As the San Francisco Symphony struck its first notes of the season, a Conservatory piano student was there to share the stage and the spotlight.

SFCM's Parker Van Ostrand made his Davies Symphony Hall debut with the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) for its “All San Francisco” concert September 11. Van Ostrand, a piano student of Garrick Ohlsson, performed Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 under the baton of famed conductor Jaap van Zweden.

Student Parker Van Ostrand performs with the San Francisco Symphony.

“I’ve been to Davies a lot since I was young, so being asked to perform there felt pretty surreal,” Van Ostrand said. “I had a lot of adrenaline during the performance and I feel like some of that came out.”

SFS’ “All San Francisco Concert” is an annual performance presented in recognition of local community service organizations. The concert is one of two celebratory events to start SFS’ season, the second being the opening gala September 12, featuring world-renowned pianist Yuja Wang performing the same piece. 

Parker Van Ostrand, conductor Jaap van Zweden, and the San Francisco Symphony.

“It was kind of crazy,” Van Ostrand said, “I look up to her a lot so I’m honored to have gotten to play this piece the same week as her.” 

It’s not the first time Van Ostrand has crossed paths with Wang. He performed with her at a SFCM gala event in 2022, and played a masterclass with her in 2023, during Wang’s two-part residency at SFCM, the first of its kind at a U.S. conservatory.

Van Ostrand received the opportunity from the partnership SFCM shares with SFS, as well as endorsements from Ohlsson and Piano Department Chair Yoshikazu Nagai. 

Van Ostrand performs Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1.

“I played the concerto for both of them in lessons and got a lot of great feedback about not just the piece but how to play it effectively in that hall with the orchestra,” Van Ostrand said. “They each came to a rehearsal and gave me some really useful suggestions before the concert.”

SFCM’s relationship with the SFS runs deep; nearly two-dozen SFCM faculty are members, many of them principals. It's not rare for students to perform at the acclaimed concert hall which sits only steps away from the Bowes Center. Earlier this year, 38 students performed at Davies Symphony Hall as part of the Great Performers Series, and in February, 43 students performed side-by-side with the orchestra in a benefit concert. 

Van Ostrand shakes hands with concertmaster Alexander Barantschik.

While Van Ostrand has taken on thrilling solo performances before, notably with the San Diego Symphony, this homecoming was different. For the Sacramento native, stepping onto the stage where he once sat wide-eyed in the audience felt like life coming full circle—not just memorable, but a milestone. 

“Just really grateful for this opportunity, it’s something I’ll always remember,” he added.

Learn more about studying Piano at SFCM.