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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / UPDATED NOVEMBER 19, 2015
Left to right: Bugs Bunny Goes to the Symphony II, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Mariachi Sol De México® de José Hernàndez, A Charlie Brown Christmas—
Live!, Marilyn McCoo and Billiy Davis Jr., Jodi Benson, and Seth MacFarlane.
High resolution images of holiday artists are available for download from the San Francisco Symphony’s Online Photo Library
SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY’S HOLIDAY CONCERT LINEUP
FEATURES SETH MacFARLANE, BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL, MARIACHI SOL DE MÉXICO® DE
JOSÉ HERNÀNDEZ, PEABO BRYSON, OLETA ADAMS, MARILYN McCOO, BILLY DAVIS JR.,
BEBE WINANS, PLUS PERFORMANCES OF A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS–LIVE!, IT’S A
WONDERFUL LIFE, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, BUGS BUNNY AT THE
SYMPHONY II, PETER AND THE WOLF, HANDEL’S MESSIAH, AND MORE
New this year! A Classic Christmas and Holiday Brass: concerts of holiday-themed works by
some of the greatest classical music composers
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Updated Nov 19, 2015) – The San Francisco Symphony offers a festive lineup of concerts,
performances, and musical events for all ages to enjoy during the 2015 holiday season. Holiday programs begin on
November 25 with the orchestra accompanying a screening of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, and closes
on New Year’s Eve with Seth MacFarlane in concert. The Symphony’s holiday schedule features concerts by an array of
award-winning artists, including Brian Stokes Mitchell, Mariachi Sol De México® de José Hernàndez, Peabo Bryson,
Oleta Adams, Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis Jr., and Bebe Winans performing holiday favorites with the Orchestra, as well as
A Charlie Brown Christmas—Live!, It’s a Wonderful Life, Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II, and many other special holidaythemed events.
On December 9-10, the SF Symphony presents A Classic Christmas, a new Christmas-themed classical music program
of works by some of the greatest composers reflecting on holiday traditions, including Vivaldi’s Winter from The Four
Seasons, Rimsky-Korsakov’s selections from The Snow Maiden Suite and Fantasia on Greensleeves, plus Tchaikovsky’s
Nutcracker Suite and Waltz of the Snowflakes. Other classical music holiday concerts include Holiday Brass featuring
members of the SF Symphony brass section on December 6, and San Francisco Symphony, Chorus, Chorus Director
Ragnar Bohlin and soloist’s performances of Handel’s Messiah December 17-19.
The Symphony’s holiday line-up includes many programs particularly well-suited for children and families at family-friendly
ticket prices, starting with Deck the Hall on December 6, a festive holiday concert and party with Symphony musicians and
special guests like the San Francisco Boys Chorus, Caribbean Express, members of Beach Blanket Babylon, and San
Francisco Ballet School Trainees performing favorite holiday music and dance selections to engage and delight the
youngest patrons. A Charlie Brown Christmas returns December 18-24, featuring a live orchestral performance of Vince
Guaraldi’s score for this special stage show with live singers, actors, and dancers bringing the beloved Christmas
television special to life. Vocalist Jodi Benson, the original voice of Ariel from Disney’s animated classic The Little
Mermaid, sings additional holiday songs with the Orchestra and Chorus and participates in sing-a-long Christmas carols
with the audience. The decked-out lobby of Davies Symphony Hall features kid-friendly refreshments and Peanutsthemed activities. On December 13, the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra performs Peter and the Wolf
accompanied by celebrity narrator Kathy Nijimi. On December 3-5, the young and young-at-heart will enjoy a festive and
fun-filled romp when the Orchestra performs Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II with Looney Tunes cartoons projected on
the big screen above the Orchestra.
SFS Director of Summer Concerts Edwin Outwater will lead the Symphony in the first Music For Families concert of the
season on December 5. Music For Families introduces Bay Area children and their parents to the wonders of live orchestral
music. Part performance and part family outing, these matinee concerts are designed to spark the imagination of the whole
family through an exploration of different aspects of the orchestra and its repertoire. Each ticket-holding family receives special
pre-concert materials to prepare for the concerts, and for continued music enjoyment at home. This year marks a new
partnership with the Exploratorium.
On December 16, Tony Award-winning musical star, and Mr. Robot television actor Brian Stokes Mitchell joins the
Symphony for a night of Broadway-style holiday cheer, featuring iconic Christmas songs like “We Need a Little
Christmas,” “White Christmas,” and Mitchell’s own rendition of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” Balladeer and creator of
“Family Guy” Seth MacFarlane returns to the Symphony for a December 31 performance of Broadway and jazz hits in the
tradition of Rat Pack crooners like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin with the Orchestra to ring in the new year. The concert
ends at 10 pm, allowing guests plenty of time to watch fireworks or celebrate around San Francisco or at home with
friends and family.
