SEATTLE SYMPHONY RETURNS WITH NEW LIVESTREAM CONCERTS TO START THE NEW YEAR
ACCLAIMED CONTEMPORARY WORKS, EXCITING SOLOISTS, STAR CONDUCTORS AND A MYSTERY PROGRAM
Seattle, WA — The Seattle Symphony kicks off 2021 by bringing back new live performances to audiences everywhere through Seattle Symphony Live. Following a brief hiatus to support Washington state’s efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 throughout the holiday season, the Symphony will be resuming in-person rehearsals and concert production in the new year.
Throughout January and February, the Symphony’s performances reflect on the past while celebrating the future. Concert programming pairs acclaimed contemporary pieces with exciting classic repertoire. Featuring works by contemporary composers Juri Seo, Sarah Gibson and Hannah Kendall, the concert lineup also includes a roster of thrilling musicians set to bring their artistry to audiences’ home screens across the world from Benaroya Hall in downtown Seattle.
Scheduled to join the orchestra at the podium are artists from the next generation of conductors: Gemma New, Conducting Fellow Lina Gonzalez-Granados, Jonathon Heyward and Douglas F. King Associate Conductor Lee Mills. Gemma New conducts the orchestra in a concert that features Sarah Gibson’s warp & weft and cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras, who will perform Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C major on January 28.
Pianist Steven Osborne is slated to take on Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 with conductor Jonathon Heyward on February 25. Heyward and the Seattle Symphony will also perform the U.S. premiere of Hannah Kendall’s Kanashibari. This marks the second time the Symphony has brought a premiere of Kendall’s work to American audiences; the Seattle Symphony performed the U.S. premiere of Kendall’s The Spark Catchers in June 2019, also under the direction of Heyward.
On January 21, Seattle Symphony musicians take the spotlight as soloists in a program that features principals of the wind and brass sections. Principal Trumpet David Gordon and Associate Principal Trumpet Alexander White perform Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Trumpets, and Principal Oboe Mary Lynch plays J.S. Bach’s Oboe Concerto in F major. Grieg’s Holberg Suite rounds out the concert with Douglas F. King Associate Conductor Lee Mills conducting the orchestra.
Seattle Symphony Conducting Fellow Lina Gonzalez-Granados returns on February 4 for a special concert, with Concertmaster Noah Geller as soloist. Breaking from traditional form, the program will be kept a mystery, and audiences will discover each piece as it is performed over the course of the live broadcast. Leading audiences through a musical journey with a blend of old and new repertoire, the concert aims to inspire hope and healing for viewers.
The Symphony’s first chamber performance of the season will also be streamed on February 18. Seattle Symphony musicians will perform works by Juri Seo, R. Schumann and Mozart. The pre-recorded concert will be broadcast on Seattle Symphony Live.
The Seattle Symphony continues to offer educational and family programs, starting with a presentation for young viewers when Meet the Instrument: Trombone airs on January 8 in a free broadcast for the community. The program is hosted by Principal Trombone Ko-ichiro Yamamoto, who will introduce the trombone to kids and their families by performing short excerpts. February 5 brings another installment of the beloved series Tiny Clips for Tiny Tots with Tiny Clips for Tiny Tots: Carnival of the Animals, which will feature a Seattle Symphony brass quintet leading the youngest audiences on a musical exploration. Both concerts can be viewed on Seattle Symphony Live.
The Seattle Symphony remains committed to prioritizing the health and safety of everyone at Benaroya Hall and observing public health guidance from King County Health, the Centers for Disease Control and the City of Seattle. Additionally, the Symphony continues to maintain a strict and rigorous set of safety protocols for all essential building operations and concert production.
Please visit https://seattlesymphony.org/watch-listen/live for the most up-to-date concert schedule.
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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CONCERT SCHEDULE: JANUARY–FEBRUARY
SHOSTAKOVICH CELLO CONCERTO NO. 2 (Rebroadcast)
MASTERWORKS SEASON
Thursday, January 7, at 7:30 p.m.
Ludovic Morlot conductor
Alisa Weilerstein cello
Caroline Shaw Entr'acte
Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 2
Beethoven Symphony No. 8
Ludovic Morlot’s position has been generously underwritten as the Judith Fong Conductor Emeritus
Alisa Weilerstein’s performance on November 12, 2020 was generously underwritten by Grant and Dorrit Saviers
MEET THE INSTRUMENT: TROMBONE
MEET THE INSTRUMENT
Friday, January 8, at 11 a.m.
Ko-ichiro Yamamoto trombone & host
BACH OBOE CONCERTO IN F MAJOR
BAROQUE AND WINE SERIES
Thursday, January 21, at 7:30 p.m.
Lee Mills conductor
Mary Lynch oboe
David Gordon trumpet
Alexander White trumpet
Vivaldi Concerto for Two Trumpets
J.S. Bach Oboe Concerto in F major
Grieg Holberg Suite
Associate Conductor Lee Mills’ position is generously underwritten by Douglas F. King
Principal Oboe Mary Lynch’s position is generously supported by anonymous donors
David Gordon’s position is generously underwritten as the Boeing Company Principal Trumpet
The January 21, 2021 concert is generously sponsored by the C.E. Stuart Charitable Trust
HAYDN CELLO CONCERTO IN C MAJOR
MASTERWORKS SEASON
Thursday, January 28, at 7:30 p.m.
Gemma New conductor
Jean-Guihen Queyras cello
Sarah Gibson warp & weft
Haydn Cello Concerto in C major
Prokofiev Classical Symphony
The January 28, 2021 concert and Jean-Guihen Queyras’ performance is generously supported by John Weiss
Gemma New's performance is generously supported by John Delo and Elizabeth Stokes
HOPE & HARMONY
MASTERWORKS SEASON
Thursday, February 4, at 7:30 p.m.
Lina Gonzalez-Granados conductor
Noah Geller violin
The Seattle Symphony, conducted by Conducting Fellow Lina Gonzalez-Granados, performs a special concert of to inspire hope and healing. With Concertmaster Noah Geller as soloist, this performance features a mystery program that audiences will discover over the course of the live broadcast.
Concertmaster Noah Geller’s position is generously supported by David and Amy Fulton
TINY CLIPS FOR TINY TOTS: CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS
TINY CLIPS FOR TINY TOTS
Friday, February 5, at 11 a.m.
John Turman host
Seattle Symphony brass quintet
MOZART & SCHUMANN
CHAMBER SERIES
Thursday, February 18, at 7:30pm
Seattle Symphony musicians
Juri Seo Lost Songs
R. Schumann String Quartet No. 2
Mozart Serenade No. 12, “Nachtmusik”
BEETHOVEN & RAVEL
MASTERWORKS SEASON
Thursday, February 25, at 7:30 p.m.
Jonathon Heyward conductor
Steven Osborne piano
Hannah Kendall Kanashibari (U.S. Premiere)
Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4
Ravel Mother Goose Suite
Steven Osborne's performance is generously underwritten by Tom McQuaid
2020–2021 Masterworks Season Sponsor Delta Air Lines
2020–2021 Season Streaming Sponsor Scan|Design Foundation by Inger and Jens Bruun
Seattle Symphony Family Programs supported by the Klorfine Foundation