Salonen clarifies his reasons for leaving San Francisco
OrchestrasThe departing conductor has made some cryptic comments to Vesa Siren at the Helsingin Sanomat. Among other concerns, he is upset that budget cuts have eliminated next year’s Europe tour, requiring him to find a new orchestra to premiere his horn concerto at the Lucerne Festival.
He says: ‘The board has decided on big and dramatic cuts that affect the orchestra’s artistic profile so deeply that I don’t consider it possible to continue my contract.’
Additionally, ‘I’m not taking a new position as chief conductor, at least not soon. Possibly never again. After all, this has already been going on for a long time, 40 years.’
A most interesting comment by Salonen: “The board has decided on big and dramatic cuts that affect the orchestra’s artistic profile so deeply that I don’t consider it possible to continue my contract.”
Translation: Salonen is not really all that committed to the San Francisco Symphony unless spending continues unabated. And “artistic profile” is just code word for no touring internationally or even in the US in the next few years.
If local ticket sales and annual donations cannot support existing programming without forcing multi-million dollar drawdowns from portions of the endowment, then any touring should be eliminated absent a massive infusion of cash just for touring, and such a restricted donation would be shortsighted in the extreme. The level of annual donations is far more important.
So soon have commenters on SD forgotten that the musicians of SFS were demanding higher pay and got somewhere with that. Accounting requires balance on both sides. They each get a little more in their pockets, and they lose Mr Solongagain, California.
The city of San Francisco is rotting. It’s a cesspool of crime and dysfunctional government. I lived there in the early ‘80s, when it was one of America’s most special cities. Now it is nothing more than a stretched out Skid Row.
You obviously only listen to bitter radical right wing media, which has always been jealous of our beautiful city. And you obviously have not been here recently. While it’s true much has changed because of the pandemic, there also is more opportunity here and new small businesses are popping up all over. There are many, many improvements in the city since you lived here. For instance the Embarcadero Freeway and 101 extension are gone. (I have been here since 1984). I hope you are happy where you are. You can keep your negativity to yourself.
And you can keep your positivity for yourself, your opinion doesn’t worth more than any other….
Actually, San Francisco has crime rates significantly below the national average. It is really not that hard to look this stuff up, if you have the slightest interest in objective reality, Gerry.
Thanks for your comment. I await your sources because San Francisco’s crime rates are not “significantly below the national average.”
Ignorance is bliss, Max. I’m sure you’re happy:
https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ca/san-francisco/crime#description
Subtracting property crime, ranking for “murder and non-negligent manslaughter”:
#7: Cleveland
#14: Chicago
#63: Los Angeles
#66: San Francisco
For “rape”:
#3: Cleveland
#35: Chicago
#43: Los Angeles
#67: San Francisco
For “robbery”
#2: Cleveland
#8: Chicago
#20: San Francisco
#29: Los Angeles
“Total Violent Crime”
#7: Cleveland
#17: Chicago
#32: Los Angeles
#37: San Francisco
Food for thought for the elite conductors considering offers from these cities (including guest conducting, lol, robbers and rapists don’t care if you’re there to guest conduct or to be director).
Congratulations Cleveland, I don’t know if Cleveland is America’s “finest”, but it certainly is ranked number 1 among the Big 7 Orchestras, and the only one to make the Top 10 nationwide, in every category of “violent crime”.
True. but it’s always easier and more fun to just… talk.
Thats humorous that you actually put that sentence together, and perhaps even believe it to be true. I live in SF since 1999, and parts of San Francisco is an absolute shithole. Would you say it’s just an odd coincidence that the Downtown area is barren, more so than any major city in the world that I could come to think of (minus your beloved drugaddicts/homeless parasites). Good one Max Raimi 🙂
Mr. Feinstein, Will this negativity about San Francisco ever stop? Is it really so much better where you live now, which is where exactly?
I have to defend my beloved home city. The Tenderloin and Sixth Street are awful–they always have been.
And the Union Square/Financial District area has an awful lot of empty offices and buildings.
