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Press Releases
Seattle Symphony and Music Director Ludovic Morlot Announce 2013–2014 Season
SEATTLE SYMPHONY AND MUSIC DIRECTOR LUDOVIC MORLOT ANNOUNCE 2013-2014 SEASON
Innovative Programming, Classic Repertoire, Artistic Partnerships and World-class Artists in a Season of Inspiration
2013 - 2014 Season Highlights Include
Season to Open with all-Ravel Program and Close with Stravinsky’s Three Great Ballets, and will Feature Mozart’s Last Seven Symphonies
Local Artistic Partnerships include Verdi’s Requiem Performed in Honor of Longtime Seattle Opera General Director Speight Jenkins; J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with Pacific MusicWorks; Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2 with Seattle Chamber Music Society Artistic Director James Ehnes; an [untitled] Series Concert with the Earshot Jazz Festival; and Celebrate Asia, featuring a New Work for Vietnamese and Western Instruments by Richard Karpen, Director of University of Washington’s School of Music
Seattle Symphony and Global Co-Commissioners Present U.S. Premieres of Pascal Dusapin’s Violin Concerto, Alexander Raskatov’s Piano Concerto and James MacMillan’s The Death of Oscar
Sonic EvolutionFeatures MC Sir Mix-A-Lot, Plus World Premieres Inspired by
Seattle Music Icons Ray Charles, Sir Mix-A-Lot and Bill Frisell
Informal Audience Experiences Continues with Symphony Untuxed and Exciting Contemporary Repertoire Presented in the [untitled]Series, including Stockhausen’s Spiritual Masterpiece Inori
Piano Virtuoso Lang Lang to Join Morlot for Opening Night Concert & Gala,
Performing Prokofiev’s Dazzling Third Piano Concerto
New TchaikFest! to Showcase Tchaikovsky’s Four Instrumental Concertos Performed in Back-to-Back Nights
Morlot to Lead the Orchestra at Carnegie Hall on May 6 as Part of Spring for Music 2014
Conductor Laureate Gerard Schwarz to Lead all-Mozart and all-Strauss programs
Morlot and New Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik Team up for a Pops/Classical
New Year’s Eve Extravaganza, including Jon Kimura Parker Performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue
Hitchcock’s Psycho with the Seattle Symphony Returns for Halloween by Popular Demand
Distinguished Guest Conductors and Guest Artists
Conductor debuts with Seattle Symphony include: Marcelo Lehninger, André de Ridder, Rafael Frübeck de Burgos, and three female conductors: Jeannette Sorrell, Tania Miller, and Julia Tai. Returningconductors are Thomas Dausgaard, Stéphane Denève, Carlos Kalmar, Olari Elts, Andrew Manze, Adam Stern and Alastair Willis. Soloists –– violinists Joshua Bell, James Ehnes, Renaud Capuçon, Alina Pogostkina and Mayuko Kamio; cellists Xavier Phillips, Andreas Brantelid and Pavel Gomziakov; pianists Lang Lang, András Schiff, John Lill, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Jonathan Biss, Alexander Melnikov, Tomoko Mukaiyama, Paul Lewis, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Frank Braley, Christian Ihle Hadland, Boris Giltburg, Simone Dinnerstein, and Alexander Lubyantsev; sopranos Shannon Mercer; Dorothee Mields and Twyla Robinson;mezzo-sopranos Tamara Mumford and Laura Pudwell; countertenor Terry Wey; tenors René Barbera, Charles Daniels and Aaron Sheehan; baritone Tyler Duncan; bass-baritone Matthew Brook; and bass Jordan Bisch.
Seattle Symphony Musicians Featured with the Orchestra
Alexander Velinzon, Emma McGrath, Elisa Barston and Cordula Merks (violin); Susan Gulkis Assadi (viola); Efe Balticigil (cello); Jordan Anderson (double bass); Demarre McGill (flute); Zartouhi Dombourian-Eby (piccolo); and Mark Robbins (horn)
Seattle, WA – Music Director Ludovic Morlot today announced a stunning 2013–2014 Seattle Symphony season that features major classical repertoire, a stellar array of guest artists and conductors, and innovative programming that will appeal to diverse audiences and offer an array of opportunities to be “inspired” –– the season brochure theme. The announcement was presented at a public event in Benaroya Hall that featured a special side-by-side performance with the Seattle Symphony and the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Morlot commented, “I couldn’t be more excited about next season, which offers something for everyone — all ages and all interests. Our Masterworks Season showcases our terrific Orchestra with an excellent lineup of international soloists and conductors as well as many of our own musicians as soloists. Our contemporary series, [untitled], enters its second season and gives Seattle’s late-night crowd the chance to experience music in the beautiful setting of Benaroya Hall’s Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby. I am looking forward to embracing the whole community and collaborating with its many varied and wonderful arts organizations. The Symphony’s next season promises to be as innovative and inspired as ever.”
Simon Woods, Seattle Symphony Executive Director, added, “From classic to edgy, from glamorous to casual, early to contemporary, the extraordinary range of the Seattle Symphony’s offerings is our hallmark —and inspiring the widest community of people with the joy of great music is our passion. Ludovic Morlot’s third season with the Symphony advances the commitment to diverse and imaginative programming that we all have enjoyed so much in his first two seasons. The 2013–2014 season is another exciting step on the journey of discovery that the Symphony and Ludovic Morlot are taking together with the audiences of Seattle.”
In 2013–2014, the Symphony will present several non-subscription Special Performances, including Pink Martini with the Seattle Symphony, Hitchcock’s classic film Psycho with the Seattle Symphony; BIG Nightmare Music with classical musicians Aleksey Igudesman and Hyung-ki Joo; a return of the popular Celebrate Asia program; TchaikFest!, featuring all four Tchaikovsky instrumental concertos performed in back-to-back nights; and Sonic Evolution with Sir Mix-A-Lot as special guest. An Opening Night Concert & Gala is planned for Sunday, September 15, featuring one of Seattle’s favorite pianist virtuosos, Lang Lang, performing Prokofiev’s dazzling Third Piano Concerto on a program of folk dances by Borodin, Brahms, Dvorák and others.
Co-commissioners for two of the Symphony’s U.S. premieres are the Residentie Orchestra for Alexander Raskatov’s Piano Concerto; and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra for James MacMillan’s The Death of Oscar.
Newly appointed Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik has planned a spectacular five-part Seattle Pops series, including highlights from Gershwin’s popular Porgy and Bess, a Holiday Pops program of favorite seasonal melodies; Broadway sensation Brian Stokes Mitchell with the Seattle Symphony; the Glenn Miller Orchestra; and an American Swing concert with musicfrom Sousa to Copland. Additionally, Tyzik will team up with Morlot to lead an exciting extravaganza on New Year’s Eve of both classical and pops music, including Tyzik on the trumpet and Jon Kimura Parker performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.
MASTERWORKS SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Music Director Ludovic Morlot will lead the Seattle Symphony in 11 of the Masterworks Season’s 21-week schedule, opening the series in September with an all-Ravel program, including both of the composer’s piano concertos, performed by Jean-Yves Thibaudet. He then conducts three programs during November: Mahler’s Sixth Symphony paired with Pierre Boulez’s Notations; Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony and the U.S. premiere of Pascal Dusapin’s Violin Concerto with Renaud Capuçon; and Verdi’s monumental Requiem with the Seattle Symphony Chorale that honors the 30-year tenure of Seattle Opera General DirectorSpeight Jenkins. The Requiem soloists, soprano Twyla Robinson, mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford, tenor René Barbera and bass Jordan Bisch have all worked with Seattle Opera in the past.
In February Morlot is joined by French cellist Xavier Phillips for Schumann’s Cello Concerto, on a program with Berlioz’s spectacular Symphonie fantastique. March brings an all-Russian program featuring the U.S. Premiere of Alexander Raskatov’s Piano Concerto with pianist Tomoko Mukaiyama together with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique.” The month ends with a concert highlighting Seattle Symphony Principal Cello Efe Baltacigil as the soloist in Dvorak’s Cello Concerto, as well as two works that Morlot and the Orchestra will take to Carnegie Hall in May: Varese’s Déserts and Debussy’s La mer. Seattle Symphony Concertmaster Alexander Velinzon takes the stage with Morlot in late April, performing Brahms’ Violin Concerto on a program that also includes Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7 and Martinu’s Memorial to Lidice.
Morlot concludes the Masterworks season with three programs in June, beginning with Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé with the Seattle Symphony Chorale and Dutilleux’s Symphony No. 2. Later that month, he will be joined by pianist Jonathan Biss for Schoenberg’s Piano Concerto, paired with Johann Strauss, Jr.’s Emperor Waltzes. The 2013–2014 Masterworks Season concludes with Morlot leading Stravinsky’s three great ballets in a single program: The Firebird, Petrushka and The Rite of Spring –– an extraordinary feat for a conductor and an orchestra to tackle in a single evening.
Conductor Laureate Gerard Schwarz will lead the Orchestra in an early March Masterworks Season performance entirely comprised of music by Richard Strauss, featuring pianist William Wolfram performing Strauss’ Burleske.
Distinguished Guest Conductors on the Masterworks Season
The Seattle Symphony welcomes 9 guest conductors to the Benaroya Hall stage for Masterworks Season performances in 2013–2014. Thomas Dausgaard returns in October to lead the Orchestra in Schubert’s “Great” Symphony and Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, the latter featuring violinist Alina Pogostkina, cellist Andreas Brantelid and pianist Christian Ihle Hadland. Also that month, former Seattle Symphony Assistant Conductor Alastair Willis conducts Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings and partners with cellist Pavel Gomziakov for Haydn’s popular Cello Concerto in C major; and British conductor Andrew Manzeleads Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 5 and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 with Simone Dinnerstein. Carlos Kalmar, Music Director of the Oregon Symphony, will lead the Seattle Symphony’s annual performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in early January. Other returning conductors include Estonian maestro Olari Elts, who will conduct Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with Alexander Melnikov, as well as Shotakovich’s Symphony No. 9 and John Adams’ The Chairman Dances; and Stéphane Denève, who will lead the Orchestra in Rachmaninov’s Second Symphony and the U.S. premiere of James MacMillan’s The Death of Oscar, as well as Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with Paul Lewis.
Conductors making their Seattle Symphony debuts on the Masterworks Season concerts include Marcelo Lehninger, who leads the Orchestra in music by Haydn, Mozart and Prokofiev in January, with Jean-Efflam Bavouzet performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 4 and Haydn’s Piano Concerto in D major; André de Ridder, conducting Mozart’s “Prague” Symphony and partnering with James Ehnes for Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2; and eminent Spanish conductor Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, who will lead the Orchestra and the Seattle Symphony Chorale in Orff’s Carmina burana.
