The San Francisco Symphony today announces the cancellation of all concerts through December 31, 2020 due to COVID-19. “While we are deeply disappointed to not present the exciting line-up of live concerts we had planned for Fall 2020, including the start of Esa-Pekka Salonen’s tenure as Music Director and a festival of events featuring our eight Collaborative Partners, we know this action is necessary in order to ensure the health and safety of our Orchestra, Chorus, staff, and audiences,” says San Francisco Symphony CEO Mark C. Hanson. “In accordance with statewide guidelines that live concert performances will not be permitted until the final stage of the reopening process, the City of San Francisco and the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center have indicated that all performances in Davies Symphony Hall must be canceled through the end of the calendar year.”
Regarding salaries, the press release says: « In light of this extended period of concert cancellations, and in order to best position the organization for financial stability while producing and releasing original digital content and experiences, the San Francisco Symphony Board of Governors, Music Director, staff, members of the Orchestra & Chorus, and stagehands, have joined together in implementing a shared sacrifice plan that includes temporary pay reductions for all employees earning more than $75,000 annually, and a staff restructuring that includes the elimination of some positions and some temporary furloughs of varied duration. «