BUT (always wait for the “but”)…
…go most anywhere else in SF–to what we call “the Neighborhoods” and things are okay, or even better. Chinatown, North Beach, the Marina (my turf), the Richmond…
which doesn’t address the Salonen Question, just represents me standing up for my home turf.
This is it. He wants a bottomless budget for his vanity projects.
This is it. He wanted a bottomless budget for his vanity projects. When a bunch of crises happened, he looked out for himself. Business as usual.
So Chicago comes next. They’ll gladly perform your work in Europe.
There have been many conductors who considered themselves primarily composers. Time will tell if this is how they are remembered.
After more than 20 years of subscribing and donating to the S F Symphony, my wife and I will discontinue to do so after next season, if Maestro Salonen is forced to leave. S F Symphony is a treasure of the Bay Area and one reason we love living here. The Symphony should replace the president of the Board of directors instead. I’m sure many other subscribers feel the same as us.
It will be your loss. Please reconsider.
As a subscriber since Edo de Waart’s tenure, I fully intend to reup (and probably boost my donation level) for the 2024-25 season. I was excited by Salonen’s arrival, thrilled by much of the music he made, disturbed and sorrowed (and confused) by his announced departure. but it’s about more than one individual, for me.
It means the world to us to hear such positive feedback on our blog posts. We strive to create valuable content for our readers and it’s always encouraging to hear that it’s making an impact.
“I don’t consider it possible to continue my contract.”
Ha ha ha, as can be spoken only truly by a person who doesn’t need to work:
1) if the cuts damage the orchestra’s “artistic profile so deeply”, then it does so for EVERY artist in the orchestra, including for the 4th clarinet, but you don’t see the back desk string players, or even any of the principals, resigning en masse out of being offended artistically, because they can’t afford to, because they got mouths to feed, mortgages to pay.
2) do “artists” have NO moral or financial responsibility vis-à-vis their colleagues or organization or city? Management didn’t cancel the European tour for ARTISTIC reasons, they did it for FINANCIAL reasons, where does Salonen want his musicians to sleep in Europe, youth hostels? or get to Europe, on a cargo ship?
Boohoo he didn’t get his European tour, but what about respect for the local audience, the city, the community? It is called the San Francisco Symphony, not the Salonen International Symphony Orchestra.
And if he quits so vociferously, so publicly bad mouthing his employer, isn`t he handicapping his employer from finding a good replacement for him, capable of maintaining the artistic level of the orchestra despite his departure?
3) I can’t wait until the SFS releases its financial statements, I want to know how much they were paying Salonen for 5 years. Could his salary have something to do with the shortfall the SFS faces?
Their 2021-22 IRS Form 990 lists $2,065,642 for “music conductor” expense.
And this is for all conductors in that season, or only the chief? Even if only the chief, it would be normal within that league? What’s your point?
Two Million dollars or even one million dollars is too much to pay a conductor, no matter how good he/she is. And, they flit from one venue to another, with no loyalty to the orchestras they conduct. Stay put, and make music, instead of money.
You’re right on principle of course. But this is the game today, and if SFS wants to play in that league they have to pay, unless they can somehow change the game. Good luck with that! Yes $2 mil is a lot of money no matter how you slice it, but remember his manager takes 20% and publicist maybe another 10%. And can’t blame him for taking the highest fee he can command. The CEO and Board I’m sure do the same in their own business lives.
Maybe he was just providing data another reader had wondered about? Why so defensive?
when 240 000 are more than enough .Don’t worry ,Europe asnwel dont have those money .
Some musicians who are in a position to might decide to look elsewhere. Others might choose another orchestra if they win more than one audition. Yes, to some degree he is leaving musicians in the lurch, but he’s not an employee – he’s a contractor. And he is in a position to say “This is not what I signed up for” and leave. Not the first time someone has done that.
The musicians should stop crying, realize that he is a hired thug, and not their friend.