Guest Artist Debuts on the Masterworks Season
Guest artists making their Seattle Symphony debut on the 2013–2014 Masterworks Season are violinists Alina Pogostkina, performing Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, and Seattle Symphony ConcertmasterAlexander Velinzon, performing Brahms’ Violin Concerto; cellists Andreas Brantelid, performing Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, and Pavel Gomziakov, performing Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C major; pianistsTomoko Mukaiyama, giving the U.S. premiere of Alexander Raskatov’s Piano Concerto; Christian Ihle Hadland, performing Beethoven’s Triple Concerto; Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 4 and Haydn’s Piano Concerto in D major; Simone Dinnerstein, performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23, and Alexander Melnikov, performing Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2; sopranoCaitlin Lynch, tenor Daniel Shirley and baritone Corey McKern, all performing Carmina burana; mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford, tenor René Barbera and bass Jordan Bisch, all performing Verdi’s Requiem; and tenor Brendan Tuohy, performing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
Guest Artists Returning to the Masterworks Season
Artists returning to the Seattle Symphony’s Masterworks season include violinists James Ehnes, performing Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2, and Renaud Capuçon, giving the U.S. premiere of Pascal Dusapin’s Violin Concerto; cellists Xavier Phillips, performing Schumann’s Cello Concerto and Seattle Symphony Principal Cello Efe Baltacigil, performing Dvorák’s Cello Concerto; pianists Paul Lewis, performing Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto; Jonathan Biss, performing Schoenberg’s Piano Concerto; and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, performing both Ravel’s Concerto for Left Hand in D major and Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major; sopranoTwyla Robinson, performing Verdi’s Requiem; and soprano Nathalie Paulin, mezzo-soprano Angela Niederloh and bass Charles Robert Stephens, all performing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
ADDITIONAL SUBSCRIPTION SERIES PERFORMANCES
The above Masterworks Season encompasses the Orchestra’s core programming of symphonic repertoire. Additional subscription series described below include Beyond the Score®, Distinguished Artists, Baroque & Wine, Mainly Mozart, Symphony Untuxed, [untitled],Fluke/Gabelein Organ Recital, Chamber, Seattle Pops and the Discover Music series. The Tiny Tots series and additional family programming will be announced in March.
Beyond the Score®
Originally created by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the three-concert Beyond the Score® series explores classical music by pairing the live concert experience with engaging multimedia presentations. Each program focuses on one of classical music’s timeless works and is divided into two parts: the first half of the program explores the history and context of the featured masterwork through the creative use of narration, actors, and musical and visual examples. Following intermission, the audience hears a complete performance of the piece, with the experience enhanced by their newfound knowledge and understanding of the work.Ludovic Morlot leads the first Beyond the Score® concert, exploring the lasting impact if Wagner’s music with The Tristan Effect, featuring the composer’s famous Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde. In March Stilian Kirov conducts Mussorgsky’s masterpiece, Pictures at an Exhibition. The final concert of the series sees Kirov again at the podium for Mendelssohn’s “Italian” Symphony No. 4. All three concerts include narration by local classical music radio personality Steve Reeder.
Distinguished Artists
This celebrated three-concert series brings world-renowned musicians to Seattle to perform the great works of the solo and chamber literature. The Distinguished Artists series opens with Grammy Award–winning pianist András Schiff performing J.S. Bach’s “Goldberg” Variations, the climax of his critically acclaimed Bach Project. Superstar violinist Josuha Bell will perform a solo recital in February, and British pianist John Lill returns to Benaroya Hall in April to conclude the series.
Baroque & Wine
The Baroque & Wine series, with performances on Friday and Saturday evenings, pairs the rich music of the Baroque era with pre-concert wine tasting an hour before each concert. The series begins in November with guest conductor Tania Miller leading music by Handel, Corelli, Geminiani and C.P.E. Bach, as well as Vivaldi’s Piccolo Concerto in C major with the Seattle Symphony’s Zartouhi Dombourian-Eby as piccolo soloist. In January conductor and harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell recreates a program typical of Leipzig’s Zimmermann’s Coffeehouse, an establishment that saw numerous performances by J.S. Bach and his student orchestra. Seattle Symphony musicians Mark Robbins, Demarre McGill, Elisa Barston and Cordula Merks will take on solo roles in music by J.S. Bach, Telemann and Vivaldi, including Bach’s “Brandenburg” Concerto No. 5. The series concludes in February with one of the season’s most significant concerts when Ludovic Morlot leads the Seattle Symphony, Northwest Boychoir, Seattle Symphony Chorale, and a host of soloists in Bach’s immortal masterpiece, the St. Matthew Passion. Joining the Orchestra for this collaboration with Pacific MusicWorks are sopranos Dorothee Mields and Shannon Mercer, countertenor Terry Wey, mezzo-soprano Laura Pudwell, tenors Aaron Sheehan and Charles Daniels, baritone Tyler Duncan and bass-baritone Matthew Brook.
Mainly Mozart
The popular Mainly Mozart series opens with Stilian Kirov conducting Mozart’s Symphony No. 29 on a program that also features Seattle Symphony Principal Viola Susan Gulkis Assadi and Principal Bass Jordan Anderson teaming up for Dittersdorf’s Sinfonia concertante for Double Bass and Viola. Soprano Maria Mannisto will also join the Orchestra to sing Mozart’s Exsultate jubilate. In February, Conductor LaureateGerard Schwarz will lead the Orchestra in performances of Mozart’s final three symphonies, Nos. 39, 40 and 41 as part of the Orchestra’s presentation of the composers last seven symphonies during the 2013–2014 season. In May Morlot will conclude the series by leading the Orchestra in Mozart’s Symphony No. 36 and Haydn’s Symphony No. 70, and pianist Frank Braley will join for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9.
Symphony Untuxed
The Symphony Untuxedseries is comprised of five Friday concerts with an early start time of 7 p.m. and a shorter, no-intermission format. Audiences can arrive at 5:30 p.m. and enjoy a pre-concert happy hour with specialty drinks and small plates in the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby. This season, Symphony Untuxed explores the genius of five of the world’s most beloved composers. In September Ludovic Morlotpresents a concert of music by Ravel, including his famous Boléro. In December Associate Concertmaster Emma McGrath will lead the Orchestra as the soloist in Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. The series continues in early January with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, led by guest conductor Carlos Kalmar. The music of Shostakovich will be explored by guest conductor Olari Elts in late January with a program of the composer’s Symphony No. 9 and Piano Concerto No. 2, the latter featuring pianist Alexander Melnikov. The series will end in June with Ludovic Morlot on the podium to lead the Orchestra in a performance of Stravinksy’s complete Firebird.
[untitled]
After debuting to critical acclaim in the 2012–2013 season, the Seattle Symphony’s late-night [untitled]series returns for a second year. In this three-concert series, Seattle Symphony musicians perform contemporary ensemble pieces in Benaroya Hall’s Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby. The series kicks off in October with a performance of John Zorn’s Cat o’ Nine Tails, Tony DiLorenzo’s Street Music Quintet and Lior Navok’sVeiled Echos, presented in partnership with Earshot Jazz Festival. At the end of January, the series continues with George Crumb’s Black Angels for Electric String Quartet, along with music by Feldman, Aho and Schafer. In May, audiences will have the rare chance to witness a performance of Stockhausen’s spiritual masterpiece Inori, conducted by Ludovic Morlot. A pair of mimes will perform on a specially constructed platform above the Orchestra in this 70-minute-long piece that explores the act of musical prayer.
Fluke/Gabelein Organ Recitals
This well-established series places three distinguished organists before Benaroya Hall’s 4,490-pipe, 83-stop Watjen Concert Organ. It begins in October when Stephen Cleobury, renowned British organist and director of the world-famous King’s College Choir, performs music by Bach, Mendelssohn, Vierne and more. Seattle Symphony Resident Organist Joseph Adam takes the stage in February for music by Saint-Saëns and J.S. Bach. “Rockstar” organist Cameron Carpenter, hailed by the Los Angeles Times as “already the most gifted organist in many a generation,” will conclude the series in late April.
Chamber Series
In this three-concert series, audiences have the opportunity to hear Seattle Symphony musicians and guests present chamber works in the intimate Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall in Benaroya Hall. The series begins in November with a program of music by Beethoven and Piazzolla, including works performed by the Symphony’s cello section. In February, pianist William Wolfram joins Seattle Symphony musicians onstage for Poulenc’s Sextet for Wind Quintet and Piano, on a program that also includes music by Dvorák, Britten and Shostakovich. In May Seattle Symphony musicians close the series with the help of French pianist Frank Braley, who joins them for Brahms’ popular Piano Quintet in F minor.
Seattle Pops
Jeff Tyzik begins his first season as Principal Pops Conductor with music from Gershwin’s beloved Porgy and Bess in September. The series continues in December with Home for the Holidays, when Tyzik will entertain the whole family with a selection of seasonal favorites performed by the Seattle Symphony. In February Broadway sensation Brian Stokes Mitchell returns to Seattle with guest conductor Bob Bernhardtfor a program of romantic music, including the most beloved ballads of all time. In April the legendary Glenn Miller Orchestra brings its unique swinging sound to Benaroya Hall for five performances of music from the 30s and 40s. The Seattle Pops series concludes in June with American Swing. Jeff Tyzik will lead the Orchestra in a celebration of the spirit of American music through the ages –– from Yankee Doodle to Aaron Copland. The Seattle Pops series is sponsored by MCM.
Discover Music Series
The Seattle Symphony’s Discover Music series presents five hour-long symphonic programs for children ages 6 to 12 and their families in the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, each preceded by special performances and activities in the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby. The series will open with Stilian Kirov conducting Lemony Snicket’s The Composer is Dead, a delightful symphonic whodunit. December brings the return of a Discover Music favorite: Raymond Briggs’ famous children’s book The Snowman will come to life on the big screen while the Orchestra, again led by Kirov, performs the soundtrack. In February the Orchestra presents Carnegie Hall’s The Orchestra Sings, a participatory concert during which children will use recorders to play along with the Orchestra. In May the Seattle Symphony teams with youths from the Puget Sound region to perform a new piece from Seattle Opera’s Our Earth project. Ludovic Morlot takes the podium to conclude the series in June with Petrushka, a modern spin on the classic Russian children’s story about a puppet that comes to life, featuring the Olympic Ballet Theatre.
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
Subscription renewals and purchases are available online at www.seattlesymphony.org.
