SEATTLE SYMPHONY SILVER ANNIVERSARY GALA RAISES OVER $2.1 MILLION FOR MUSIC, COMMUNITY AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS

THE GALA FEATURED AN EXCLUSIVE PERFORMANCE BY SEATTLE SYMPHONY MUSICIANS AND DINNER BY CANLIS AND EXECUTIVE CHEF AISHA IBRAHIM

Seattle, WA – The Seattle Symphony’s Silver Anniversary Gala celebrated the 25th Anniversary of Benaroya Hall and the 120th season of the Seattle Symphony on September 28, 2023, raising over $2.1 million in support of the organization’s music, community and education programs. The Symphony kicked off its second weekend of the 2023/2024 season by recognizing 25 esteemed honorees and celebrating the Symphony’s two anniversary milestones. Following the Gala, the festivities continued with the Silver Anniversary Concert and after-party on Friday, September 29, 2023, giving the community more opportunities to celebrate with the Symphony. 

The Gala was held at Benaroya Hall and featured an exclusive, intimate opening performance by a five-piece brass ensemble that included Boeing Company Principal Trumpet David Gordon, Associate Principal Trumpet Alexander White, Charles Simonyi Principal Horn Jeffrey Fair, Principal Tuba John DiCesare and guest trombone Jason Crimi. Guests also enjoyed an exquisite dinner prepared by Canlis and Executive Chef Aisha Ibrahim, one of 11 chefs selected for Food & Wine magazine’s 35th class of Best New Chefs. Throughout the evening, remarks were made by President & CEO Krishna Thiagarajan, Canlis co-owners Brain and Mark Canlis, Benaroya Hall Board Chair Leslie Jackson Chihuly and Seattle Symphony Board Chair Jon Rosen.  

The Symphony recognized the 25 iconic artists, philanthropists and civic leaders who helped define the Seattle Symphony and Benaroya Hall trajectory with an Honoree Celebration led by Leslie Jackson Chihuly. Honorees included Lang Lang, the Benaroya Family, Brandi Carlile, Leslie and Dale Chihuly, Ludovic Morlot and Joe Hisaishi. The evening concluded with a performance by Principal Percussion Michael A. Werner, Percussion & Assistant Principal Timpani Matthew Decker and Percussion Jonathan Wisner. 

The following evening, the celebrations continued with an unforgettable sold-out Seattle Symphony Silver Anniversary Concert featuring pianist Lang Lang and conductor Peter Oundjian in a thrilling program of John Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine, Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 and Respighi’sPines of Rome. Lang Lang surprised the audience with an encore, performing Lü Wenchengs’ Moon Over the Calm Lake in honor of the Mid-Autumn Festival and Paul Williams and Kenneth Aschers’ The Rainbow Connection. The concert was followed by a lively party in the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby featuring small bites and cocktails by a variety of local restaurants and distilleries.

"The Silver Anniversary Gala, Concert & Party was a stunning success — perfect for marking two milestones we're celebrating this season, the 25th anniversary of Benaroya Hall and the 120th year of the Symphony," said Seattle Symphony President & CEO Krishna Thiagarajan. “Last weekend reminded us of the power that music has to influence our lives as individuals, but also collectively as a community. I thank our board, patrons, community of music lovers, musicians and the entire creative sector who inspire us, fill this hall with incredible live experiences and uplift our human spirit.” 

“We are in awe of the generosity and support that our community has shown us — and working with the iconic Canlis team made it all the more memorable,” said Chief Development & Project Officer Maria K. Yang. “With the overwhelming success of the Gala and the sold-out Silver Anniversary Concert and Party, we can’t wait to see what the next 25 years of Benaroya Hall brings.”

SEATTLE SYMPHONY   

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 Medialabel. With a strong commitment to new music and a legacy of over 150 recordings, the orchestra has garnered five Grammy Awards, 27 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 750,000 people annually through live performances and radio broadcasts, and through the Seattle Symphony+ streaming service, the orchestra’s concerts reach audiences at home and around the world.   