Absolutely. And he mentions it’s been happening for ” 40 years”. Everyone has their limits. They probably promised him the tour to get him to stay the last time the board started hacking away with various cuts. And $ 1 million is not out of line for music directors. Loren Maazel, Abaddo, many conductors are paid that and more.
All these people really care about is money! Arts, Music, nope…only money and their big ego. If he want to go let him go, there are plenty of good conductors in the market. If I were director of SFO I’d hire an American conductor. I’ve attended many concerts (in LA and SFO) conducted by this guy and nothing really extraordinary happens.
Last year he didn’t mention anything about his great friend Saahario when he conducted her opera in SF. Only the usual psychobabble bs…written by a PR agent. He didn’t care at all!
You doubtless mean Saariaho?
Great that nobody else cares about money in the US. Only these greedy musicians!
Surprise, surprise. According to SFCV, the SFSO had to deal with Covid, retirements, contracts, and improvements to the hall. But, the “Music Director” cares only for tours, his premieres, and self-dealing to his clan of “Artistic Associates.” He doesn’t have Fleischmann, he doesn’t have Borda, and rather than work with the new reality in SF, he flounces off. At least SF won’t have to play his bilge.
“When danger reared its ugly head, he bravely turned his tail and fled.”
https://www.sfcv.org/articles/music-news/salonen-steps-down-speculating-future-artistic-leadership-sf-symphony
Too bad, He’s a pretty great conductor.
An excellent reason for leaving SF would be the destruction of the city under current administration. I am only surprised they still have an orchestra and a budget.
As not seen on network television, if you just take a camera and show the streets with empty space, the sight is shocking. A ghost town with drug addiction:
https://youtu.be/A0Knxo7M04I
Run, Esa-Pekka, run. Take Elon Musk with you.
Elon Musk lives in Texas now.
I remember when an early CD of his came out some 40 years ago on Philips with a bunch of great Russian stuff: 1812, Islamey, Russlan and Ludmilla, Polovtsian Dances. I thought he was just another flash-in-the-pan pretty boy. I was so wrong. He’s turned out to be a great conductor whose ability as a composer informs really intelligent interpretation of music. We’re lucky to have him – and now he’s a senior citizen!
Kudos to Salonen!
I guessed it was due to something like that. Ooh- I hope he will premiere his new horn concerto in London with his old orchestra, the Philharmonia, or any London orchestra, and bring them to the Lucerne Festival too.
Ahh now the pendulum swings the other way. EPS was just mad cuz his own blasted, bloated composition got the short shrift and he used budget cuts as the subterfuge to get out of dodge. Everyone’s cutting budget after Covid, not just the SFS.
My advice to EPS is to go back to Finland and start his own band for playing his ‘experimental’ music that nobody cares about, similar to Boulez’s IRCAM.
Date: 17th March 2024.
Having a great deal of respect for Essa Pekka Salonen, I wish him every success for the future and look forward to hearing his Horn Concerto.
Evidently, your “great deal of respect” does not include spelling his first name correctly.
I suspect Mr Salonen might be at the beginning of a journey into financial reality where demand and resources trump employment aspirations every time.
Jesus, people, what vicious folks seem to follow this site! If it’s not against EPS, it’s insulting the musicians or the city government or whatever. This is negativity that is the toxic environment of our country now (and you know who to blame for that) so try to save your gem of an orchestra and get to work in a sense of civic pride to save your precious city instead of sitting on your collective asses and blowing of MAGA steam on a classical music forum. What is wrong with you ?
Your post got 12 thumbs down, what is wrong with you?
The negativity? It was obama who started it all.
Leave MAGA out of this. Your TDS is showing.
I wonder if SFS will do a lot more movies? Based on ticket prices, I assume those evenings bring in big revenue.