Online subscription renewals are fully automated. Subscribers will receive a unique login name which allows them to see their entire order on the Seattle Symphony website. Subscribers can request changes to their subscriptions and add options ranging from purchasing prepaid parking to requesting wheelchair accessible seating. Changes to the order will be made instantly, and changes in seating will be made separately, after the subscription renewal deadline has passed. Season brochures are being mailed to current Symphony subscribers who will have until March 2, 2013, to renew their seats or request seating changes. To receive a 2013–2014 season brochure, please call the Seattle Symphony Ticket Office at (206) 215-4747 or write to Seattle Symphony Ticket Office, Attn: 2013–2014 Season Brochure Request, P.O. Box 2108, Seattle, WA 98111-2108. Subscription renewals will also be accepted in person at the Ticket Office at the corner of Third Ave. and Union St., by phone at (206) 215-4747, by mail at the address above, or by fax at (206) 215-4748.
NON-SUBSCRIPTION PERFORMANCES
Non-subscription concerts and presentations are available exclusively to Seattle Symphony subscribers before they go on sale to the public in August 2013.
The 2013–2014 Opening Night Concert & Gala on Sunday, September 15, at 4pm features Ludovic Morlot conducting a program of popular folk-inspired dances by Brahms and Dvorák, plus Borodin’s famousPolovtsian Dances with the Seattle Symphony Chorale. Classical music icon Lang Lang is the featured soloist of the event, performing Prokofiev’s dazzling Third Piano Concerto. Special Gala fundraising packages are available and include cocktails, dinner and dancing. Gala packages must be reserved through the Special Events Office at (206) 215-4856.
In October guest conductor Adam Stern and the Orchestra celebrate Halloween with back-to-back nights of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. The iconic horror film will be projected on Benaroya Hall’s big screen while the Symphony performs the spine-tingling soundtrack. The world-famous, Portland-based Pink Martini joins the Seattle Symphony onstage for a festive program of traditional holiday favorites in December.
Following the success of last season’s RachFest, audiences will have the opportunity to explore the complete concertos of Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in January at TchaikFest! In consecutive nights, conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto leads three talented young soloists in all four of the famous Russian composer’s concertos. Israeli-Russian pianist Boris Giltburg will perform both Tchaikovsky’s Second and Third Piano Concertos, and 2007 International Tchaikovsky Competition medalist Alexander Lubyantsev will perform the composer’s Piano Concerto No. 1. Japanese violinist Mayuko Kamio will conclude TchaikFest! with Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. Also in January, Aleksey Igudesman and Hyung-ki Joo will delight audiences with their unique theatrical show BIG Nightmare Music with Igudesman and Joo, a one-of-a-kind combination of classical music and popular culture.
March sees the return of Celebrate Asia, the annual Seattle Symphony event celebrating the musical traditions of East and West. This year, Seattle-based conductor Julia Tai leads the program, which features Chinese pianist Haochen Zhang, gold medalist at the 2009 Van Cliburn Competition, performing Grieg’s Piano Concerto. The program also includes a new work for Vietnamese and Western Instruments by Richard Karpen, Director of the University of Washington’s School of Music. Other soloists on the program include
Nguyen Thanh Thuy, dan tranh/Ngo Tra My, dàn bau; and Stefan Östersjö, tiba, banjo and guitar.
In June Ludovic Morlot and the Orchestra present the third year of Sonic Evolution, a project that celebrates the past and future of music in Seattle, combining brand new classical compositions with the styles and genres of pop music. This year’s program features MC Sir Mix-A-Lot and three newly commissioned symphonic compositions: a work by Luís Tinoco inspired by Bill Frisell, a piece by Du Yun inspired by Ray Charles, and a work by Gabriel Prokofiev, inspired by Sir Mix-A-Lot.
Holidays at the Symphony
The Seattle Symphony’s holiday performances at Benaroya Hall will be highlighted by the Orchestra’s two traditional presentations: Handel’s Messiah, conducted by Gary Thor Wedow, featuring soprano Amanda Forsythe, mezzo-soprano Magdalena Wór, tenor Andrew Stenson and baritone Kevin Burdette; and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, “Choral,” led this year by Carlos Kalmar and featuring Nathalie Paulin, mezzo-soprano Angela Niederloh, tenor Brendan Tuohy, bass-baritone Charles Robert Stephens and the Seattle Symphony Chorale. Other holiday performances include Pink Martini performing a festive program of holiday tunes with the Seattle Symphony, Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons with Assistant Concertmaster Emma McGrath, and A Festival of Lessons & Carols with the Northwest Boychoir andVocalpoint! Seattle, under the direction of Joseph Crnko, round out the month.
On New Year’s Eve, Ludovic Morlot joins forces with Seattle Symphony Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik for an exciting program featuring both classical and popular music such as excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s beloved Nutcracker and Gershwin’s famous Rhapsody in Blue with Canadian pianist Jon Kimura Parker. Following the concert, the audience is invited to count down to midnight at a post-concert party in the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby.
Spring For Music 2014
On Tuesday, May 6, 2014, Ludovic Morlot leads the Seattle Symphony in a special performance at Carnegie Hall as part of the Spring For Music 2014 festival. Spring For Music is a four-year festival at Carnegie Hall, celebrating and exhibiting the quality and creativity of North American orchestras. The Seattle Symphony will join five other North American orchestras as participants in the 2014 festival. Spring For Music began in 2011, and is presented in partnership with Carnegie Hall. The 2014 performances will mark the fourth and final installment Spring For Music festival at Carnegie Hall. "Adventure is king in Spring For Music, which chooses North American orchestras chiefly on the basis of the coherence, inventiveness and panache of the programs they submit," The New York Times has said of the Spring For Music festival.
EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS
The Seattle Symphony’s extensive education and community initiatives reach more than 100,000 people each year through a variety of programs tailored to meet the needs of various audiences, schools and communities. The Symphony works with 200 schools in 26 districts. In addition to the concerts offered for families, the Orchestra welcomes secondary school groups to its Friday matinee concerts and Open Rehearsals. In the 2013–2014 season, the Symphony’s school-day concerts for 12,000 fifth graders, formerly titled Arts in Education, will broaden and deepen its impact via Carnegie Hall’s Link Up recorder program for grades 3–5, a national program of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute. Students will have the opportunity to sing and play their recorders along with the Orchestra from the audience through a five- to 10-week curriculum offered at low cost to all participating schools. As of September 1, 2013, Arts in Education will become Link Up: Seattle Symphony.
The Seattle Symphony will continue to offer a dynamic season of concerts designed for young people in the 2013–2014 season. The Discover Music series, consisting of orchestral performances designed for children ages 6 to 11 and their families, takes place five times each year in the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium. The Seattle Symphony also offers series aimed at young children and their families: Tiny Tots, featuringLet Your Music Shine with Lisa & Linda™ serves our youngest audiences, ages 0 to 5. A new series for ages 3 to 8 — Soundbridge Presents –– will feature Caspar Babypants, Recess Monkey, Concert Artist Guild–winners Windsync, and Seattle Symphony musicians. Both series will be presented in the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall.
During the 2013–2014 season, the Seattle Symphony will continue its popular Family Connections program, which invites two young people ages 8–18 to attend Masterworks Season performances FREE with the purchase of an adult ticket. Community Connections is the Seattle Symphony’s commitment to building bridges with diverse communities in the Puget Sound region through Symphony concerts, with access to complimentary tickets, music making and co-created community performances. Each year, the Seattle Symphony also provides FREE Community Concerts to experience the transformational and inspiring impact of great music.
SOUNDBRIDGE SEATTLE SYMPHONY MUSIC DISCOVERY CENTER
The Seattle Symphony opened Soundbridge Seattle Symphony Music Discovery Center in Benaroya Hall in April 2001, and it continues as a successful and vibrant center for music education. The facility is a hands-on musical playroom with orchestral instruments and folk instruments from around the world. There is a workshop and performance space that can be reserved for events, such as musical performances, private teacher recitals and birthday parties, and hosts 18,000 visitors each year, including pre-school and elementary visits. Soundbridge teaching artists and guest artists offer programs and classes including Musical Storytime, Film Scoring for Kids, Instrument-Making Workshops and Everyone Come Drum. Meet Seattle Symphony musicians in Soundbridge in the First Concert series, where interactive performances allow young families to learn about the featured instrument and musician. The Symphony Kids series features monthly classes for ages 0–9, including Twinkle,Twinkle Little Stars, where babies and their caregivers will be introduced to the world of Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms through movement and song. Other Symphony Kids classes include Twinkle, Twinkle Bigger Stars; Musical Storytelling Around the World; andHomeschool Tuesdays. For more information, including schedules of classes and special events, visit www.soundbridge.org.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
About the Seattle Symphony
The Seattle Symphony is recognized as a major symphonic orchestra in the United States and is internationally acclaimed for its innovative programming and extensive recording history. Under the leadership of Music Director Ludovic Morlot since September 2011, the Symphony was founded in 1903 and is heard live from September through July by more than 315,000 people. Its innovative education and community engagement programs reach over 100,000 children and adults each year. The Orchestra has completed more than 140 recordings, received 12 Grammy nominations, two Emmy awards and numerous other accolades. The Seattle Symphony performs in one of the world’s finest concert venues — the acoustically superb Benaroya Hall — in downtown Seattle.
About Benaroya Hall
Benaroya Hall is home of the Seattle Symphony and venue of choice for many local arts organizations. It is located on an entire city block in downtown Seattle and is surrounded by numerous restaurants, retail stores and parking facilities. The Hall has two performance spaces — the 2,500-seat S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium and the 540-seat Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall — and a 430-stall underground parking garage. Over 450,000 people participate in public and private events annually, making Benaroya Hall the most-visited performing arts venue in Seattle. Benaroya Hall has received numerous awards, including a 2001 American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Honor Award for outstanding architecture. Launched in 2012, Live @ Benaroya Hall presents a diverse lineup of jazz, rock, blues, country, pop, alternative and world music concerts. For tickets, additional information, including event listings, rental information and public tour schedules, please visit www.benaroyahall.org.
Support for the Seattle Symphony’s 2013–2014 season is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, ArtsWA, Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, ArtsFund and 4Culture.
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2013–2014 SEASON CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING OF CONCERTS OPENING NIGHT CONCERT & GALA / WOLFGANG SERIES
Sunday, September 15, at 4 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot, conductor Lang Lang, piano+ Seattle Symphony Chorale Seattle Symphony
BARTÓK: Romanian Folk Dances, Op. 76 DVORÁK: Slavonic Dances BRAHMS: Hungarian Dances BORODIN: Polovtsian dances +PROKOFIEV: Piano Concerto No. 3
Don’t miss the excitement of the first concert of the season with star pianist Lang Lang, the Seattle Symphony Chorale and the Seattle Symphony under the direction of Ludovic Morlot. The program includes Borodin’s famous Polovtsian Dances and folk-inspired dances by Brahms, Dvorák and others — plus Prokofiev’s dazzling Third Piano Concerto.
