Michael Tilson Thomas leads the San Francisco Symphony in a Beethoven project comprising three concert programs from May 2 to 11 at Davies Symphony Hall. Over the course of two weeks, MTT will lead the San Francisco Symphony, Chorus and soloists on a musical journey tracing Beethoven's revolutionary musical ideas and their impact on composers who came long after, culminating in performances of one of his most significant works, Missa solemnis.

Following his concerts and tour with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, MTT returns to Miami Beach to lead two unique programs with the New World Symphony. On April 20, MTT leads a concert dedicated to new work and dynamic young talent. As part of the New Work project, MTT conducts Morton Feldman's Structures - which features the world premiere of video by Tyler Adams and Pascual Sisto - as well as the world premiere of Zosha Di Castri's Lineage, a new work for orchestra co-commissioned by the New World Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony and Boosey & Hawkes. Di Castri's Lineage  will receive its West Coast premiere this September at the San Francisco Symphony. 

Also included in the New Works project program will be the world premiere of Chutes and Ladders, a pas de deux performed by members of the Miami City Ballet and choreographed by New York City Ballet dancer and choreographer Justin Peck, as well as a poetry reading in collaboration with O, Miami Poetry Festival.

On April 27 & 28, MTT and the New World Symphony are joined by premier violinist Christian Teztalaff, who plays Brahms's Violin Concerto  with the ensemble in a concert that also features Mahler's Fourth Symphony with guest soprano Kiera Duffy.

Beginning April 6, Michael Tilson Thomas leads the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at their home in the Austrian capital, on tour in London, and in their debuts in Yerevean, Armenia and Kiev, Ukraine. Joined by guest pianist Yefim Bronfman, MTT begins his performances at Vienna's  Musikverein on April 6, 7 and 8, conducting a musical program that frames Brahms's Second Piano Concerto with Schoenberg's Theme and Variations and his arrangement of Brahms's Piano Quartet in G minor. From Vienna, MTT and the Orchestra head to  London's Southbank Centre, where they reprise their program at the Royal Festival Hall on April 9.

On April 11 and 12, respectively, MTT and the Vienna Philharmonic make their debuts in  Yerevan, Armenia and  Kiev, Ukraine. They open both concerts with Schubert's  Die Zauberharfe  overture from Rosamunde before returning to Brahms's Second Piano Concerto and Schoenberg's transcription of the Piano Quartet in G minor. 

Michael TIlson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony today announced their 2013-14 season, the American conductor's 19th as SFS Music Director. 

The new season opens September 3, 2013 with MTT conducting the Orchestra in its annual Opening Gala, featuring an all-American program and guest soloist Audra McDonald. That same month, MTT and the SFS will give the West Coast premiere of Lineage by Zosha di Castri, the inaugural composer of New Voices - a collaborative composer development initiative with the San Francisco Symphony, New World Symphony and Boosey & Hawkes.

Also next season, MTT continues his multi-year focus on performing and recording Beethoven, with a three-week Beethoven and Bates festival that pairs some of Beethoven's infrequently performed works alongside three recent compositions by Bay Area composer and electronica artist Mason Bates. 

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Benjamin Britten, MTT leads three weeks of concerts that include a new semi-staged production of Peter Grimes, and Four Sea Interludes with original co-commissioned video. MTT also conducts the Orchestra in major works by Antheil, Bartók, Berlioz, Brahms, Debussy, Ives, Steven Mackey, Mahler, Mozart, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff and Schumann. 

As part of next season's events MTT will also lead the Orchestra on tours of Europe in March 2014 and the United States in November 2013, performing the music of contemporary and maverick American composers including John Adams, Aaron Copland, Charles Ives, and Steven Mackey alongside core classical repertoire by Mahler, Beethoven, Berlioz, Prokofiev and Mozart. In March 2014, MTT and the Orchestra perform two weeks of concerts in the musical capitals of Europe, visiting London, Paris and Vienna for two concerts each, as well as Prague, Geneva, Luxembourg, Dortmund and Birmingham. 

Discover the entire 2013-14 season here.

On Saturday, February 23, the New World Symphony will celebrate its 25th Anniversary with a Black Tie Gala honoring Michael Tilson Thomas, its Founder and Artistic Director. The centerpiece of the evening is a concert featuring works by Leonard Bernstein - including excerpts from West Side Story -  performed by the New World Symphony under MTT's baton, with Jessica Rivera and Dimitri Pittas starring as Maria and Tony, respectively. 

The concert includes performances by NWS Fellows and is followed by a dinner at the New World Center. After dinner, the Performance Hall will be reopened for "Big Band Swing," a 1950s-style party featuring Michael Andrew and the Atomic Big Band. 

Click here for details.