On December 14-15, the holidays get a soulful twist with the Symphony’s final presentation of Colors of Christmas, two
evenings of pop hits and holiday favorites performed by Grammy Award-winner Peabo Bryson, Oleta Adams, Marilyn
McCoo, Billy Davis Jr., and Bebe Winans with the San Francisco Symphony.
The ever-popular presentation of A Merri-Achi Christmas returns on December 13 when Mariachi Sol De México® de
José Hernàndez perform their blend of Mexican and American holiday favorites. (The orchestra does not perform in this
concert.)
Film presentations over the holiday season kick off with Disney in Concert: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
featuring the music of Danny Elfman during the Thanksgiving week, November 25, 27, and 28. It’s a Wonderful Life brings
Frank Capra's holiday classic to the concert hall for the first time December 11-12 when the Orchestra performs newly
restored music composed by Dimitri Tiomkin (High Noon, Dial M For Murder, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington).
Throughout the month of December, the lobby of Davies Symphony Hall is transformed into a Christmas wonderland,
complete with towering trees decorated with handmade ornaments made by children and volunteers from local schools
and community groups.
Tickets are on sale now for all holiday concerts presented by the San Francisco Symphony at sfsymphony.org, by phone
at 415-864-6000, and at the Davies Symphony Hall box office on Grove Street between Franklin Street and Van Ness
Avenue.
SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY’S 2015 HOLIDAY CONCERT SEASON

All concerts are at Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, unless otherwise noted

Tickets to all San Francisco Symphony performances are available at sfsymphony.org, (415) 864-6000, and at
the Davies Symphony Hall Box Office, located on Grove Street between Franklin and Van Ness.
DISNEY IN CONCERT: TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
featuring the music of DANNY ELFMAN

Film Series
Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at 8 pm
Friday, November 27, 2015 at 8 pm
Saturday, November 28, 2015 at 8 pm
Joshua Gersen conductor
San Francisco Symphony
Danny ELFMAN
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The San Francisco Symphony accompanies the screening of Tim Burton’s Academy Award-nominated film The
Nightmare Before Christmas, featuring the Grammy-nominated music by Danny Elfman. Joshua Gersen, Music Director
of the New York Youth Symphony and former Assistant Conductor of the New World Symphony leads the Orchestra in
their first performances of this music.
Note: This concert is performed with no intermission
Presentation licensed by Disney Music Publishing and Buena Vista Concerts, a division of ABC Inc. © All rights reserved.
Tickets: $25-$160
BUGS BUNNY at the SYMPHONY II
Thursday, December 3 at 8 pm
Friday, December 4 at 8 pm
Saturday, December 5 at 8 pm
George Daugherty conductor
San Francisco Symphony
The Symphony gets animated when Bugs Bunny takes the stage this holiday season. For Bugs Bunny at the Symphony
II, the Orchestra performs iconic scores from Looney Tunes cartoons, including What’s Opera, Doc?, Rabbit of Seville,
and Corny Concerto, while the original cartoon shorts appear on the big screen. Concertgoers will enjoy the antics of
Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and many more screened above the San Francisco Symphony orchestra.
Tickets: 25-$105; half price for kids under 18
SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY MUSIC FOR FAMILIES
Saturday, December 5, 2015 at 2 pm
Edwin Outwater conductor
San Francisco Symphony
DVOŘÁK
STRAUSS
TCHAIKOVSKY
Additional tba
Slavonic Dance No. 1 in C major, Opus 46
Pizzicato Polka
Symphony No. 4, “Finale”
Meet the four instrument families of the orchestra—the strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion—and get the inside
story on how buzzing, blowing, plucking, and thwacking can create incredible music. Demonstrations with our partner the
Exploratorium will help examine how different instruments of the orchestra make their unique sounds.
Tickets: $15-$64
DECK THE HALL
Sunday, December 6 at 11 am
Sunday, December 6 at 3 pm
Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser conductor
San Francisco Boys Chorus, Ian Robertson director
Caribbean Express, Colin Douglas director
Zachary Gordin bass
San Francisco Ballet School Trainees
Members of Beach Blanket Babylon
Members of the San Francisco Symphony
A festive Symphony family tradition continues with this holiday concert and party created especially for children.
