THOMAS DAUSGAARD, MUSIC DIRECTOR
Season-End Newsletter
YOUR IMPACT IN FOCUS You keep our music playing. And we will all gather to experience the music together again — because of you! When the audience left following the Seattle Symphony’s Celebrate Asia concert on March 8, 2020, no one could have imagined how long it would be until those seats were filled again. Within days, Governor Jay Inslee announced a two-week restriction on large gatherings in response to the coronavirus pandemic, closing Benaroya Hall. That hiatus would stretch to more than a year. This past year has been filled with uncertainty, but it has also been filled with music — because of your support. What began with video messages from Seattle Symphony musicians recorded in their homes and archival concerts broadcast on social media has grown into a full digital season on a new streaming service, Seattle Symphony Live. The support of generous people like you made the orchestra’s successful digital transition possible. Now — with you by our side — the orchestra is on the road to recovery and the future ahead is bright. This spring small, socially distanced audiences began returning, bringing musicians and audience together again after a separation of more than 14 months. Melinda Bargreen of The Seattle Times, who attended in person on May 20, described the moment: “The immediacy and power of live music was almost shocking. A classical music critic since 1975, I’m long habituated to the live-concert experience — but I’ll never take it for granted again. The visceral thrill of hearing the actual sound waves of great music emanating from the stage, after such a long absence, was indescribable. Looking around the resonant but sparsely populated hall, it was clear from the level of rapt attention that other music lovers were deeply affected as well.”
“The visceral thrill of hearing the actual sound waves of great music emanating from the stage, after such a long absence, was indescribable.” – Melinda Bargreen, The Seattle Times In the upcoming 2021–2022 season, we look forward to safely welcoming audiences in greater numbers back to Benaroya Hall to share in the unmatched experience of live music once again. What began this spring with scattered applause at our first in-person concerts will grow to a mighty ovation as we slowly work our way back to full attendance. And in the months and years ahead, every ovation will be for you. As a Seattle Symphony supporter, you are making the return to live music possible. Thank you for bringing our season of music to life! For updates on the reopening of Benaroya Hall, please visit seattlesymphony.org/planyourvisit. PHOTO: Seattle Symphony audiences returned to Benaroya Hall in small numbers this spring for the first time in over 14 months.
Support your Symphony with a season-end gift today! The Seattle Symphony relies on the generosity of the community we serve to fulfill our mission of lifting the human spirit through the power of music. Your season-end gift will help ensure our music plays on in the season ahead and for many years to come!
seattlesymphony.org/donate | 206.215.4832
You help share our stage. With the launch of the Community Stages Fund the orchestra expands access to our stages. Even while the seats inside Benaroya Hall were empty, the orchestra continued performing weekly concerts, reaching our community through the digital gathering space created for our audiences by our new streaming service, Seattle Symphony Live. Livestreaming concerts was a lifeline to remain connected to you, our Symphony family. Seattle Symphony Live also revealed a need within our community — and the unique position the Symphony was in to fill it — by serving fellow nonprofit organizations who do not have access to technology or spaces of their own to produce digital content. The Community Stages Fund was launched in January 2021 to meet this need. Through the Community Stages Fund, the Symphony is using our digital streaming infrastructure to amplify the diverse voices of the Pacific Northwest and the organizations who have helped shape and grow our region’s cultural landscape. The Community Stages Fund supports organizations of all types by providing a digital venue to share their work.
Through the Community Stages Fund, Key to Change presented their Solo String Festival virtually at Benaroya Hall this April.
“The Community Stages Fund helps ensure that our city’s diverse communities gain equitable access to our performance venues,” said Krishna Thiagarajan, President & CEO of the Seattle Symphony, at the initiative’s launch. “We are eager to share our lessons learned and assist other organizations in utilizing this space and technology that will help them to reach their audiences in Seattle and beyond.”
This spring the orchestra announced the inaugural recipients of the Community Stages Fund. These first recipients were Key to Change, which aims to inspire underserved youth of South King County through world-class music instruction and support their development as self-aware leaders; the Olympia Symphony Orchestra, a semiprofessional orchestra that serves the South Puget Sound region; and ARC Dance Company, an ensemble of diverse, classically-trained professional dancers. For each organization, subsidized use of the performance and backstage spaces of Benaroya Hall and access to digital streaming equipment, production crew and other streaming infrastructure was made possible by the Community Stages Fund. Through your generous support this season, the music has played on at the Seattle Symphony, and we’ve expanded access to our stage to serve our community in new and innovative ways, like the Community Stages Fund. Thank you for the important part you play in sharing the diverse voices of our region and fostering a more inclusive community! To learn more about the Community Stages Fund, please visit seattlesymphony.org/communitystages. The Seattle Symphony’s Community Stages Fund is generously supported by the Tagney Jones Family Fund at Seattle Foundation.