BENAROYA HALL  

Benaroya Hall, the home of the Seattle Symphony, is located in downtown Seattle and surrounded by numerous restaurants, retail stores and parking facilities. Opened in 1998, Benaroya Hall is the most-visited performing arts venue in Seattle. It has received numerous awards, including a 2001 American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Honor Award for outstanding architecture. Benaroya Hall has three versatile performance venues, the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall and Octave 9: Raisbeck Music Center, all renowned for their pristine acoustics, luxurious design and prime location. For additional information, including rental information, event listings and public tour schedules, please visit www.benaroyahall.org.  

###

The 25 Honorees  
John Luther Adams 
The Alvord Family 
ArtsFund 
The Benaroya Family 
Brandi Carlile 
Leslie and Dale Chihuly 
Reena Esmail 
Governor Dan Evans and Nancy Evans 
Judith Fong 
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation 
Cecile Hansen 
Mayor Bruce Harrell and Joanne Harrell 
Joe Hisaishi 
Classical KING FM 98.1 
Lang Lang 
Mary’s Place 
Microsoft 
Ludovic Morlot 
The Nesholm Family 
The Nordstrom Family 
Mayor Norm Rice and Constance Rice 
Gerard Schwarz 
Charles and Lisa Simonyi 
Joan and the late Craig Watjen 
Seth Parker Woods 

Diamond  
Rebecca Benaroya 

Platinum 
Elias and Karyl Alvord 
Lyn and Jerry Grinstein 
The Nakajima Family 
The James D. and Sherry Raisbeck Foundation 
Dr. and Mrs. Charles and Lisa Simonyi 
Joan and the late Craig Watjen 


Gold 
Stephen Elop and Susan Johannsen 
Judith Fong and Mark Wheeler 
Parul and Gary Houlahan 
Paul Leach and Susan Winokur 
The Nesholm Family 
Maryanne Tagney 

Silver 
Chap and Eve Alvord 
Apex Foundation 
Paula Boggs and Randee Fox 
Susan Y. Buske 
Leslie and Dale Chihuly 
Susan Coughlin and John Lauber 
Delta Air Lines 
William Gates Sr.* and Mimi Gardner Gates 
Shawn and Maya Harmon 
Ihn (Ike) Lee 
Benjamin and Kelly Martz 
Nordstrom 
Patricia and Jon Rosen 
Jon and Kim Shirley 
Lyle and Andrea Snyder 
Stephen Whyte and Rebecca Ralston 


Benefactor 
René and April Ancinas 
Chuck and Susan Armstrong 
Matt Brannock and Claire Taylor 
Diana Carey 
Chihuly Garden + Glass 
Allison and Joe Davy 
Jim and Gaylee Duncan 
Rebecca Ebsworth 
Governor and Mrs. Daniel J. Evans 
Dorothy Fluke 
Richard and Barbara French 
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation 
Lynn and Brian Grant Family 
Marilyn Gustafson 
Jean-François and Catherine Heitz 
Nader and Oraib Kabbani 
Dana and Ned Laird 
Jason and Mia Lee 
Marks Family Foundation 
Russ and Diena Mann 
Richard and Susan Masters 
Bill and Colleen McAleer 
Richard Meyer and Susan Harmon 
Microsoft Corporation 
Mithun 
Dick and Joyce Paul 
Maggie and Clint Pehrson 
Seyfarth Shaw LLP 
Seneca Group 
Yuka Shimizu 
Space Needle 
Mel and Leena Sturman 
Krishna and Joanna Thiagarajan 
Anonymous 


2023/2024 Silver Anniversary Gala Committee 
Lyn Grinstein, chair 
Leslie Jackson Chihuly 
Susan Coughlin 
Parul Houlahan 
Danae Howe 
Oraib Kabbani 
Paul Rafanelli 
Patricia Rosen 
Andrea Snyder 
Susan Winokur 


2023/2024 Silver Anniversary Party Committee 
Shawn Harmon, chair 
Sheila Houlahan 
Eric Jacobs 
Tiffany Moss 
Claire Taylor 

*In Memoriam 
Lang Lang’s performance was generously underwritten by The Nakajima Family.