Esa-Pekka Salonen, music director of the San Francisco Symphony since 2020, announced his resignation due to differences with the board. Though positioned by SFS management as a “bittersweet” end to Salonen’s five-year contract, the artistic differences between the conductor and management are well known by orchestra insiders.
Why it matters:
- Salonen’s resignation, attributed to differences with the orchestra’s board over budget cuts and programming shifts, signals potential changes in the orchestra’s direction and has garnered attention due to his groundbreaking contributions to redefining the modern symphony orchestra.
- His departure, alongside impending exits of other prominent maestros like Gustavo Dudamel and James Conlon, represents a significant loss for the California music scene, raising questions about the future leadership and artistic direction of major ensembles in the region.
- The announcement sheds light on broader challenges facing orchestras, including financial pressures exacerbated by the pandemic, declining subscriber numbers, and the need for fundamental changes to traditional business models to address sustainability issues in the long term.
