William Laney (’23), Matthew Park (’23), and Kyle Stachnik (’22), cello
Christian Hales (’21), double bass
Yichun “Helen” Wu (’23), piano
SFCM alumna Amy Schwartz Moretti curates a program with SFCM students and faculty that includes a piece by composer Jessie Montgomery, who held an online residency with SFCM students in the spring of 2021.
Program
Claude DEBUSSY
Piano Trio in G Major, L. 5
Jessie MONTGOMERY
Strum for String Quartet with added bass player
Felix MENDELSSOHN
String Quintet No. 1 in A Major, Op. 18
About Amy Schwartz Moretti
About SFCM String and Piano Chamber Music
Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall, 50 Oak Street, San Francisco, CA and Bowes Center, 200 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA
General ticket and table sales open to the public
SFCM Gala Featuring Guest Yo-Yo Ma
SFCM’s annual gala features a specially curated performance by cellist Yo-Yo Ma. This unique event celebrates the Conservatory’s new alliance with Opus 3 Artists while supporting the SFCM scholarship fund. General ticket and table sales open on September 20. To learn about advance purchase opportunities available to donors at a certain level, please contact Jacqueline Pasek, associate director of direct response and communication, at 415-503-6210 or jpasek@sfcm.edu.
Additional programming and educational opportunities will be announced.
SFCM thanks Harry Winston for their generous support of this event.
Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall, 50 Oak Street, San Francisco, CA
Open to the public
New Music Ensemble Concert
Nicole Paiement, conductor
This program, led by SFCM’s director of the New Music Ensemble Nicole Paiement, features music by composers at work in the field today.
SFCM student conductor David Baker (’23), who is studying with Edwin Outwater, will also conduct.
Program
Nico MUHLY
Doublespeak
conducted by David Baker (’23)
Kate WHITLEY
Autumn Songs
Carla LUCERO
Revolt
Tyshawn SOREY
In Memoriam Muhal Richard Abrams
Bryce DESSNER
Murder Ballades
About Nicole Paiement
Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall, 50 Oak Street, San Francisco, CA
Open to the public
Fall Opera
Curt Pajer, conductor
Heather Mathews, director
Hansel and Gretel
Music by Engelbert Humperdink
Libretto by Adelheid Wette
Cast of Student Performers to be named
A full production of Humperdinck’s classic fairytale opera, Hansel and Gretel, based on the Grimm brothers’ story.
About SFCM Opera and Musical Theater
Barbro Osher Recital Hall, 200 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA
Livestream available to the public; in-person attendance for SFCM ID holders (and invited guests) only
Roots, Jazz, and American Music (RJAM)
Latin Ensemble/Big Band
Featuring current SFCM RJAM students of all levels of study. Individual pieces will be announced from the stage.
About RJAM
Barbro Osher Recital Hall, 200 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA
Livestream available to the public; in-person attendance for SFCM ID holders (and invited guests) only
SFCM Chamber Music Tuesday *NEW*
Featuring The Telegraph Quartet and Bonnie Hampton, cello
Eric Chin (’08) and Suni Norman (’23), violins
Sohui Yun (’22), viola
Jeremiah Shaw, cello
SFCM alumna Bonnie Hampton and the Telegraph Quartet—SFCM’s Quartet-in-Residence, most of whose members are SFCM alumni—curate a program with SFCM students and faculty that spans centuries of the chamber music catalog.
Program
Florence PRICE
Selections from Five Folksongs in Counterpoint
Grażyna BACEWICZ
String Quartet No. 4
Franz SCHUBERT
String Quintet in C Major, D. 956
About Nicole Paiement
About the Telegraph Quartet
About SFCM String and Piano Chamber Music
Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall, 50 Oak Street, San Francisco, CA
Open to the public
SFCM Orchestra
Earl Lee, conductor
Julia Pyke, flute
Earl Lee, recently named Assistant Conductor at the Boston Symphony Orchestra, leads a program that features an SFCM student conductor for the overture and a solo appearance by SFCM alumna Julia Pyke (’21).
Program
Johannes BRAHMS
Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80
conducted by David Baker ’23
Lowell LIEBERMANN
Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, Op. 39 (1992)
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY
Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64
About Earl Lee
The San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM), located in the Civic Center of San Francisco, is recognized nationally for its innovative initiatives to advance the cause of music with unparalleled educational resources and support to provide each student with a transformative education for life.
Through partnerships with other San Francisco-based arts groups, and within a curriculum that prizes craft, imagination, intellectual discovery, and business acumen, the Conservatory offers students a unique pathway to success in any endeavor. SFCM’s 2020 acquisition of Opus 3 Artists— an established leader in artist management, representing an extensive roster of many of the world’s most distinguished artists and ensembles—creates opportunities for students and artist managers to forge partnerships, apprenticeships, and insights into the business and management side of the performing arts.
The new and ultra-modern Bowes Center provides a $200M expansion to SFCM’s exceptional campus at 50 Oak Street that was completed in 2006.
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