Frommer's Review
The organization first took shape when a group of musicians gathered to perform at the US Grant Hotel in 1910. Over time, the symphony grew and prospered with the city, but floundered for a decade starting in the late 1980s. In 2002, enduring financial stability arrived with the announcement of a $120-million bequest by Joan and Irwin Jacobs (founder and CEO of Qualcomm). The bequest has allowed the organization to lure top talent, including music director Jahja Ling and principal pops conductor Marvin Hamlisch. The symphony's home is the former Fox Theatre, a 1929-era French rococo-style downtown landmark, restored and now known as Copley Symphony Hall. The season runs October through May; a Summer Pops series, with programs devoted to big band, Broadway, and Tchaikovsky, is held weekends from July to early September on the Embarcadero -- always bring a sweater for these pleasantly brisk evenings on the water. The box office is open Monday through Thursday from 10am to 6pm, Friday 10am to 5pm, weekends from noon to 5pm, and on performance days from noon until intermission; select performances have a $10 student rush.
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