THE SEATTLE SYMPHONY RECEIVES A $1.5 MILLION DOLLAR GRANT FROM THE FRIDAY FOUNDATION TO ESTABLISH THE RICHARD E. LANG AND JANE LANG DAVIS LIVING MUSIC PROGRAM
FUNDS WILL DIRECTLY SUPPORT SEATTLE SYMPHONY INITIATIVES THAT FOSTER CULTURAL EXCHANGE AND AWARENESS THROUGH AMBITIOUS AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING
SEATTLE, WA – In tribute to the impact that philanthropists Richard E. Lang and Jane Lang Davis have had on cultural organizations throughout the Pacific Northwest, the Friday Foundation has awarded the Seattle Symphony $1.5 million to establish The Richard E. Lang and Jane Lang Davis Living Music Program.
Uniting audiences and fostering cultural exchange through an annual concert that features ambitious and innovative programming, The Richard E. Lang and Jane Lang Davis Living Music Program will provide the vital support needed to present forward-thinking artistic programming each season as well as support the long-term strategic plans of the Symphony.
“The Seattle Symphony is honored to receive this grant from the Friday Foundation recognizing the legacy of Richard and Jane,” states President & CEO Krishna Thiagarajan. “The Symphony is known for its imaginative programming, from our [untitled] series to our just-launched venture, The Essential Series. The Richard E. Lang and Jane Lang Davis Living Music Program allows us to expand this transformative work by creating a pathway for sustained success within our bold programming choices, while also giving us the possibility of re-envisioning the concert experience for audiences within and beyond Benaroya Hall.”
One of nine organizations from the Seattle arts community that were selected to receive funds from the Friday Foundation, the Seattle Symphony plans to introduce The Richard E. Lang and Jane Lang Davis Living Music Program with Tan Dun’s Buddha Passion — a powerful cross-disciplinary cultural and musical presentation that melds eastern and western traditions.
Inspired by Buddhist cave paintings in the ancient city of Dun Huang, the Buddha Passion depicts stories painted on the walls of the Mogao Caves, weaving chants, tales and sounds into a masterpiece evoking timeless and universal concepts of love. The work is sung in Chinese and Sanskrit and scored for orchestra, chorus, dancer and seven soloists including indigenous singers.
Each season, The Richard E. Lang and Jane Lang Davis Living Music Program will be tied to a specific concert that features an emerging artist, a work by a living composer or an iconic modernist work that has reshaped symphonic repertoire in a fundamental way.
The Seattle Symphony is grateful for the longtime support of Richard E. Lang and Jane Lang Davis. In their memory, the Symphony hopes that the creation of The Richard E. Lang and Jane Lang Davis Living Music Program honors their everlasting dedication to the arts.
FRIDAY FOUNDATION
The Friday Foundation is dedicated to supporting arts organizations following the passion and philanthropy of Jane Lang Davis and Richard E. Lang during their lifetimes. Visit www.fridayfoundationarts.org for more information.
SEATTLE SYMPHONY
Led by Music Director Thomas Dausgaard, the Seattle Symphony unleashes the power of music, brings people together and lifts the human spirit. Recognized as one of the “most vital American orchestras” (NPR), the Seattle Symphony is internationally acclaimed for its inventive programming, community-minded initiatives and superb recordings on the Seattle Symphony Media label. With a strong commitment to new music and a legacy of over 150 recordings, the orchestra has garnered five Grammy Awards, 26 Grammy nominations, two Emmy Awards and was named Gramophone’s 2018 Orchestra of the Year. The Symphony performs in Benaroya Hall in the heart of downtown Seattle from September through July, reaching over 730,000 people annually through live performances and radio broadcasts.
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