San Francisco Symphony's strong close begins

For the past few years the San Francisco Symphony has made a habit of the saving some of their best programming for the last part of the season, and tonight starts a run of concerts over the next month which are likely to be the highlights of an already impressive year.

This week's performances feature pianist Yuja Wang performing Prokofiev's No. 2 concerto in G Minor, Sibelius' 4th symphony, and electronica composer/DJ Mason Bates performing his own work, The B-Sides, with the Symphony. If nothing else, these concerts should be interesting and are likely to fascinate with their contrasts. Additionally, Bates is going to be DJing the next Davies After Hours, scheduled for this Friday after the concert. These are well worth checking out after the show.

Then we roll into what I've been waiting for all year long- the three week Dawn to Twilight festival of Schubert and Berg, which is a feast of gorgeous and challenging music with some serious talent showing up to play a part- Michelle DeYoung, Yefim Bronfman, Gil Shaham, Laura Aiken (whose turn as the Angel in SF Opera's St. Francis is still one of the most indelible performances I've ever experienced), Julia Fischer and more.

Finally, the week of June 18th, there's the semi-staged production of Iolanthe.

Tickets for most of the performances are showing up on Goldstar. If you haven't gone to the Symphony yet this season, now's the time folks.