The San Francisco Symphony management has proposed an 80 percent cut from the San Francisco Symphony Chorus’ budget.

In a letter published by AGMA, the chorus recounts why the cut is the wrong approach noting that its budget is only over one percent of the overall budget and is vital in attracting audiences and donors.

The letter noted, “Ticket sales are higher when we are singing. The financial rationale for such severe cuts simply doesn’t add up. The Symphony has informed us that it projects a $12.5 million budget deficit for the next fiscal year. Putting aside the assumption that this deficit must be solved only through cuts rather than improved fundraising or patron development, cutting $800,000 of the Chorus’s roughly $1 million cost won’t cover this. Cutting 80 percent of their approximately $75 million in expenses across the board would save nearly $60 million, indicating these cuts unreasonably target the Chorus.”

According to the letter AGMA’s financial consultant’s comprehensive analyses revealed that the decision was unnecessary and overlooks the Chorus’s undeniable contributions to the Symphony’s artistic excellence and financial health. AGMA noted that the orchestra has been covering its deficits with responsible draws from its $333 million endowment and other funding sources.

The letter was signed by 32 paid members of the chorus who are members of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) and non-paid choristers. The rest of the ensemble is composed of over 120 unpaid singers.

The news comes after Music Director Esa-Pekka announced his decision to conclude his tenure as Music Director following the culmination of his five-year contract in June 2025. It also comes after the SFS noted that there would be “temporary reductions to some programs to better scale our activities including reducing the frequency of SoundBox programs, semi-staged productions, and commissions of new compositions so that these activities can be sustained by existing restricted endowment support and/or dedicated funding.”