Niels Swinkels

The SFS is currently on two weeks of ‘Bach camp,’ delving into the music of father J.S. and son C.P.E Bach under the guidance of Dutch conductor Ton Koopman.

The Hamelin Trio’s recital is happily saved by a pinch-hitting clarinetist who blended superbly with Marc-André Hamelin and Anthony Marwood.

Guest conductor James Conlon led the S.F. Symphony a standout piece by composer Erwin Schulhoff and notable performances by Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Mark Inouye.

When he is back in town to solidify his position as the Symphony’s Conductor Laureate, Herbert Blomstedt conducts the repertoire he loves, and that San Francisco audiences most love to hear from him.

The ever-elegant Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra probes some lesser-known composers from the 17th and 18th centuries, to the usual grand effect.

 A great ensemble visits San Francisco for the first time and leaves listeners swooning.

Delights to be had at the S.F. Symphony’s current outing include cellist Alisa Weilerstein and conductor Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, playing Haydn and Olympic-skaters-timely Rimsky-Korsakov.

As part of the S.F. Symphony Great Performers Series, Kremerata Baltica stops by on its six-city tour promoting a release of some of Weinberg’s orchestral and chamber works.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, with Pinchas Zukerman as conductor and violin soloist, goes all-Beethoven in its San Francisco outing, to admirable effect.

Color the S.F. Symphony’s program “Bates” and “Beethoven,” for its unusual pairing of an old master with a youthful and inventive challenger.