Congratulations, John Turman! Tiny Clips for Tiny Tots host receives Ford Musician Award for Excellence in Community Service. Seattle Symphony Horn John Turman was selected as one of just five orchestra musicians from across the country to receive Ford Musician Awards for Excellence in Community Service from the League of American Orchestras at their National Conference in June. John was recognized for his significant contribution to the Symphony’s education and family programming. In addition to hosting the Tiny Tots series during the regular season, John played a pivotal role in translating the fun-filled program into the digital realm. Tiny Clips for Tiny Tots was launched in April 2020, bringing musical exploration and discovery to the Symphony’s youngest viewers throughout the stay-at-home period of the pandemic. Tiny Clips for Tiny Tots has since grown to become a beloved part of the Symphony’s regular online offerings on Seattle Symphony Live. “John’s passion for introducing young listeners to the world of symphonic music is unmistakable,” says Seattle Symphony President & CEO Krishna Thiagarajan. “His love of music and his commitment to bring it to our youngest fans shines through the screen.”
“I hope the joy and laughter we share through this video series is the start of a life-long love of music.” – John Turman, Seattle Symphony Horn You allow musicians like John to share their incredible talents on stage and impact the community in profound ways, fulfilling their passion to give back. As a dedicated supporter you make moments like this possible. “I am so proud of the amazing efforts my Seattle Symphony colleagues have made to support my vision to create Tiny Clips for Tiny Tots and very appreciative of what we’ve been able to accomplish together,” reflects John. “I hope the joy and laughter we share through this video series is the start of a life-long love of music for anyone who experiences it.” Congratulations to John on his recognition — and thank you for the vital role you play in making his award-winning work possible! Seattle Symphony Family Programs supported by the Klorfine Foundation.
Tiny Clips for Tiny Tots host John Turman welcomes viewers to a recent episode.
Thomas Dausgaard returns to the stage. Two-year Sibelius Cycle highlights Thomas’ 2021–2022 season lineup. Music Director Thomas Dausgaard has programmed a thrilling 2021–2022 season for you to enjoy as we return to live, in-person performances at Benaroya Hall this fall. Among the many highlights of Thomas’ third season is an exciting two-year Sibelius Cycle, with Thomas bringing his Nordic roots and unique insight to the iconic Finnish composer’s music. Over the course of two seasons, the orchestra will bring you all of Sibelius’ symphonies, including the rarely performed original versions of Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony and Violin Concerto. The symphonies will be presented with new Seattle Symphony commissions, where the leading composers of today are asked to relate to Sibelius’ works. Each new work will receive its world premiere alongside the Sibelius symphony from which it drew inspiration.
“We are setting each Symphony in the context of today, asking some of the most important composers of our time to write a work inspired by it.” – Thomas Dausgaard, Music Director We hope you’ll join us this fall for a new season that Thomas promises will “take you from the pinnacles of 400 years of music to the absolute cutting edge of today … a season that is possible because of you.” To learn more about the Sibelius Cycle and all the exciting music Thomas and the orchestra have in store for you during the 2021–2022 season, please visit seattlesymphony.org/subscribe.
The Sibelius Cycle begins in February, when Thomas leads the orchestra in Sibelius’ Symphony No. 1 paired with composer Ellen Reid. In April the Cycle’s second program pairs Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2 with a new work by Angélica Negrón. Thomas Dausgaard’s position is generously underwritten as the Harriet Overton Stimson Music Director.
Welcome Reena Esmail! 2021–2022 Composer in Residence During the 2021–2022 season, the orchestra will perform two world premieres by Reena. Her piece, RE|Member will open the Symphony’s season on September 18 and her new concerto for Indian Violin, a work about the elements of Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Ether — elements rendered out of balance by humanity’s influence on the planet — will be featured on the annual Celebrate Asia concert on March 20. Reena’s work will also be featured in the Symphony’s immersive performance venue, Octave 9: Raisbeck Music Center on March 18.
We’re excited to welcome Reena Esmail as the Symphony’s 2021–2022 Composer in Residence. Reena, who is currently taking the classical music world by storm, works between the worlds of Indian and Western classical music and brings communities together through shared musical experiences.
