Time flies! It's been a very busy year for the SFCM family of companies—consisting of record label PENTATONE and artist-management companies Opus 3 Artists and Askonas Holt—and it's just the beginning. Before a new school year brings a whole host of new collaborations, we're taking a look back at recent projects that brought together students, artists, and experts from across the entire musical spectrum.

The SFCM alliance works together to create opportunities for students, artists, presenters, and audiences to develop and experience new ideas, expand the recording and distribution of important works, and shape pathways to a sustainable future for the industry and the world. As the only Conservatory in the world with a partnership of organizations collaborating like this together, here is a list of recent highlights resulting in unique and exciting experiences for SFCM students.

A Reimagined Rhapsody

Lara Downes and Edwin Outwater.

PENTATONE artist Lara Downes transformed SFCM's Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall into a recording studio in February, recruiting the SFCM Orchestra—under the direction of Edwin Outwater—to help realize Edmar Colón's new arrangement of George Gerswhin's iconic Rhapsody in Blue. The recording session took place in October 2023, and PENTATONE let the world hear the finished project in less than three months, releasing the album digitally on February 2, 2024.

Opus 3's First Class of SFCM Interns Returns

SFCM students Joshua Choi and Yuki Yokota.

SFCM violist Josh Choi and pianist Yuki Yokota were selected in December for Opus 3's inaugural internship, which gave them first-hand experience on the inner workings of an artist-management company and concluded with a Winter Term trip to New York City for an industry conference. "This was a nice way to experience something outside of playing," Yokota said of the experience, with Choi adding, "It is very cool to see the Conservatory giving these opportunities for this internship."

A Concert Truck Parks and Plays in Civic Center

Musicians perform for the public in SF's Civic Center March 8.

The musicians behind the Concert Truck, Susan Zhang and Nick Luby, converted a 16-foot box truck into a fully functioning mobile concert hall, complete with lights, sound system, and piano. Repped by Opus 3, they partnered with SFCM for a March show in San Francisco's Civic Center. "I loved that it was in an open community space, so that people could come and go as they pleased," said SFCM student Hannah Wendorf. "I was pleasantly surprised at how many people sat to listen for a while!"

Il Pomo d'Oro's Weeklong Artist-in-Residency

Il Pomo D'Oro performs in the Barbro Osher Recital Hall.

Founded in 2012 by Gesine Lübben and Giulio d’Alessio, the ensemble il Pomo d’Oro has worked its way into the top tier of historical-performance-focused performers across the world. Askonas Holt and PENTATONE artists, the group took SFCM and Pre-College through more than a dozen private coachings across various instrument programs, a voice class, seminar, and performances in April.

Michael Tilson Thomas Comes Back to SFCM, Announces Collaboration with Pentatone

San Francisco's iconic conductor/composer Michael Tilson Thomas made a triumphant return to SFCM in spring of 2024. The Music Director Laureate of the San Francisco Symphony, MTT received an honorary doctorate from the Conservatory in 2017, and he was named a distinguished professor of music by SFCM in April, where he'll be working individually with selected conducting and piano students, participating in readings with the orchestra and leading masterclasses. Tilson Thomas moved quickly: Two days after the announcement, he ran a coaching session with an SFCM chamber group and sat for a talk with students and the Conservatory's President, David Stull.

The Conservatory and PENTATONE also announced plans to release a collection of Thomas’ original compositions, many with the SFO, as a four-disc collection, titled Grace: The Music of Michael Tilson Thomas.

Mei-Ann Chen Guest Conducts for a Standing-Room-Only Orchestra Performance

Mei-Ann Chen conducts the SFCM Orchestra.

The Chicago Sinfonietta's Mei-Ann Chen, known for her dynamic podium presence, arrived at SFCM in March for a sold-out performance with the Orchestra. While in town, Chen spoke with SFCM's Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (and Director of Roots, Jazz, and American Music), Jason Hainsworth, where they discussed her work in Chicago, and the struggles she faced as a Taiwanese woman in the world of Western classical music.

Stefan Jackiw and an SFCM Ensemble Go Hawaiian

The 2024 SFCM Kaimana Quartet. (Credit: PoYu Lee)

Opus 3 artist Sfefan Jackiw was named the Artistic Director of the Hawaii Chamber Music Festival in 2024, and for the second year in a row, SFCM sent their own ensemble of musicians to perform. The Kaimana Quartet, composed of Mathea Goh (violin), Alexandra (Ayoun) Kim (cello), Shintaro Taneda (violin), and Jun-Ting Wei (viola) played alongside Jackiw in three of the Festival's concerts in June, with Taneda playing two more concerts as part of the proceedings, including in an ensemble alongside the Festival's founder, Christopher Yick." Hawaii loves San Francisco and San Francisco loves Hawaii," Yick said. “The community was delighted to hear such world-class talent performing here on the islands.”

Askonas Holt Debuts an SFCM Internship of Its Own

SFCM graduate Lindsay Ha.

SFCM and Askonas Holt announced a new internship with the artist-management company in June, naming clarinet player Lindsey Ha as the inaugural selection. In addition to her work with Askonas Holt, Ha was involved with the Carnegie Hall Youth Orchestra Festival, about to wrap up their Summer 2024 season. Ha also joined the National Children's Orchestra of Venezuela tour during their residencies at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and Carnegie Hall.

"This is an incredible opportunity for me and future students to gain hands-on experience in tour management and see what it takes to make events of this size run smoothly." Ha said.

Learn more about SFCM's Alliance.