Since its founding in 1911, the San Francisco Symphony has been at the heart of the Bay Area’s cultural life, presenting orchestral performances that have inspired generations. Each season, nearly 350,000 people attend concerts at Davies Symphony Hall, where the Symphony offers an extraordinary range of programming—from beloved classical masterworks to innovative SoundBox performances, live-to-picture film presentations, chamber and solo recitals, holiday concerts, and collaborations with popular artists across genres.
The Symphony serves as a powerful economic engine for San Francisco. With more than 200 concerts and presentations each season, it drives substantial revenue for local businesses like restaurants, hotels, and transportation services.
While 42% of the Symphony’s audiences are based in San Francisco, 36% travel from other Bay Area counties, and an additional 22% come from outside of the Bay Area.
The Symphony also supports a broad workforce, employing more than 500 full- and part-time musicians, administrative staff, stagehands, and ushers, along with many freelance musicians, independent artists, vendors, and contractors.
More broadly, a 2021 study from the Bay Area Council Economic Institute found that San Francisco’s nonprofit arts organizations generate $1.7 billion in economic output and create or support more than 36,000 full-time equivalent jobs per year.
The Symphony’s community engagement programs include:
None of this would be possible without the generosity of donors. Their philanthropy powers the Symphony’s artistic excellence, education programs, and community-driven initiatives, ensuring transformative musical experiences for today’s audiences and future generations.
“The SF Symphony never disappoints. The quality of the performances is consistently superior.”
The Symphony thrives on partnership and collaboration, and we’re proud to work with the most creative, innovative groups and individuals shaping the Bay Area today. We aim to serve, enrich and reflect our community, with year-round events and programs that are dynamic, diverse and accessible to all.
Community Chamber Concerts
The San Francisco Symphony’s Community Chamber Concert series brings small ensembles to a broad range of organizations, including cultural centers, nonprofits, and public spaces across the Bay Area—at no cost to our partners. With 25 free concerts during the 2024–25 season, the series connects the Symphony with community groups beyond Davies Symphony Hall, interacting with new audiences who may have never engaged with the Symphony before. These 40–60-minute performances include tailored engagement activities, creating meaningful community experiences. By covering all musician, crew, and staff costs, the Symphony allows organizations to simply invite music lovers and enjoy live music.
Music in the Wards
Since 2016, the San Francisco Symphony has had the privilege of performing monthly concerts for the patients, families, and staff of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. These concerts, whether in person or virtual, create meaningful and heartwarming moments for everyone to connect through our shared love of music. All musician, crew, and staff costs are covered by the Symphony for these concerts. The Symphony has performed more than 100 Music in the Wards concerts since 2016.
Community Ticket Program
The San Francisco Symphony’s Community Ticket Program launched in spring 2021 to welcome community members back to Davies Symphony Hall for the Symphony’s first concert since the COVID-19 shutdown. Expanded in January 2022 to include all Symphony concerts, the program has provided, on average, 12,000 free tickets to community partners, essential workers, and Bay Area residents each season. The Symphony has worked with more than 450 organization partners, offering a group of tickets per concert for each organization. Nonprofit healthcare, social service, and arts organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area can request tickets and share them with their networks. To receive concert invitations, organizations can email community@sfsymphony.org.
Fisher Family Adventures in Music program (AIM)
Adventures in Music was established in 1988 in partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District. The program features a curriculum that supports music education in the classroom for all SFUSD students in grades 1–5. Students experience in-school performances, receive educational materials and resources, and attend a dedicated SF Symphony concert at Davies Symphony Hall, free of charge to schools and students and fully funded by the San Francisco Symphony.
Music and Mentors
An outgrowth of AIM, Music and Mentors provides coaching, mentoring, critical supplies, and instrument repairs to instrumental music programs in San Francisco’s public schools, grades 6–12. Students also attend open rehearsals and concerts at Davies Symphony Hall, free of charge to schools and students and fully funded by the San Francisco Symphony.
To learn more about the impact of our AIM and Music and Mentors programs visit sfsymphony.org/education.
San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra
Founded in 1981, the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra (SFSYO) provides a completely tuition-free orchestral training experience of preprofessional caliber to more than 100 young musicians ranging from ages 12 to 21 throughout the greater Bay Area. SFSYO members benefit from weekly coachings with SF Symphony musicians, work with world-renowned artists and conductors performing with the SF Symphony, and rehearse and perform in Davies Symphony Hall. The San Francisco Symphony covers all costs associated with the SFSYO.
Teen Night
Teen Night invites young people across the Bay Area to experience classical music in an exciting and accessible way. Led by Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, Resident Conductor of Engagement and Education, the annual concert features interactive elements like games, trivia, and prizes alongside an eclectic program of music, all at a subsidized affordable ticket price. All SFUSD high school students can receive free tickets to attend this concert.