Be part of the glamour and glitter with private pre-concert receptions and a post-concert Gala dinner! To reserve an Opening Night Gala package, please call (206) 215-4756.
Lang Lang's performance generously underwritten by Judith A. Fong.
MASTERWORKS SEASON Morlot Conducts Ravel
Thursday, September 19, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, September 21, at 8 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot, conductor Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano+ Seattle Symphony
RAVEL: Alborada del gracioso +RAVEL: Concerto for Left Hand in D major RAVEL: Rapsodie espagnole RAVEL: Pavane pour une infante défunte +RAVEL: Piano Concerto in G major RAVEL: Boléro
SYMPHONY UNTUXED SERIES Ravel
Friday, September 20, at 7 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot, conductor Seattle Symphony
RAVEL: Alborada del gracioso RAVEL: Rapsodie espagnole RAVEL: Pavane pour une infante défunte RAVEL: Boléro
Symphony Untuxed concerts feature an earlier start time, pre-concert happy hour, and a shorter concert format with no intermission.
SEATTLE POPS SERIES Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess
Thursday, September 26, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, September 27, at 8 p.m. Saturday, September 28, at 2 & 8 p.m. Sunday, September 29, at 2 p.m.
Jeff Tyzik, conductor Janice Chandler Eteme, soprano Kevin Deas, bass-baritone Seattle Symphony
Jeff Tyzik kicks off the 2013–2014 Seattle Pops series with music from Gershwin's beloved Porgy and Bess. Program features legendary songs such as “Summertime,” “It Ain’t Necessarily So” and “I Got Plenty of Nothing.”
Seattle Pops Series is sponsored by MCM.
MASTERWORKS SEASON Beethoven’s Triple Concerto
Thursday, October 3, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 5, at 8 p.m. Sunday, October 6, at 2 p.m.
Thomas Dausgaard, conductor Alina Pogostkina, violin+ Andreas Brantelid, cello+ Christian Ihle Hadland, piano+ Seattle Symphony
+BEETHOVEN: Triple Concerto SCHUBERT: Symphony in C major, “The Great“
MASTERWORKS SEASON Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23
Thursday, October 10, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 12, at 8 p.m.
Andrew Manze, conductor Simone Dinnerstein, piano+ Seattle Symphony
PURCELL: Suite +MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K. 488 VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Symphony No. 5
DISTINGUISHED ARTISTS SERIES András Schiff
Friday, October 11, at 8 p.m.
Acclaimed pianist András Schiff — who wowed Seattle audiences with his 2012 performance of Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier Book II at Benaroya Hall — kicks off the 2013–2014 Distinguished Artist series with a performance of J.S. Bach’s “Goldberg” Variations. Hear why The Philadelphia Inquirer writes, “Schiff stands with perhaps only a handful of pianists in his total achievement of the most severe beauty.”
Performance does not include the Seattle Symphony.
MAINLY MOZART SERIES / MASTERWORKS SERIES† Mozart’s Symphony No. 29
Thursday, October 17, at 7:30 p.m. †Friday, October 18, at 12 noon Saturday, October 19, at 8 p.m.
Stilian Kirov, conductor Susan Gulkis Assadi, viola* Jordan Anderson, double bass* Maria Mannisto, soprano^ Seattle Symphony
MOZART: Divertimento for Strings in D major, K. 136 *DITTERSDORF: Sinfonia concertante for Double Bass and Viola ^MOZART: Exsultate jubilate, K. 65 MOZART: Symphony No. 29
[UNTITLED] SERIES Cat o’ Nine Tails
Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby Friday, October 18, at 10 p.m.
Musicians of the Seattle Symphony
TONY DILORENZO: Street Music Quintet LIOR NAVOK: Veiled Echoes JOHN ZORN: Cat o' Nine Tails
The Seattle Symphony’s acclaimed late-night [untitled] series presents new and contemporary works in the vibrant, informal atmosphere of the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby.
Presented in partnership with Earshot Jazz Festival.
DISCOVER MUSIC SERIES Lemony Snicket’s The Composer is Dead
Saturday, October 19, at 11 a.m.
Stilian Kirov, conductor Seattle Symphony
There's dreadful news from the concert hall — the composer is dead! In this wacky murder mystery, everyone seems to have a motive, everyone has an alibi and nearly everyone is a musical instrument. Discover the instruments of the orchestra as the Inspector interrogates all of the usual suspects. Wear your Halloween costumes to this symphonic whodunit!
Discover Music concerts are designed for children ages 6 to 12 and their caregivers. Pre-concert activities begin at 10 a.m. in the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby.
MASTERWORKS SEASON / WOLFGANG SERIES Haydn & Tchaikovsky
Thursday, October 24, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 26, at 8 p.m. Sunday, October 27, at 2 p.m.
Alastair Willis, conductor Pavel Gomziakov, cello+ Seattle Symphony
ELGAR: Serenade +HAYDN: Cello Concerto in C major, Hob. VIIb:5 MOZART: Symphony No. 37 TCHAIKOVSKY: Serenade for Strings
FLUKE/GABELEIN ORGAN RECITAL SERIES Stephen Cleobury
Monday, October 28, at 7:30 p.m.
Stephen Cleobury, organ
Renowned British organist and Director of the world-famous King’s College Choir performs works by Bach, Mendelssohn, Vierne and more.
Performance does not include the Seattle Symphony.
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES Hitchcock’s Psycho with the Seattle Symphony
Wednesday, October 30, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, October 31, at 7:30 p.m.
Adam Stern, conductor Seattle Symphony
See Alfred Hitchcock's suspenseful Psycho on the big screen at Benaroya Hall as the Seattle Symphony plays the spine-tingling soundtrack. Perfect for Halloween!
BAROQUE & WINE SERIES Handel & Vivaldi
Friday, November 1, at 8 p.m. Saturday, November 2, at 8 p.m.
Tania Miller, conductor Zartouhi Dombourian-Eby, piccolo+ Seattle Symphony
HANDEL: Entrance of the Queen of Sheba GEMINIANI: Concerto grosso in D minor Op. 5, No. 12, “La folia” C.P.E. BACH: Symphony in G major, W. 182/1 + VIVALDI: Piccolo Concerto in C major, RV 443 CORELLI: Concerto grosso No. 1 in D major, Op. 6 HANDEL: Water Music Suite No. 1
CHAMBER SERIES Beethoven & Piazzolla
Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall Sunday, November 3, at 2 p.m.
Musicians of the Seattle Symphony
VILLA-LOBOS: Quintette instrumental BEETHOVEN: String Quartet Op. 18, No. 3 SCHULHOFF: Concerto
The Seattle Symphony cello section will also perform works by Pierre Boulez, Villa-Lobos and Piazzolla during this matinee chamber performance, held in Benaroya Hall’s intimate Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall.
MASTERWORKS SEASON Mahler’s Sixth
Thursday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 9, at 8 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot, conductor Seattle Symphony
PIERRE BOULEZ: Notations MAHLER: Symphony No. 6
BEYOND THE SCORE® The Tristan Effect
Sunday, November 10, at 2 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot, conductor Steve Reeder, narrator Seattle Symphony
WAGNER: Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde
Few works of art have made as overwhelming an impression on our culture as Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. This concert explores the opera from the opening Prelude to the closing Liebestod, just in time for Wagner’s 200th birthday.
Created by the Chicago Symphony, Beyond the Score® pairs the live concert experience with engaging multimedia presentations, narrators and actors. Spend the first half of the concert learning the story behind this great masterwork. After intermission, hear the Prelude and Liebestod from Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, enhanced by your newfound knowledge.
MASTERWORKS SEASON Morlot Conducts Beethoven’s “Pastoral”
Thursday, November 14, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, November 15, at 12 noon Saturday, November 16, at 8 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot, conductor Renaud Capuçon, violin+ Seattle Symphony
SIBELIUS: Tapiola +PASCAL DUSAPIN: Violin Concerto (U.S. Premiere) BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral”
MASTERWORKS SEASON Verdi’s Requiem
Thursday, November 21, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 23, at 8 p.m. Sunday, November 24, at 2 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot, conductor Twyla Robinson, soprano Tamara Mumford, mezzo–soprano René Barbera, tenor Jordan Bisch, bass Seattle Symphony Chorale Seattle Symphony
VERDI: Requiem
The program honors the 30-year tenure of Seattle Opera General Director Speight Jenkins. Sponsored by the Nesholm Family Foundation.
SEATTLE POPS SERIES Home for the Holidays
Thursday, December 5, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, December 6, at 8 p.m. Saturday, December 7, at 2 & 8 p.m. Sunday, December 8, at 2 p.m.
Jeff Tyzik, conductor Seattle Symphony
Perfect for the whole family! Jeff Tyzik leads the Seattle Symphony and special guests in a festive collection of seasonal favorites, served up with plenty of wit and warmth for all ages.
Seattle Pops is sponsored by MCM.
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES Pink Martini with the Seattle Symphony
Tuesday, December 10, at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 11, at 7:30 p.m
See the world-famous, Portland-based “little orchestra” in concert with the Seattle Symphony! Don’t miss this concert, which features traditional holiday favorites alongside gorgeous, lesser-known discoveries, all imbued with Pink Martini’s signature sound.
Sponsored by Russell Investments.
SYMPHONY UNTUXED SERIES Vivaldi
Friday, December 13, at 7 p.m.
Emma McGrath, violin and leader Seattle Symphony
VIVALDI: The Four Seasons
Symphony Untuxed concerts feature an earlier start time, pre-concert happy hour, and a shorter concert format with no intermission.
DISCOVER MUSIC SERIES The Snowman
Saturday, December 14, at 11 a.m.
Stilian Kirov, conductor Seattle Symphony
Raymond Briggs’ children’s book The Snowman comes to life on the big screen! The Seattle Symphony performs Howard Blake’s stunning soundtrack while the animated classic plays on a big screen above the Orchestra. A holiday family favorite.
Discover Music concerts are designed for children ages 6 to 12 and their caregivers. Pre-concert activities begin at 10 a.m. in the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby.
HOLIDAYS AT THE SYMPHONY Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
Saturday, December 14, at 8 p.m.
Emma McGrath, violin and leader Seattle Symphony
CORELLI: “Christmas” Concerto (Concerto grosso, Op. 6, No. 8) TCHAIKOVSKY: Souvenir de Florence VIVALDI: The Four Seasons
The concert features a chamber ensemble led by Seattle Symphony Assistant Concertmaster Emma McGrath.
HOLIDAYS AT THE SYMPHONY Handel’s Messiah
Friday, December 20, at 8 p.m. Saturday, December 21, at 1 & 8 p.m. Sunday, December 22, at 2 p.m.
