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’s Pines 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 Media label. 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.
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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.