In addition to her orchestra concerts, Reena will be active in the Symphony’s Education & Community Engagement programs throughout the 2021–2022 season. Reena will lead a workshop with Symphony musicians as part of the Lullaby Project, a partnership between Mary’s Place and the Symphony that helps mothers experiencing homelessness write, compose and record lullabies for their children. She will also lead a masterclass during the 2022 Merriman-Ross Family Young Composers Workshop, and participate in other community and education programs. Please join us in welcoming Reena Esmail as Composer in Residence. Your support allows the Seattle Symphony to partner with extraordinary artists like Reena and create impactful musical experiences for everyone in our community.
Reena Esmail’s residency is generously sponsored by Parul and Gary Houlahan.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2021
Opening Night Gala Honoring Charles & Lisa Simonyi and recognizing the inaugural President’s Council
Join us for an evening like no other as we fill Benaroya Hall with live music again! Advance table reservations are available now. Contact Director of Special Events Samantha DeLuna at samantha.deluna@seattlesymphony.org or 206.215.4728.
A look back at a season like no other.
Thank you for ensuring that the music played on during the 2020–2021 season — and beyond!
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25 PHOTOS: 1 Gemma New makes her conducting debut with the orchestra 2 Concertmaster Noah Geller performs Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending with the orchestra under the direction of Conducting Fellow Lina González-Granados 3 Alexandria Henderson joins the orchestra for Link Up: The Orchestra Swings 4 Symphony Cello Eric Han (left) and Assistant Principal Cello Nathan Chan react to the return of in-person audiences at Benaroya Hall 5 Symphony Viola Oliva Chew, who joined the orchestra this season, performs during a recording session 6 Principal Flute Demarre McGill performs Frank Martin’s Ballade for Flute and Orchestra 7 Ludovic Morlot returns to the stage for the first time since the 2018–2019 season that capped his eight-year tenure as Music Director Ludovic Morlot’s position is generously underwritten as the Judith Fong Conductor Emeritus. Concertmaster Noah Geller’s position is generously underwritten as the David and Amy Fulton Concertmaster. Principal Flute Demarre McGill’s position is generously supported by David and Shelley Hovind.
6 7 THE REBECCA & JACK
BENAROYA LEGACY CIRCLE
Join a group of the Seattle Symphony’s closest and most dedicated supporters with your legacy gift commitment and enjoy a wide range of lifelong benefits. Save the date for the Benaroya Legacy Circle’s Annual Celebration on Sunday, October 17.
seattlesymphony.org/legacy
Farewell, Simon James! After 33 years with the Seattle Symphony, Second Assistant Concertmaster Simon James is leaving the orchestra at the end of this season, but as Simon says, “I am fortunate to be retiring to a professorship at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music rather than retiring from the Seattle Symphony.”
“I have never worked a day in my life because I have loved what I do.” Simon has been an active teacher throughout his time at the Seattle Symphony, with students who have won international competitions and gained entrance to the nation’s most prestigious music schools. “Eventually my passion for teaching consumed me and has forever changed my life,” shares Simon. “It’s been wonderful to see my students win competitions around the world but particularly gratifying to have them sub alongside me in the Seattle Symphony and to go on to get jobs of their own in other amazing orchestras.” Of his time at the Symphony, Simon says, “I have never worked a day in my life because I have loved what I do,” adding, “the things I will remember most about my career in the Seattle Symphony are the opening of Benaroya Hall, concerts at Carnegie Hall, and having over 20 of my students perform as soloist with the orchestra ... including both of my daughters! I am grateful to have enjoyed a long tenure in the orchestra and will miss my colleagues and performing for Seattle’s great audience family.” Thank you for 33 wonderful years of music, Simon! Make a gift today in honor of Simon — or a special person in your life — at seattlesymphony.org/donate.
Thanks to you, this season …
84,000
musical moments were shared on Seattle Symphony Live
32,552
hours of music were enjoyed by people around the world
130 10
concert broadcasts and behind-thescenes features were produced
young artists unlocked their creativity during the Merriman-Ross Family Young Composers Workshop
7,647
people received free streaming access through Classroom and Community Connections Passes
3
local nonprofits shared their voices through the Community Stages Fund
1,327
elementary students across 55 classrooms took part in the Link Up music education program
2
Seattle Symphony Media albums were released
1,057
music lovers came together to support the orchestra during GiveBIG 2021
1
new musician joined the orchestra
Support your Symphony before August 31! The Seattle Symphony’s 2020–2021 fiscal year comes to an end on Tuesday, August 31, 2021. Please consider the role music plays in your life and make a gift today to help ensure a bright future for the orchestra and a successful return to live in-person performances in the season ahead.
Your generous investment sustains the Seattle Symphony and brings our community together through the power of music. Thank you!
seattlesymphony.org/donate | 206.215.4832