Innovative Programming, Classic Repertoire, Artistic Partnerships and World-class Artists in a Season of Inspiration
2013 - 2014 Season Highlights Include
Season to Open with all-Ravel Program and Close with Stravinsky’s Three Great Ballets, and will Feature Mozart’s Last Seven Symphonies
Local Artistic Partnerships include Verdi’s Requiem Performed in Honor of Longtime Seattle Opera General Director Speight Jenkins; J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with Pacific MusicWorks; Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2 with Seattle Chamber Music Society Artistic Director James Ehnes; an [untitled] Series Concert with the Earshot Jazz Festival; and Celebrate Asia, featuring a New Work for Vietnamese and Western Instruments by Richard Karpen, Director of University of Washington’s School of Music
Seattle Symphony and Global Co-Commissioners Present U.S. Premieres of Pascal Dusapin’s Violin Concerto, Alexander Raskatov’s Piano Concerto and James MacMillan’s The Death of Oscar
Sonic EvolutionFeatures MC Sir Mix-A-Lot, Plus World Premieres Inspired by
Seattle Music Icons Ray Charles, Sir Mix-A-Lot and Bill Frisell
Informal Audience Experiences Continues with Symphony Untuxed and Exciting Contemporary Repertoire Presented in the [untitled]Series, including Stockhausen’s Spiritual Masterpiece Inori
Piano Virtuoso Lang Lang to Join Morlot for Opening Night Concert & Gala,
Performing Prokofiev’s Dazzling Third Piano Concerto
New TchaikFest! to Showcase Tchaikovsky’s Four Instrumental Concertos Performed in Back-to-Back Nights
Morlot to Lead the Orchestra at Carnegie Hall on May 6 as Part of Spring for Music 2014
Conductor Laureate Gerard Schwarz to Lead all-Mozart and all-Strauss programs
Morlot and New Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik Team up for a Pops/Classical
New Year’s Eve Extravaganza, including Jon Kimura Parker Performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue
Hitchcock’s Psycho with the Seattle Symphony Returns for Halloween by Popular Demand
Distinguished Guest Conductors and Guest Artists
Conductor debuts with Seattle Symphony include: Marcelo Lehninger, André de Ridder, Rafael Frübeck de Burgos, and three female conductors: Jeannette Sorrell, Tania Miller, and Julia Tai. Returningconductors are Thomas Dausgaard, Stéphane Denève, Carlos Kalmar, Olari Elts, Andrew Manze, Adam Stern and Alastair Willis. Soloists –– violinists Joshua Bell, James Ehnes, Renaud Capuçon, Alina Pogostkina and Mayuko Kamio; cellists Xavier Phillips, Andreas Brantelid and Pavel Gomziakov; pianists Lang Lang, András Schiff, John Lill, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Jonathan Biss, Alexander Melnikov, Tomoko Mukaiyama, Paul Lewis, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Frank Braley, Christian Ihle Hadland, Boris Giltburg, Simone Dinnerstein, and Alexander Lubyantsev; sopranos Shannon Mercer; Dorothee Mields and Twyla Robinson;mezzo-sopranos Tamara Mumford and Laura Pudwell; countertenor Terry Wey; tenors René Barbera, Charles Daniels and Aaron Sheehan; baritone Tyler Duncan; bass-baritone Matthew Brook; and bass Jordan Bisch.
Seattle Symphony Musicians Featured with the Orchestra
Alexander Velinzon, Emma McGrath, Elisa Barston and Cordula Merks (violin); Susan Gulkis Assadi (viola); Efe Balticigil (cello); Jordan Anderson (double bass); Demarre McGill (flute); Zartouhi Dombourian-Eby (piccolo); and Mark Robbins (horn)
Seattle, WA – Music Director Ludovic Morlot today announced a stunning 2013–2014 Seattle Symphony season that features major classical repertoire, a stellar array of guest artists and conductors, and innovative programming that will appeal to diverse audiences and offer an array of opportunities to be “inspired” –– the season brochure theme. The announcement was presented at a public event in Benaroya Hall that featured a special side-by-side performance with the Seattle Symphony and the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Morlot commented, “I couldn’t be more excited about next season, which offers something for everyone — all ages and all interests. Our Masterworks Season showcases our terrific Orchestra with an excellent lineup of international soloists and conductors as well as many of our own musicians as soloists. Our contemporary series, [untitled], enters its second season and gives Seattle’s late-night crowd the chance to experience music in the beautiful setting of Benaroya Hall’s Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby. I am looking forward to embracing the whole community and collaborating with its many varied and wonderful arts organizations. The Symphony’s next season promises to be as innovative and inspired as ever.”
Simon Woods, Seattle Symphony Executive Director, added, “From classic to edgy, from glamorous to casual, early to contemporary, the extraordinary range of the Seattle Symphony’s offerings is our hallmark —and inspiring the widest community of people with the joy of great music is our passion. Ludovic Morlot’s third season with the Symphony advances the commitment to diverse and imaginative programming that we all have enjoyed so much in his first two seasons. The 2013–2014 season is another exciting step on the journey of discovery that the Symphony and Ludovic Morlot are taking together with the audiences of Seattle.”
In 2013–2014, the Symphony will present several non-subscription Special Performances, including Pink Martini with the Seattle Symphony, Hitchcock’s classic film Psycho with the Seattle Symphony; BIG Nightmare Music with classical musicians Aleksey Igudesman and Hyung-ki Joo; a return of the popular Celebrate Asia program; TchaikFest!, featuring all four Tchaikovsky instrumental concertos performed in back-to-back nights; and Sonic Evolution with Sir Mix-A-Lot as special guest. An Opening Night Concert & Gala is planned for Sunday, September 15, featuring one of Seattle’s favorite pianist virtuosos, Lang Lang, performing Prokofiev’s dazzling Third Piano Concerto on a program of folk dances by Borodin, Brahms, Dvorák and others.
Co-commissioners for two of the Symphony’s U.S. premieres are the Residentie Orchestra for Alexander Raskatov’s Piano Concerto; and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra for James MacMillan’s The Death of Oscar.
Newly appointed Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik has planned a spectacular five-part Seattle Pops series, including highlights from Gershwin’s popular Porgy and Bess, a Holiday Pops program of favorite seasonal melodies; Broadway sensation Brian Stokes Mitchell with the Seattle Symphony; the Glenn Miller Orchestra; and an American Swing concert with musicfrom Sousa to Copland. Additionally, Tyzik will team up with Morlot to lead an exciting extravaganza on New Year’s Eve of both classical and pops music, including Tyzik on the trumpet and Jon Kimura Parker performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.
MASTERWORKS SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Music Director Ludovic Morlot will lead the Seattle Symphony in 11 of the Masterworks Season’s 21-week schedule, opening the series in September with an all-Ravel program, including both of the composer’s piano concertos, performed by Jean-Yves Thibaudet. He then conducts three programs during November: Mahler’s Sixth Symphony paired with Pierre Boulez’s Notations; Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony and the U.S. premiere of Pascal Dusapin’s Violin Concerto with Renaud Capuçon; and Verdi’s monumental Requiem with the Seattle Symphony Chorale that honors the 30-year tenure of Seattle Opera General DirectorSpeight Jenkins. The Requiem soloists, soprano Twyla Robinson, mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford, tenor René Barbera and bass Jordan Bisch have all worked with Seattle Opera in the past.
In February Morlot is joined by French cellist Xavier Phillips for Schumann’s Cello Concerto, on a program with Berlioz’s spectacular Symphonie fantastique. March brings an all-Russian program featuring the U.S. Premiere of Alexander Raskatov’s Piano Concerto with pianist Tomoko Mukaiyama together with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique.” The month ends with a concert highlighting Seattle Symphony Principal Cello Efe Baltacigil as the soloist in Dvorak’s Cello Concerto, as well as two works that Morlot and the Orchestra will take to Carnegie Hall in May: Varese’s Déserts and Debussy’s La mer. Seattle Symphony Concertmaster Alexander Velinzon takes the stage with Morlot in late April, performing Brahms’ Violin Concerto on a program that also includes Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7 and Martinu’s Memorial to Lidice.
Morlot concludes the Masterworks season with three programs in June, beginning with Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé with the Seattle Symphony Chorale and Dutilleux’s Symphony No. 2. Later that month, he will be joined by pianist Jonathan Biss for Schoenberg’s Piano Concerto, paired with Johann Strauss, Jr.’s Emperor Waltzes. The 2013–2014 Masterworks Season concludes with Morlot leading Stravinsky’s three great ballets in a single program: The Firebird, Petrushka and The Rite of Spring –– an extraordinary feat for a conductor and an orchestra to tackle in a single evening.
Conductor Laureate Gerard Schwarz will lead the Orchestra in an early March Masterworks Season performance entirely comprised of music by Richard Strauss, featuring pianist William Wolfram performing Strauss’ Burleske.
Distinguished Guest Conductors on the Masterworks Season
The Seattle Symphony welcomes 9 guest conductors to the Benaroya Hall stage for Masterworks Season performances in 2013–2014. Thomas Dausgaard returns in October to lead the Orchestra in Schubert’s “Great” Symphony and Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, the latter featuring violinist Alina Pogostkina, cellist Andreas Brantelid and pianist Christian Ihle Hadland. Also that month, former Seattle Symphony Assistant Conductor Alastair Willis conducts Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings and partners with cellist Pavel Gomziakov for Haydn’s popular Cello Concerto in C major; and British conductor Andrew Manzeleads Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 5 and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 with Simone Dinnerstein. Carlos Kalmar, Music Director of the Oregon Symphony, will lead the Seattle Symphony’s annual performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in early January. Other returning conductors include Estonian maestro Olari Elts, who will conduct Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with Alexander Melnikov, as well as Shotakovich’s Symphony No. 9 and John Adams’ The Chairman Dances; and Stéphane Denève, who will lead the Orchestra in Rachmaninov’s Second Symphony and the U.S. premiere of James MacMillan’s The Death of Oscar, as well as Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with Paul Lewis.
Conductors making their Seattle Symphony debuts on the Masterworks Season concerts include Marcelo Lehninger, who leads the Orchestra in music by Haydn, Mozart and Prokofiev in January, with Jean-Efflam Bavouzet performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 4 and Haydn’s Piano Concerto in D major; André de Ridder, conducting Mozart’s “Prague” Symphony and partnering with James Ehnes for Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2; and eminent Spanish conductor Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, who will lead the Orchestra and the Seattle Symphony Chorale in Orff’s Carmina burana.