Are there financial problem for an organization whose income in fiscal year 2022 was $144.9 million against expenses of $74.7 million and which has a $326 million endowment, second only in the U.S. to the Boston Symphony?
https://www.sfcv.org/articles/music-news/sf-symphony-cutbacks-incidental-or-significant
And, of the SFS Board’s $100 million ambition for its surplus funds:
You may like Davies Symphony Hall or not, and there are some valid concerns about aspects of it, but the SF Symphony’s major problem is not the number or nature of seats in the hall but finding and maintaining enough ticket-paying bottoms to sit in them. Also, unlike the situation in New York, there is no equivalent to Carnegie Hall for the orchestra to use while cranes loom over its own auditorium.
https://www.sfcv.org/articles/music-news/will-davies-symphony-hall-both-expand-and-shrink-future
As a follow up, one can discount San Francisco Symphony management if one likes to do that sort of thing, but the article of January 9, 2024 in the San Francisco Classical Voice (SFCV), a website, notes the following:
“Asked about the $144.9 million figure, an SF Symphony spokesperson told SF Classical Voice”:
“SF Symphony’s operations, like several of its peers, has historically run at an operating deficit year after year. Financial resources available to support current operations are limited, and the SF Symphony has taken austerity measures in recent seasons to address and reduce that operating deficit, including implementing extensive cost-cutting measures across all expense areas.”
“Revenue as reflected on the Symphony’s 990 [tax] form includes many items that are outside of those available as cash to support operations. Most notably, the $144.9 million shown on the [990 form for fiscal year 2022] includes ‘realized’ gains from investments but does not include ‘unrealized’ gains or losses.”
“Realized gains from investments accounted for more than half of the $144.9 million revenue shown. These gains, offset by unrealized gains/losses, are within the SF Symphony’s endowment. Most endowment funds are not directly available to support operations.”
“Operations are supported by the endowment through an annual draw, which is itself limited by original donor stipulations, UPMIFA [Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act, a law that governs how charitable institutions manage funds], and SF Symphony policy.”
A wider context is indeed almost always a little key to some otherwise “inexplicable” decisions.
He is and has been too strange for words. A True Egomaniac
Frank Archer: “Jesus, people, what vicious folks seem to follow this site! If it’s not against EPS, it’s insulting the musicians or the city government or whatever. This is negativity that is the toxic environment of our country now (and you know who to blame for that) so….instead of sitting on your collective asses and blowing of MAGA steam…”
———–
Your comment is amusing in light of the fact the city of SF, including most of its voters & public officials, EPS & much of the cultural-financial elite of the Bay Area, such as the ones who manage the SFS, are very much of the political left, not right. Same socio-political dynamics generally apply to cities like London or NYC, etc.
We have enjoyed most of what EPS has done…but astonished and dismayed by the recent performance using expensive lighting and perfume yet – to “enhance” the music! PR for Cartier yet – with their rep prancing around. How big was that budget or did Cartier pay for it? Both the Scriabin and “early” Bartok were awful, if not sickening! I said then to my husband: If that’s the future, let’s stop our subscription!
Look at the San Francisco new audience demographics and SFS programs. Hardly any classical music or conductors of “New World” Latinos or Asians on programs. One exceptio was Gustavo Dudamel. Listen to his Danzon #2 by Marquez! Europeans aren’t the only ones composing music, duh!
We were disgusted on March 1 with contrived commercial over-the-top bourgeois remakes of old European music! Lyrics to the Bluebeard’s Opus 11 were infantile and stupid. We had to leave before the end. And how much did the ditzy lighting systems cost?
Please, no more of these two examples!
Faithful SFS patrons for many years.
We saw the Scriabin/Bartok program , too, on the Sunday. In fact the Cartier lady was sitting not far from us (and preening and left at the break). For a while the Scriabin seemed like a pretty good piece of work (post-Mahler large…) but the last few minutes descended into Camp… we enjoyed Bluebeard very much…and i thought the lighting effects enhanced the work. As for the Smell-o-vision and light show on Scriabin ? If that’s what the composer intended , okay, it’s worth a try. Don’t need to do it again …
Is this because of declining interest in serious music? Maybe people only want to hear movie themes. Beethoven had this problem with the popularity of Rossini. It’s cyclic I think.