Finnish conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen has announced he is stepping down from the San Francisco Symphony after the upcoming season.

The conductor will step down after four years following an unexplained conflict between the symphony’s board and the conductor.

In a statement, Salonen said, “I have decided not to continue as Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony because I do not share the same goals for the future of the institution as the Board of Governors does. I am sincerely looking forward to the many exciting programs we have planned for my final season as music director, and am proud to continue working with the world-class musicians of the San Francisco Symphony.”

According to the New York Times, “The rift between Salonen and the board appeared to be over efforts to cut costs, which include reducing the number of concerts and commissions, as well as putting tours on hold.”

In a statement to the San Francisco Chronicle, SF Symphony CEO Matthew Spivey said, “Esa-Pekka was announced as music director in 2018. The San Francisco Symphony is in a very different place now than it was at that point in time. There are significant financial pressures on the organization, and they have become impossible to ignore.”