Guest Artist Debuts on the Masterworks Season
Guest artists making their Seattle Symphony debut on the 2013–2014 Masterworks Season are violinists Alina Pogostkina, performing Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, and Seattle Symphony ConcertmasterAlexander Velinzon, performing Brahms’ Violin Concerto; cellists Andreas Brantelid, performing Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, and Pavel Gomziakov, performing Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C major; pianistsTomoko Mukaiyama, giving the U.S. premiere of Alexander Raskatov’s Piano Concerto; Christian Ihle Hadland, performing Beethoven’s Triple Concerto; Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 4 and Haydn’s Piano Concerto in D major; Simone Dinnerstein, performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23, and Alexander Melnikov, performing Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2; sopranoCaitlin Lynch, tenor Daniel Shirley and baritone Corey McKern, all performing Carmina burana; mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford, tenor René Barbera and bass Jordan Bisch, all performing Verdi’s Requiem; and tenor Brendan Tuohy, performing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
Guest Artists Returning to the Masterworks Season
Artists returning to the Seattle Symphony’s Masterworks season include violinists James Ehnes, performing Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2, and Renaud Capuçon, giving the U.S. premiere of Pascal Dusapin’s Violin Concerto; cellists Xavier Phillips, performing Schumann’s Cello Concerto and Seattle Symphony Principal Cello Efe Baltacigil, performing Dvorák’s Cello Concerto; pianists Paul Lewis, performing Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto; Jonathan Biss, performing Schoenberg’s Piano Concerto; and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, performing both Ravel’s Concerto for Left Hand in D major and Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major; sopranoTwyla Robinson, performing Verdi’s Requiem; and soprano Nathalie Paulin, mezzo-soprano Angela Niederloh and bass Charles Robert Stephens, all performing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
ADDITIONAL SUBSCRIPTION SERIES PERFORMANCES
The above Masterworks Season encompasses the Orchestra’s core programming of symphonic repertoire. Additional subscription series described below include Beyond the Score®, Distinguished Artists, Baroque & Wine, Mainly Mozart, Symphony Untuxed, [untitled],Fluke/Gabelein Organ Recital, Chamber, Seattle Pops and the Discover Music series. The Tiny Tots series and additional family programming will be announced in March.
Beyond the Score®
Originally created by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the three-concert Beyond the Score® series explores classical music by pairing the live concert experience with engaging multimedia presentations. Each program focuses on one of classical music’s timeless works and is divided into two parts: the first half of the program explores the history and context of the featured masterwork through the creative use of narration, actors, and musical and visual examples. Following intermission, the audience hears a complete performance of the piece, with the experience enhanced by their newfound knowledge and understanding of the work.Ludovic Morlot leads the first Beyond the Score® concert, exploring the lasting impact if Wagner’s music with The Tristan Effect, featuring the composer’s famous Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde. In March Stilian Kirov conducts Mussorgsky’s masterpiece, Pictures at an Exhibition. The final concert of the series sees Kirov again at the podium for Mendelssohn’s “Italian” Symphony No. 4. All three concerts include narration by local classical music radio personality Steve Reeder.
Distinguished Artists
This celebrated three-concert series brings world-renowned musicians to Seattle to perform the great works of the solo and chamber literature. The Distinguished Artists series opens with Grammy Award–winning pianist András Schiff performing J.S. Bach’s “Goldberg” Variations, the climax of his critically acclaimed Bach Project. Superstar violinist Josuha Bell will perform a solo recital in February, and British pianist John Lill returns to Benaroya Hall in April to conclude the series.
Baroque & Wine
The Baroque & Wine series, with performances on Friday and Saturday evenings, pairs the rich music of the Baroque era with pre-concert wine tasting an hour before each concert. The series begins in November with guest conductor Tania Miller leading music by Handel, Corelli, Geminiani and C.P.E. Bach, as well as Vivaldi’s Piccolo Concerto in C major with the Seattle Symphony’s Zartouhi Dombourian-Eby as piccolo soloist. In January conductor and harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell recreates a program typical of Leipzig’s Zimmermann’s Coffeehouse, an establishment that saw numerous performances by J.S. Bach and his student orchestra. Seattle Symphony musicians Mark Robbins, Demarre McGill, Elisa Barston and Cordula Merks will take on solo roles in music by J.S. Bach, Telemann and Vivaldi, including Bach’s “Brandenburg” Concerto No. 5. The series concludes in February with one of the season’s most significant concerts when Ludovic Morlot leads the Seattle Symphony, Northwest Boychoir, Seattle Symphony Chorale, and a host of soloists in Bach’s immortal masterpiece, the St. Matthew Passion. Joining the Orchestra for this collaboration with Pacific MusicWorks are sopranos Dorothee Mields and Shannon Mercer, countertenor Terry Wey, mezzo-soprano Laura Pudwell, tenors Aaron Sheehan and Charles Daniels, baritone Tyler Duncan and bass-baritone Matthew Brook.
Mainly Mozart
The popular Mainly Mozart series opens with Stilian Kirov conducting Mozart’s Symphony No. 29 on a program that also features Seattle Symphony Principal Viola Susan Gulkis Assadi and Principal Bass Jordan Anderson teaming up for Dittersdorf’s Sinfonia concertante for Double Bass and Viola. Soprano Maria Mannisto will also join the Orchestra to sing Mozart’s Exsultate jubilate. In February, Conductor LaureateGerard Schwarz will lead the Orchestra in performances of Mozart’s final three symphonies, Nos. 39, 40 and 41 as part of the Orchestra’s presentation of the composers last seven symphonies during the 2013–2014 season. In May Morlot will conclude the series by leading the Orchestra in Mozart’s Symphony No. 36 and Haydn’s Symphony No. 70, and pianist Frank Braley will join for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9.
Symphony Untuxed
The Symphony Untuxedseries is comprised of five Friday concerts with an early start time of 7 p.m. and a shorter, no-intermission format. Audiences can arrive at 5:30 p.m. and enjoy a pre-concert happy hour with specialty drinks and small plates in the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby. This season, Symphony Untuxed explores the genius of five of the world’s most beloved composers. In September Ludovic Morlotpresents a concert of music by Ravel, including his famous Boléro. In December Associate Concertmaster Emma McGrath will lead the Orchestra as the soloist in Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. The series continues in early January with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, led by guest conductor Carlos Kalmar. The music of Shostakovich will be explored by guest conductor Olari Elts in late January with a program of the composer’s Symphony No. 9 and Piano Concerto No. 2, the latter featuring pianist Alexander Melnikov. The series will end in June with Ludovic Morlot on the podium to lead the Orchestra in a performance of Stravinksy’s complete Firebird.
[untitled]
After debuting to critical acclaim in the 2012–2013 season, the Seattle Symphony’s late-night [untitled]series returns for a second year. In this three-concert series, Seattle Symphony musicians perform contemporary ensemble pieces in Benaroya Hall’s Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby. The series kicks off in October with a performance of John Zorn’s Cat o’ Nine Tails, Tony DiLorenzo’s Street Music Quintet and Lior Navok’sVeiled Echos, presented in partnership with Earshot Jazz Festival. At the end of January, the series continues with George Crumb’s Black Angels for Electric String Quartet, along with music by Feldman, Aho and Schafer. In May, audiences will have the rare chance to witness a performance of Stockhausen’s spiritual masterpiece Inori, conducted by Ludovic Morlot. A pair of mimes will perform on a specially constructed platform above the Orchestra in this 70-minute-long piece that explores the act of musical prayer.
Fluke/Gabelein Organ Recitals
This well-established series places three distinguished organists before Benaroya Hall’s 4,490-pipe, 83-stop Watjen Concert Organ. It begins in October when Stephen Cleobury, renowned British organist and director of the world-famous King’s College Choir, performs music by Bach, Mendelssohn, Vierne and more. Seattle Symphony Resident Organist Joseph Adam takes the stage in February for music by Saint-Saëns and J.S. Bach. “Rockstar” organist Cameron Carpenter, hailed by the Los Angeles Times as “already the most gifted organist in many a generation,” will conclude the series in late April.
Chamber Series
In this three-concert series, audiences have the opportunity to hear Seattle Symphony musicians and guests present chamber works in the intimate Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall in Benaroya Hall. The series begins in November with a program of music by Beethoven and Piazzolla, including works performed by the Symphony’s cello section. In February, pianist William Wolfram joins Seattle Symphony musicians onstage for Poulenc’s Sextet for Wind Quintet and Piano, on a program that also includes music by Dvorák, Britten and Shostakovich. In May Seattle Symphony musicians close the series with the help of French pianist Frank Braley, who joins them for Brahms’ popular Piano Quintet in F minor.
Seattle Pops
Jeff Tyzik begins his first season as Principal Pops Conductor with music from Gershwin’s beloved Porgy and Bess in September. The series continues in December with Home for the Holidays, when Tyzik will entertain the whole family with a selection of seasonal favorites performed by the Seattle Symphony. In February Broadway sensation Brian Stokes Mitchell returns to Seattle with guest conductor Bob Bernhardtfor a program of romantic music, including the most beloved ballads of all time. In April the legendary Glenn Miller Orchestra brings its unique swinging sound to Benaroya Hall for five performances of music from the 30s and 40s. The Seattle Pops series concludes in June with American Swing. Jeff Tyzik will lead the Orchestra in a celebration of the spirit of American music through the ages –– from Yankee Doodle to Aaron Copland. The Seattle Pops series is sponsored by MCM.
Discover Music Series
The Seattle Symphony’s Discover Music series presents five hour-long symphonic programs for children ages 6 to 12 and their families in the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, each preceded by special performances and activities in the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby. The series will open with Stilian Kirov conducting Lemony Snicket’s The Composer is Dead, a delightful symphonic whodunit. December brings the return of a Discover Music favorite: Raymond Briggs’ famous children’s book The Snowman will come to life on the big screen while the Orchestra, again led by Kirov, performs the soundtrack. In February the Orchestra presents Carnegie Hall’s The Orchestra Sings, a participatory concert during which children will use recorders to play along with the Orchestra. In May the Seattle Symphony teams with youths from the Puget Sound region to perform a new piece from Seattle Opera’s Our Earth project. Ludovic Morlot takes the podium to conclude the series in June with Petrushka, a modern spin on the classic Russian children’s story about a puppet that comes to life, featuring the Olympic Ballet Theatre.
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
Subscription renewals and purchases are available online at www.seattlesymphony.org.
Online subscription renewals are fully automated. Subscribers will receive a unique login name which allows them to see their entire order on the Seattle Symphony website. Subscribers can request changes to their subscriptions and add options ranging from purchasing prepaid parking to requesting wheelchair accessible seating. Changes to the order will be made instantly, and changes in seating will be made separately, after the subscription renewal deadline has passed. Season brochures are being mailed to current Symphony subscribers who will have until March 2, 2013, to renew their seats or request seating changes. To receive a 2013–2014 season brochure, please call the Seattle Symphony Ticket Office at (206) 215-4747 or write to Seattle Symphony Ticket Office, Attn: 2013–2014 Season Brochure Request, P.O. Box 2108, Seattle, WA 98111-2108. Subscription renewals will also be accepted in person at the Ticket Office at the corner of Third Ave. and Union St., by phone at (206) 215-4747, by mail at the address above, or by fax at (206) 215-4748.