Symphony musicians and special guests such as the San Francisco Boys Chorus, Caribbean Express, members of
Beach Blanket Babylon, and San Francisco Ballet School Trainees perform favorite holiday music and dance selections to
engage and delight the youngest patrons. After the performance, concertgoers can enjoy entertainment, arts and crafts,
and holiday-themed refreshments in the festive and twinkling Davies Symphony Hall. Proceeds from Deck the Hall
support the Symphony’s Deck the Hall Community Day, a free holiday concert for over 2,000 children from community
programs, as well as the Symphony’s music education and community programs, serving more than 75,000 Bay Area
students each year.
Tickets: Concert tickets $42-$60. Tax-deductible VIP packages from $300 - $5,750. Up to four (4) additional tickets are
available for purchase with each VIP Package. Additional tickets are priced at $95 each. To purchase please call the
Volunteer Council at (415) 503-5500.
HOLIDAY BRASS with members of the SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY
Sunday, December 6 at 8 pm
Edwin Outwater conductor
Members of the San Francisco Symphony:
Robert Ward, Nicole Cash, Bruce Roberts, Jessica Valeri, horns
Mark Inouye, Mark Grisez, Guy Piddington, Jeff Biancalana, Scott Macomber, trumpets
Timothy Higgins, Timothy Owner, Paul Welcomer, John Engelkes, trombones
Jeffrey Anderson, tuba
Jacob Nissly, Tom Hemphill, percussion
Raymond Froehlich, timpani and percussion
J.S. BACH (arr. Higgins)
GABRIELI (arr. Higgins)
RACHMANINOFF (arr. Higgins)
HOLST (arr. Haislip)
J.S. BACH (arr. Higgins)
J.S. BACH (arr. Higgins)
PROKOFIEV (arr. Higgins)
TCHAIKOVSKY (arr. Higgins)
TRADITIONAL (arr. McLean)
TORMÉ (arr. Hanson)
GUARALDI (arr. Ridenour)
ANDERSON (arr. Wasson)
HANDEL (arr. DiLorenzo)
Selection from Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048
[Allegro]
Two Selections from the Sacrae symphoniae
Canzon per Sonar Septimi No. 2
Magnum Mysterium
"Rejoice, O Virgin" from Vespers, Op. 37
Christmas Day
“Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” from Cantata No. 147
"Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen" from Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248
“Troika” from Lieutenant Kijé Suite, Opus 60
Selections from The Nutcracker, Opus 71
Marche
Danse Arabe
Trepak
Carol for Four Horns and Tuba
“The Christmas Song”
Selections from A Charlie Brown Christmas
Skating
Christmastime is Here
Sleigh Ride
“Joy to the World”
This concert showcases the Symphony’s virtuosic brass section in a celebration of the connection between brass music
and the holiday season. Beginning with sacred brass music written for the greatest cathedrals of Europe by composers
like J.S. Bach and Gabrieli and leading up to the favorite carols and hits like Sleigh Ride and more, this concert blends
sacred and secular works as the musicians fill Davies Symphony Hall with the bright, warm sounds of brass.
Tickets: $15-$75
A CLASSIC CHRISTMAS with the SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY
Wednesday, December 9 at 7:30 pm
Thursday, December 10 at 7:30 pm
Teddy Abrams conductor
Elena Urioste violin
San Francisco Girls Chorus, Valérie Saint-Agathe, music director
San Francisco Symphony
Program to include:
RUTTER
VIVALDI
TCHAIKOVSKY
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Nativity Carol
“Winter” from The Four Seasons
“Waltz of the Snowflakes” from The Nutcracker, Opus 71
The Lark Ascending
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
TCHAIKOVSKY
Various
“Dance of the Tumblers” from The Snow Maiden Suite
Fantasia on Greensleeves
Nutcracker Suite, Opus 71a
Christmas Carols for Orchestra
New this year, the San Francisco Symphony performs two Christmas-themed classical music concerts of works by some
of the greatest composers reflecting on holiday traditions. A Classic Christmas with the San Francisco Symphony features
the Orchestra’s performances of Vivaldi’s Winter from The Four Seasons, Vaughan Williams’s The Lark Ascending and
Fantasia on Greensleeves, plus Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite and Waltz of the Snowflakes, and holiday carols
including Deck the Hall and Joy to the World. Joining the Symphony for A Classic Christmas will be the Pacific Boychoir
and violinist Elena Urioste. Teddy Abrams, former SFS Symphony Youth Orchestra clarinetist and current Music Director
of the Louisville Orchestra and the Britt Classical Festival, conducts.
