Guest Conductor Roulette

For the past two weeks at Davies Symphony Hall, the San Francisco Symphony played host to a pair of talented guest conductors. Spanish maestro Pablo Heras-Casado has grown in local popularity with numerous prior visits, and British musical leader Edward Gardner, Chief Conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic, made a positive first impression in his well-received debut.

The recent announcement of SFS Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas' plans for his second-to-last season, before stepping down after 2019-20, only intensified interest in the visiting conductors' qualifications as possible contenders for his position. It is early speculation for now, but that won't stop regulars and new listeners from watching visitors with heightened scrutiny.