NON-SUBSCRIPTION PERFORMANCES
Non-subscription concerts and presentations are available exclusively to Seattle Symphony subscribers before they go on sale to the public in August 2013.
The 2013–2014 Opening Night Concert & Gala on Sunday, September 15, at 4pm features Ludovic Morlot conducting a program of popular folk-inspired dances by Brahms and Dvorák, plus Borodin’s famousPolovtsian Dances with the Seattle Symphony Chorale. Classical music icon Lang Lang is the featured soloist of the event, performing Prokofiev’s dazzling Third Piano Concerto. Special Gala fundraising packages are available and include cocktails, dinner and dancing. Gala packages must be reserved through the Special Events Office at (206) 215-4856.
In October guest conductor Adam Stern and the Orchestra celebrate Halloween with back-to-back nights of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. The iconic horror film will be projected on Benaroya Hall’s big screen while the Symphony performs the spine-tingling soundtrack. The world-famous, Portland-based Pink Martini joins the Seattle Symphony onstage for a festive program of traditional holiday favorites in December.
Following the success of last season’s RachFest, audiences will have the opportunity to explore the complete concertos of Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in January at TchaikFest! In consecutive nights, conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto leads three talented young soloists in all four of the famous Russian composer’s concertos. Israeli-Russian pianist Boris Giltburg will perform both Tchaikovsky’s Second and Third Piano Concertos, and 2007 International Tchaikovsky Competition medalist Alexander Lubyantsev will perform the composer’s Piano Concerto No. 1. Japanese violinist Mayuko Kamio will conclude TchaikFest! with Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. Also in January, Aleksey Igudesman and Hyung-ki Joo will delight audiences with their unique theatrical show BIG Nightmare Music with Igudesman and Joo, a one-of-a-kind combination of classical music and popular culture.
March sees the return of Celebrate Asia, the annual Seattle Symphony event celebrating the musical traditions of East and West. This year, Seattle-based conductor Julia Tai leads the program, which features Chinese pianist Haochen Zhang, gold medalist at the 2009 Van Cliburn Competition, performing Grieg’s Piano Concerto. The program also includes a new work for Vietnamese and Western Instruments by Richard Karpen, Director of the University of Washington’s School of Music. Other soloists on the program include
Nguyen Thanh Thuy, dan tranh/Ngo Tra My, dàn bau; and Stefan Östersjö, tiba, banjo and guitar.
In June Ludovic Morlot and the Orchestra present the third year of Sonic Evolution, a project that celebrates the past and future of music in Seattle, combining brand new classical compositions with the styles and genres of pop music. This year’s program features MC Sir Mix-A-Lot and three newly commissioned symphonic compositions: a work by Luís Tinoco inspired by Bill Frisell, a piece by Du Yun inspired by Ray Charles, and a work by Gabriel Prokofiev, inspired by Sir Mix-A-Lot.
Holidays at the Symphony
The Seattle Symphony’s holiday performances at Benaroya Hall will be highlighted by the Orchestra’s two traditional presentations: Handel’s Messiah, conducted by Gary Thor Wedow, featuring soprano Amanda Forsythe, mezzo-soprano Magdalena Wór, tenor Andrew Stenson and baritone Kevin Burdette; and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, “Choral,” led this year by Carlos Kalmar and featuring Nathalie Paulin, mezzo-soprano Angela Niederloh, tenor Brendan Tuohy, bass-baritone Charles Robert Stephens and the Seattle Symphony Chorale. Other holiday performances include Pink Martini performing a festive program of holiday tunes with the Seattle Symphony, Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons with Assistant Concertmaster Emma McGrath, and A Festival of Lessons & Carols with the Northwest Boychoir andVocalpoint! Seattle, under the direction of Joseph Crnko, round out the month.
On New Year’s Eve, Ludovic Morlot joins forces with Seattle Symphony Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik for an exciting program featuring both classical and popular music such as excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s beloved Nutcracker and Gershwin’s famous Rhapsody in Blue with Canadian pianist Jon Kimura Parker. Following the concert, the audience is invited to count down to midnight at a post-concert party in the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby.
Spring For Music 2014
On Tuesday, May 6, 2014, Ludovic Morlot leads the Seattle Symphony in a special performance at Carnegie Hall as part of the Spring For Music 2014 festival. Spring For Music is a four-year festival at Carnegie Hall, celebrating and exhibiting the quality and creativity of North American orchestras. The Seattle Symphony will join five other North American orchestras as participants in the 2014 festival. Spring For Music began in 2011, and is presented in partnership with Carnegie Hall. The 2014 performances will mark the fourth and final installment Spring For Music festival at Carnegie Hall. "Adventure is king in Spring For Music, which chooses North American orchestras chiefly on the basis of the coherence, inventiveness and panache of the programs they submit," The New York Times has said of the Spring For Music festival.
EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS
The Seattle Symphony’s extensive education and community initiatives reach more than 100,000 people each year through a variety of programs tailored to meet the needs of various audiences, schools and communities. The Symphony works with 200 schools in 26 districts. In addition to the concerts offered for families, the Orchestra welcomes secondary school groups to its Friday matinee concerts and Open Rehearsals. In the 2013–2014 season, the Symphony’s school-day concerts for 12,000 fifth graders, formerly titled Arts in Education, will broaden and deepen its impact via Carnegie Hall’s Link Up recorder program for grades 3–5, a national program of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute. Students will have the opportunity to sing and play their recorders along with the Orchestra from the audience through a five- to 10-week curriculum offered at low cost to all participating schools. As of September 1, 2013, Arts in Education will become Link Up: Seattle Symphony.
The Seattle Symphony will continue to offer a dynamic season of concerts designed for young people in the 2013–2014 season. The Discover Music series, consisting of orchestral performances designed for children ages 6 to 11 and their families, takes place five times each year in the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium. The Seattle Symphony also offers series aimed at young children and their families: Tiny Tots, featuringLet Your Music Shine with Lisa & Linda™ serves our youngest audiences, ages 0 to 5. A new series for ages 3 to 8 — Soundbridge Presents –– will feature Caspar Babypants, Recess Monkey, Concert Artist Guild–winners Windsync, and Seattle Symphony musicians. Both series will be presented in the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall.
During the 2013–2014 season, the Seattle Symphony will continue its popular Family Connections program, which invites two young people ages 8–18 to attend Masterworks Season performances FREE with the purchase of an adult ticket. Community Connections is the Seattle Symphony’s commitment to building bridges with diverse communities in the Puget Sound region through Symphony concerts, with access to complimentary tickets, music making and co-created community performances. Each year, the Seattle Symphony also provides FREE Community Concerts to experience the transformational and inspiring impact of great music.
SOUNDBRIDGE SEATTLE SYMPHONY MUSIC DISCOVERY CENTER
The Seattle Symphony opened Soundbridge Seattle Symphony Music Discovery Center in Benaroya Hall in April 2001, and it continues as a successful and vibrant center for music education. The facility is a hands-on musical playroom with orchestral instruments and folk instruments from around the world. There is a workshop and performance space that can be reserved for events, such as musical performances, private teacher recitals and birthday parties, and hosts 18,000 visitors each year, including pre-school and elementary visits. Soundbridge teaching artists and guest artists offer programs and classes including Musical Storytime, Film Scoring for Kids, Instrument-Making Workshops and Everyone Come Drum. Meet Seattle Symphony musicians in Soundbridge in the First Concert series, where interactive performances allow young families to learn about the featured instrument and musician. The Symphony Kids series features monthly classes for ages 0–9, including Twinkle,Twinkle Little Stars, where babies and their caregivers will be introduced to the world of Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms through movement and song. Other Symphony Kids classes include Twinkle, Twinkle Bigger Stars; Musical Storytelling Around the World; andHomeschool Tuesdays. For more information, including schedules of classes and special events, visit www.soundbridge.org.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
About the Seattle Symphony
The Seattle Symphony is recognized as a major symphonic orchestra in the United States and is internationally acclaimed for its innovative programming and extensive recording history. Under the leadership of Music Director Ludovic Morlot since September 2011, the Symphony was founded in 1903 and is heard live from September through July by more than 315,000 people. Its innovative education and community engagement programs reach over 100,000 children and adults each year. The Orchestra has completed more than 140 recordings, received 12 Grammy nominations, two Emmy awards and numerous other accolades. The Seattle Symphony performs in one of the world’s finest concert venues — the acoustically superb Benaroya Hall — in downtown Seattle.
About Benaroya Hall
Benaroya Hall is home of the Seattle Symphony and venue of choice for many local arts organizations. It is located on an entire city block in downtown Seattle and is surrounded by numerous restaurants, retail stores and parking facilities. The Hall has two performance spaces — the 2,500-seat S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium and the 540-seat Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall — and a 430-stall underground parking garage. Over 450,000 people participate in public and private events annually, making Benaroya Hall the most-visited performing arts venue in Seattle. Benaroya Hall has received numerous awards, including a 2001 American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Honor Award for outstanding architecture. Launched in 2012, Live @ Benaroya Hall presents a diverse lineup of jazz, rock, blues, country, pop, alternative and world music concerts. For tickets, additional information, including event listings, rental information and public tour schedules, please visit www.benaroyahall.org.
Support for the Seattle Symphony’s 2013–2014 season is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, ArtsWA, Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, ArtsFund and 4Culture.
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2013–2014 SEASON CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING OF CONCERTS OPENING NIGHT CONCERT & GALA / WOLFGANG SERIES
Sunday, September 15, at 4 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot, conductor Lang Lang, piano+ Seattle Symphony Chorale Seattle Symphony
BARTÓK: Romanian Folk Dances, Op. 76 DVORÁK: Slavonic Dances BRAHMS: Hungarian Dances BORODIN: Polovtsian dances +PROKOFIEV: Piano Concerto No. 3
Don’t miss the excitement of the first concert of the season with star pianist Lang Lang, the Seattle Symphony Chorale and the Seattle Symphony under the direction of Ludovic Morlot. The program includes Borodin’s famous Polovtsian Dances and folk-inspired dances by Brahms, Dvorák and others — plus Prokofiev’s dazzling Third Piano Concerto.
Be part of the glamour and glitter with private pre-concert receptions and a post-concert Gala dinner! To reserve an Opening Night Gala package, please call (206) 215-4756.