Tickets: $15-$135
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE with the SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY

Film Series
Friday, December 11, 2015 at 8:00 pm
Saturday, December 12, 2015 at 8:00 pm
Justin Freer conductor
San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Ragnar Bohlin director
San Francisco Symphony
TIOMKIN
It’s a Wonderful Life [first SFS performances]
The SF Symphony’s accompaniment to It’s a Wonderful Life brings Frank Capra's holiday classic to the concert hall for
the first time, including newly restored music composed by Dimitri Tiomkin (High Noon, Dial M For Murder, Mr. Smith
Goes to Washington). Nominated for five Academy Awards when it was released, It’s a Wonderful Life has become one of
the most well-known holiday films ever made. Tiomkin’s music score is regarded as one of the composer’s great
accomplishments, highlighting the fanciful and uplifting spirit of the film.
Tickets: $45-$160
PETER AND THE WOLF with the SFS YOUTH ORCHESTRA
Sunday, December 13, 2015 at 1 pm & 4 pm
Donato Cabrera conductor
Kathy Najimy narrator
San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra
TCHAIKOVSKY
PROKOVIEV
TCHAIKOVSKY
STRAUSS, SR.
PROKOFIEV
PIEDMONT (arr. Romero)
MARKS
Russian Dance from Nutcracker Suite, Opus 71a
Troika from Lieutenant Kijé Suite, Opus 60
Nutcracker Suite
March
Arabian Dance
Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy
Pas de deux
Waltz of the Flowers
Radetzky March, Opus 228
Peter and the Wolf, Opus 67
“Jingle Bells” (sing along)
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (sing along)
Trad.
“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” (sing along)
The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra performs Peter and the Wolf joined by stage and screen actress Kathy
Najimy, who recounts Prokofiev’s charming tale.
Tickets: $15-$65; half price for ages 17 and under.
MERRI-ACHI CHRISTMAS: MARIACHI SOL DE MÉXICO WITH JOSÉ HERNÀNDEZ
Sunday, December 13, 2015 at 8 pm
Mariachi Sol de México® de José Hernàndez
The 14-piece Grammy-nominated ensemble Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernàndez returns to Davies Symphony Hall
for a colorful celebration of Mexico’s Christmas traditions. Mariachi Sol de México has performed with Selena, Juan
Gabriel, José Feliciano, Luis Miguel, Vikki Carr, Rocio Durcal, Lucha Villa, Maria Conchita Alonso, Paloma San Basilio,
Emilio Navaira, Lola Beltran, Vicente Fernandez, The Beach Boys, and Willie Nelson, amongst others. The music of
Mariachi Sol de México can be heard on the soundtracks of Sea Biscuit, The Old Gringo, American Me, Don Juan de
Marco, Disney’s The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, A Million to Juan, and Beverly Hills Chihuahua. They have recorded more
than a dozen CDs, including the Latin Grammy-nominated La Música,Tequila con Limón and the 25th Anniversario José
Hernàndez y Su Mariachi Sol de México, also nominated for a Grammy Award.
Note: The San Francisco Symphony does not appear on this concert.
Tickets: $15-$85; half price for ages 17 and under.
COLORS OF CHRISTMAS with the SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY
Monday, December 14, 2015 at 8 pm
Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at 8 pm
Oleta Adams vocalist
Peabo Bryson vocalist
Marilyn McCoo vocalist
Billy Davis, Jr. vocalist
Bebe Winans vocalist
Herman Jackson conductor
San Francisco Symphony
After 20 years of pop hits and holiday favorites, Colors of Christmas, the Symphony’s soulful holiday tradition comes to a
close. The Orchestra celebrates the holidays with what the San Francisco Chronicle calls “...a collection of some of the
best voices out there singing classic Christmas songs.” This year, Grammy Award-winners Peabo Bryson and Bebe
Winans are joined by Grammy Award-nominee Oleta Adams, Marilyn McCoo, and Billy Davis, Jr. and the Orchestra for
the Colors of Christmas farewell performances.
Tickets: $20-$110
A BROADWAY CHRISTMAS with BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL and the SAN FRANCISCO
SYMPHONY
Wednesday, December 16 at 8 pm
Brian Stokes Mitchell vocalist
Sarah Hicks conductor
San Francisco Symphony
Program
to be announced from the stage
Tony Award-winning Broadway musical star Brian Stokes Mitchell joins the Symphony for a special night of holiday cheer,
featuring iconic Christmas songs like “We Need a Little Christmas,” “White Christmas,” and Mitchell’s own rendition of
“You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” Concertgoers will recognize Stokes as as plays Scott Knowles, the character he
portrays on USA’s hacker drama Mr. Robot.
