San Francisco – After last year’s experimental $20 cover charge, InterMusic SF’s 19th annual SF Music Day is once again free to the public. The festival returns to the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center on Sunday, noon to 6 p.m., offering a cornucopia of chamber music, jazz, new music, bluegrass and international sounds across three stages.
“We’re already at 2,200 reservations, which is more than we’ve ever had before at this point,” said Crystal Pascucci‑Clifford, the cellist who became InterMusic SF’s executive director in 2023. The organization, originally founded as SF Friends of Chamber Music, rebranded in 2017 to reflect a broader musical mission and now provides fiscal sponsorship, grants and career‑building services to local ensembles.
Grant‑Supported Performances
Among the 2026 grant recipients performing Sunday are classical percussionist Haruka Fujii’s project highlighting contemporary Japanese chamber music, the Filipina folk trio The Sampaguitas, and jazz pianist/composer Anne Sajdera’s Quintet. Pascucci‑Clifford noted that participation in SF Music Day often serves as a catalyst for musicians to tap into InterMusic SF’s counseling, capacity‑building and strategic services.
Honoring a Visionary Arts Administrator
The festival’s honoree is Janet Cowperthwaite, whose four‑decade tenure as manager of the Kronos Quartet helped elevate the ensemble to global prominence and inspired cross‑genre collaboration throughout the Bay Area. “As an arts administrator Janet is a superstar. What she’s done for the city of San Francisco, putting us on the map for contemporary music, can’t be overestimated,” Pascucci‑Clifford said, adding that seeing a female leader in a role similar to hers is a personal inspiration.
Community‑Focused Partnerships
InterMusic SF is partnering with Jazz in the Neighborhood, an organization that creates gigs paying sustainable wages. For the third year, JazzMobile will be stationed outside the War Memorial, offering a day‑long jam session that invites community members to bring their own horns and sit in.
Featured Sets
- ROVA Saxophone Quartet – Green Room, 2:15 p.m. – Celebrating its 50th anniversary with new material from the ESP‑Disk release “Those Who…”.
- Ian Carey & Wood Metal Plastic – Taube Atrium, 2:15 p.m. – A hybrid ensemble blending horns, strings and a protean rhythm section.
- Sundra Manning – Herbst Theatre, 4 p.m. – A Hammond B3 revivalist leading a soulful band.
- Trillian Welch – Taube Atrium, 5 p.m. – Reimagining Gillian Welch’s songs with three‑part harmonies and a guitar‑forward quintet.
- Bululú – Herbst Theatre, 5 p.m. – Venezuelan‑born percussionist Lali Mejía heads a pan‑American party covering salsa, cumbia, joropo, bachata and more.
With a suggested donation of $30, the festival remains accessible to all while supporting the nonprofit’s mission to sustain creative ensembles. Whether you’re drawn to emo‑jazz saxophonist Raffi Garabedian or the 16‑piece San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, SF Music Day offers an easy‑to‑navigate day of discovery for music lovers of every stripe.
Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.
