Shelley is only the third leader on the podium in the orchestra’s five-decade history, succeeding the long-serving Carl St. Clair.
As concerts this weekend made clear, the musicians and administration are at odds ahead of a looming deadline in labor negotiations.
The organization has had an impact far beyond the Bay Area, meeting audiences where they are and inspiring offshoots around the country.
Radu Paponiu takes up the baton on Nov. 24 for the first concert in an overall smartly programmed season.
Both orchestras are nominated for signature projects led by their outgoing music directors.
Students in the ensemble’s new after-school program are set to give their first public performance in December.
A major funder of the arts in San Francisco, Shrem was also the founder of Clos Pegase Winery in Napa.
The current terms, with some slight modifications, remain in place through May 30, 2025.
When he steps down at the end of the 2024–2025 season, Chalifour will have set a record tenure with the orchestra.
The orchestra has launched the latest version of SFSKids.org, which has seen more than 5 million logins since debuting in 2002.
