Elim Chan, a Hong Kong-born conductor, is appointed the next music director designate of the San Francisco Symphony, ending months of speculation about her next permanent role. The orchestra announces that Chan will officially begin her tenure in September 2027, initially on a six-year contract. Her appointment makes her the first woman to lead the San Francisco Symphony since the orchestra was founded 115 years ago, and it also represents the 13th music director in the institution’s history. Multiple outlets describe the selection as part of the symphony’s ongoing transition following Esa-Pekka Salonen, who has been its most recent music director. The New York Times also frames the decision within a broader context of female representation in U.S. orchestras, noting that Chan joins a comparatively small group of women who currently serve as music directors at major American institutions. Overall, the reports agree on the designation, start date, term length, and the significance of Chan’s position as the symphony’s first female music director.