Lang Lang's performance generously underwritten by Judith A. Fong.
MASTERWORKS SEASON Morlot Conducts Ravel
Thursday, September 19, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, September 21, at 8 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot, conductor Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano+ Seattle Symphony
RAVEL: Alborada del gracioso +RAVEL: Concerto for Left Hand in D major RAVEL: Rapsodie espagnole RAVEL: Pavane pour une infante défunte +RAVEL: Piano Concerto in G major RAVEL: Boléro
SYMPHONY UNTUXED SERIES Ravel
Friday, September 20, at 7 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot, conductor Seattle Symphony
RAVEL: Alborada del gracioso RAVEL: Rapsodie espagnole RAVEL: Pavane pour une infante défunte RAVEL: Boléro
Symphony Untuxed concerts feature an earlier start time, pre-concert happy hour, and a shorter concert format with no intermission.
SEATTLE POPS SERIES Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess
Thursday, September 26, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, September 27, at 8 p.m. Saturday, September 28, at 2 & 8 p.m. Sunday, September 29, at 2 p.m.
Jeff Tyzik, conductor Janice Chandler Eteme, soprano Kevin Deas, bass-baritone Seattle Symphony
Jeff Tyzik kicks off the 2013–2014 Seattle Pops series with music from Gershwin's beloved Porgy and Bess. Program features legendary songs such as “Summertime,” “It Ain’t Necessarily So” and “I Got Plenty of Nothing.”
Seattle Pops Series is sponsored by MCM.
MASTERWORKS SEASON Beethoven’s Triple Concerto
Thursday, October 3, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 5, at 8 p.m. Sunday, October 6, at 2 p.m.
Thomas Dausgaard, conductor Alina Pogostkina, violin+ Andreas Brantelid, cello+ Christian Ihle Hadland, piano+ Seattle Symphony
+BEETHOVEN: Triple Concerto SCHUBERT: Symphony in C major, “The Great“
MASTERWORKS SEASON Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23
Thursday, October 10, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 12, at 8 p.m.
Andrew Manze, conductor Simone Dinnerstein, piano+ Seattle Symphony
PURCELL: Suite +MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K. 488 VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Symphony No. 5
DISTINGUISHED ARTISTS SERIES András Schiff
Friday, October 11, at 8 p.m.
Acclaimed pianist András Schiff — who wowed Seattle audiences with his 2012 performance of Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier Book II at Benaroya Hall — kicks off the 2013–2014 Distinguished Artist series with a performance of J.S. Bach’s “Goldberg” Variations. Hear why The Philadelphia Inquirer writes, “Schiff stands with perhaps only a handful of pianists in his total achievement of the most severe beauty.”
Performance does not include the Seattle Symphony.
MAINLY MOZART SERIES / MASTERWORKS SERIES† Mozart’s Symphony No. 29
Thursday, October 17, at 7:30 p.m. †Friday, October 18, at 12 noon Saturday, October 19, at 8 p.m.
Stilian Kirov, conductor Susan Gulkis Assadi, viola* Jordan Anderson, double bass* Maria Mannisto, soprano^ Seattle Symphony
MOZART: Divertimento for Strings in D major, K. 136 *DITTERSDORF: Sinfonia concertante for Double Bass and Viola ^MOZART: Exsultate jubilate, K. 65 MOZART: Symphony No. 29
[UNTITLED] SERIES Cat o’ Nine Tails
Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby Friday, October 18, at 10 p.m.
Musicians of the Seattle Symphony
TONY DILORENZO: Street Music Quintet LIOR NAVOK: Veiled Echoes JOHN ZORN: Cat o' Nine Tails
The Seattle Symphony’s acclaimed late-night [untitled] series presents new and contemporary works in the vibrant, informal atmosphere of the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby.
Presented in partnership with Earshot Jazz Festival.
DISCOVER MUSIC SERIES Lemony Snicket’s The Composer is Dead
Saturday, October 19, at 11 a.m.
Stilian Kirov, conductor Seattle Symphony
There's dreadful news from the concert hall — the composer is dead! In this wacky murder mystery, everyone seems to have a motive, everyone has an alibi and nearly everyone is a musical instrument. Discover the instruments of the orchestra as the Inspector interrogates all of the usual suspects. Wear your Halloween costumes to this symphonic whodunit!
Discover Music concerts are designed for children ages 6 to 12 and their caregivers. Pre-concert activities begin at 10 a.m. in the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby.
MASTERWORKS SEASON / WOLFGANG SERIES Haydn & Tchaikovsky
Thursday, October 24, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 26, at 8 p.m. Sunday, October 27, at 2 p.m.
Alastair Willis, conductor Pavel Gomziakov, cello+ Seattle Symphony
ELGAR: Serenade +HAYDN: Cello Concerto in C major, Hob. VIIb:5 MOZART: Symphony No. 37 TCHAIKOVSKY: Serenade for Strings
FLUKE/GABELEIN ORGAN RECITAL SERIES Stephen Cleobury
Monday, October 28, at 7:30 p.m.
Stephen Cleobury, organ
Renowned British organist and Director of the world-famous King’s College Choir performs works by Bach, Mendelssohn, Vierne and more.
Performance does not include the Seattle Symphony.
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES Hitchcock’s Psycho with the Seattle Symphony
Wednesday, October 30, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, October 31, at 7:30 p.m.
Adam Stern, conductor Seattle Symphony
See Alfred Hitchcock's suspenseful Psycho on the big screen at Benaroya Hall as the Seattle Symphony plays the spine-tingling soundtrack. Perfect for Halloween!
BAROQUE & WINE SERIES Handel & Vivaldi
Friday, November 1, at 8 p.m. Saturday, November 2, at 8 p.m.
Tania Miller, conductor Zartouhi Dombourian-Eby, piccolo+ Seattle Symphony
HANDEL: Entrance of the Queen of Sheba GEMINIANI: Concerto grosso in D minor Op. 5, No. 12, “La folia” C.P.E. BACH: Symphony in G major, W. 182/1 + VIVALDI: Piccolo Concerto in C major, RV 443 CORELLI: Concerto grosso No. 1 in D major, Op. 6 HANDEL: Water Music Suite No. 1
CHAMBER SERIES Beethoven & Piazzolla
Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall Sunday, November 3, at 2 p.m.
Musicians of the Seattle Symphony
VILLA-LOBOS: Quintette instrumental BEETHOVEN: String Quartet Op. 18, No. 3 SCHULHOFF: Concerto
The Seattle Symphony cello section will also perform works by Pierre Boulez, Villa-Lobos and Piazzolla during this matinee chamber performance, held in Benaroya Hall’s intimate Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall.
MASTERWORKS SEASON Mahler’s Sixth
Thursday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 9, at 8 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot, conductor Seattle Symphony
PIERRE BOULEZ: Notations MAHLER: Symphony No. 6
BEYOND THE SCORE® The Tristan Effect
Sunday, November 10, at 2 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot, conductor Steve Reeder, narrator Seattle Symphony
WAGNER: Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde
Few works of art have made as overwhelming an impression on our culture as Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. This concert explores the opera from the opening Prelude to the closing Liebestod, just in time for Wagner’s 200th birthday.
Created by the Chicago Symphony, Beyond the Score® pairs the live concert experience with engaging multimedia presentations, narrators and actors. Spend the first half of the concert learning the story behind this great masterwork. After intermission, hear the Prelude and Liebestod from Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, enhanced by your newfound knowledge.
MASTERWORKS SEASON Morlot Conducts Beethoven’s “Pastoral”
Thursday, November 14, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, November 15, at 12 noon Saturday, November 16, at 8 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot, conductor Renaud Capuçon, violin+ Seattle Symphony
SIBELIUS: Tapiola +PASCAL DUSAPIN: Violin Concerto (U.S. Premiere) BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral”
MASTERWORKS SEASON Verdi’s Requiem
Thursday, November 21, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 23, at 8 p.m. Sunday, November 24, at 2 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot, conductor Twyla Robinson, soprano Tamara Mumford, mezzo–soprano René Barbera, tenor Jordan Bisch, bass Seattle Symphony Chorale Seattle Symphony
VERDI: Requiem
The program honors the 30-year tenure of Seattle Opera General Director Speight Jenkins. Sponsored by the Nesholm Family Foundation.
SEATTLE POPS SERIES Home for the Holidays
Thursday, December 5, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, December 6, at 8 p.m. Saturday, December 7, at 2 & 8 p.m. Sunday, December 8, at 2 p.m.
Jeff Tyzik, conductor Seattle Symphony
Perfect for the whole family! Jeff Tyzik leads the Seattle Symphony and special guests in a festive collection of seasonal favorites, served up with plenty of wit and warmth for all ages.
Seattle Pops is sponsored by MCM.
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES Pink Martini with the Seattle Symphony
Tuesday, December 10, at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 11, at 7:30 p.m
See the world-famous, Portland-based “little orchestra” in concert with the Seattle Symphony! Don’t miss this concert, which features traditional holiday favorites alongside gorgeous, lesser-known discoveries, all imbued with Pink Martini’s signature sound.
Sponsored by Russell Investments.
SYMPHONY UNTUXED SERIES Vivaldi
Friday, December 13, at 7 p.m.
Emma McGrath, violin and leader Seattle Symphony
VIVALDI: The Four Seasons
Symphony Untuxed concerts feature an earlier start time, pre-concert happy hour, and a shorter concert format with no intermission.
DISCOVER MUSIC SERIES The Snowman
Saturday, December 14, at 11 a.m.
Stilian Kirov, conductor Seattle Symphony
Raymond Briggs’ children’s book The Snowman comes to life on the big screen! The Seattle Symphony performs Howard Blake’s stunning soundtrack while the animated classic plays on a big screen above the Orchestra. A holiday family favorite.
Discover Music concerts are designed for children ages 6 to 12 and their caregivers. Pre-concert activities begin at 10 a.m. in the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby.
HOLIDAYS AT THE SYMPHONY Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
Saturday, December 14, at 8 p.m.
Emma McGrath, violin and leader Seattle Symphony
CORELLI: “Christmas” Concerto (Concerto grosso, Op. 6, No. 8) TCHAIKOVSKY: Souvenir de Florence VIVALDI: The Four Seasons
The concert features a chamber ensemble led by Seattle Symphony Assistant Concertmaster Emma McGrath.
HOLIDAYS AT THE SYMPHONY Handel’s Messiah
Friday, December 20, at 8 p.m. Saturday, December 21, at 1 & 8 p.m. Sunday, December 22, at 2 p.m.
WHO'S BLOGGING
Law and Disorder by GG Arts Law
Career Advice by Legendary Manager Edna Landau
An American in Paris by Frank Cadenhead
FEATURED JOBS
RENT A PHOTO
