Celebrating 20 Years of Music Together | Martin West and the SF Ballet Orchestra

We extend our gratitude to Martin West, Music Director and Principal Conductor, and to our entire San Francisco Ballet Orchestra.
Born in Bolton, England, Martin studied math at Cambridge University before studying at the St. Petersburg Conservatory of Music and London’s Royal Academy of Music.
In 1997, West made his debut with English National Ballet and was immediately appointed resident conductor. In recent seasons, he has worked with many of the top companies in North America and Europe including New York City Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, and The Royal Ballet.
West joined SF Ballet in the fall of 2005, having been a frequent guest since his debut two years earlier. He has made a number of critically acclaimed recordings with the SF Ballet Orchestra, including the complete score of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and an album of suites from Delibes’ Sylvia and Coppélia. In addition, he conducted on the award-winning DVD of Neumeier’s The Little Mermaid, as well as SF Ballet’s production of Nutcracker for PBS.

[@FallawayCorte]

I have been a full season subscriber to San Francisco Ballet since the mid 1980s. The presence of a live orchestra and the interaction with the dancers is truly special.
I remember the orchestra matching the pace of the principal dancer during the Rose Adagio in Sleeping Beauty a few years ago. It was perfect. Shortly after watching this performance, I went to see Sleeping Beauty performed by a local Ballet Company. They used pre recorded music. During the Rose Adagio, the difference became painfully obvious.
The variety of music played by the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra is impressive. The talent of the musicians as well as the Mr West is wonderful. I am looking forward to the 2024 season.

[@sfballet]

Yes! Thank you for sharing those thoughts. Particularly for something like the series of balances and promenades in the Rose Adagio, the connection between conductor and dancer is crucial! Thank you for supporting us and we'll see you in 2024!