Tickets: $20-$85
SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY: HANDEL’S MESSIAH
Thursday, December 17, 2015 at 8 pm
Friday, December 18, 2015 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, December 19, 2015 at 8 pm
Ragnar Bohlin conductor
Sarah Coburn soprano
Lauren Segal mezzo-soprano
Brian Stucki tenor
Adam Lau bass
San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Ragnar Bohlin director
San Francisco Symphony
HANDEL
Messiah
San Francisco Symphony Chorus Director Ragnar Bohlin leads the SF Symphony, SF Symphony Chorus, and soloists
soprano Sarah Coburn, mezzo-soprano Lauren Segal, tenor Brian Stucki and bass Adam Lau in these performances of
Handel’s glorious oratario Messiah.
Tickets: $15-$162
A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS – LIVE with the SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY
Friday, December 18, 2015 at 4 pm
Saturday, December 19, 2015 at 2 pm
Sunday, December 20, 2015 at 2 pm & 7:30 pm
Tuesday, December 22, 2015 at 2 pm & 7:30 pm
Wednesday, December 23, 2015 at 2 pm & 7:30 pm
Thursday, December 24, 2015 at 2 pm
Randall Craig Fleischer conductor
Jodi Benson vocalist
The Cast of A Charlie Brown Christmas
San Francisco Symphony Chorus, Ragnar Bohlin director
San Francisco Symphony
VARIOUS, arr. Jekabson
BERLIN, arr. Blank
POLA/WYLE
MENEKEN/ASHMAN
VARIOUS, arr. O’Laughlin
Holiday Bells
“Snow” from White Christmas
“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
“Part of Your World” from Little Mermaid
Christmas by the Bay
WELLS/TORME, arr. Rutter
RODGERS/HAMMERSTEIN
COOTS/GILLESPIE, arr. Holcombe
GUARALDI, arr./orch. Firth
VARIOUS
The Christmas Song
“My Favorite Things” from Sound of Music
“Santa Claus is Coming to Town”
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Audience sing-along
Guest conductor Randall Craig Fleischer and vocalist Jodi Benson (the original voice of Ariel from Disney’s animated
classic The Little Mermaid) lead the young and young-at-heart on a whimsical journey through Vince Guaraldi’s score for
A Charlie Brown Christmas. In this special stage show, live singers, actors, and dancers bring the beloved Christmas
television special to life. Benson sings additional holiday classics with the Orchestra and Chorus followed by sing-a-long
Christmas carols. The decked-out lobby of Davies Symphony Hall featuring kid-friendly refreshments and Peanutsthemed activities round out this musical experience that has already become a holiday tradition.
A Charlie Brown Christmas Courtesy of Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez Productions ©2014 Peanuts Worldwide LLC. All rights
reserved. Used with permission.
Tickets: $30-$80; half price for kids under 18
NEW YEAR’S CONCERT with SETH MACFARLANE and the SAN FRANCISCO
SYMPHONY
Thursday, December 31, 2015 at 8 pm
Edwin Outwater conductor
Seth MacFarlane vocalist
San Francisco Symphony
Broadway and jazz hits to be announced from the stage
Program
Academy and Grammy-award nominated vocalist Seth MacFarlane returns to light up the stage in this concert of
Broadway and jazz hits in the tradition of Rat Pack crooners like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin with the San Francisco
Symphony on December 31. The concert ends at 10 pm, allowing guests plenty of time to watch fireworks or celebrate
around San Francisco or at home with friends and family.
Tickets: $85-$230
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The San Francisco Symphony receives support from over 10,000 individual donors and 150 partner institutions.
Emirates is the Official Airline of the San Francisco Symphony.
San Francisco Chronicle / SFGate.com is the Official Media Partner of the San Francisco Symphony.
The following performances are supported by the San Francisco Arts Commission: December 5 Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II,
December 13 Merri-achi Christmas, Colors of Christmas, December 18 A Charlie Brown Christmas, and December 19 Handel’s
Messiah
Deck the Hall is made possible by Presenting Partner Louise M. Davies Foundation & Supporting Partner Bank of America, and is
presented in partnership with the San Francisco Arts Commission.
San Francisco Magazine is the Official Magazine Partner of the San Francisco Symphony’s Holiday concerts
KOIT is the Official Media Sponsor of Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II, and A Charlie Brown Christmas – Live!
Univision is the Official Media Sponsor of A Merri-Achi Christmas
KBLX is the Official Media Sponsor of KBLX
The San Francisco Symphony's Film Series is sponsored by the Koret Foundation.
- SFS -