FROM WORKSHOP TO WORLD PREMIERE: MERRIMAN-ROSS FAMILY YOUNG COMPOSERS WORKSHOP CONCERT, JUNE 8 AT BENAROYA HALL
FEATURING COMPOSITIONS FOR ELECTROACOUSTIC SOUNDS AND SEATTLE SYMPHONY CHAMBER ENSEMBLES
Seattle, WA — Original works by 10 young composers will be performed live at the 2025/2026 Merriman-Ross Family Young Composers Workshop Concert on Monday, June 8, at 7:30 p.m., in Benaroya Hall’s Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall.
The concert is open to the public and admission is free. Reservations are recommended; walk-ups are also welcome.
The program features new compositions by this year’s workshop participants: Ethan Eglip, Karis Huang, Nina Lorik, Edson James, Mason Piette, Avery Pun, Aiden Ramirez, Calder Staley, Beckett Van Dyck and Brannon Warn-Johnston. The students’ works will be performed by Seattle Symphony musicians, including Principal Cello Efe Baltacıgil, Second Violin Brittany Breeden, Viola Olivia Chew, Flute Bridget Pei and Bass Clarinet Eric Jacobs, and led by Associate Conductor Sunny Xia. Local pianist Li-Tan Hsu will also be joining.
During the 15-week program, students studied how to compose music that integrates electronics with live instrumentation under the guidance of returning Workshop Director Marcin Pączkowski, an acclaimed composer and specialist in electronic music.
The Merriman-Ross Family Young Composers Workshop is facilitated by the Seattle Symphony’s Education & Community Engagement team, which accepts applications to the program on an annual basis. The Seattle Symphony encourages youths ages 18 years and younger to apply for the chance to work on all aspects of composing, including working on and completing a composition to be performed by musicians of the Seattle Symphony.
Follow the artistic journey of five teenagers who worked to compose original pieces performed by the Seattle Symphony in this 2023 documentary. Read more about this seasons electroacoustic workshop program, its director and the participants in this feature story.
Ticket Information
For more information on tickets, visit seattlesymphony.org or contact the Seattle Symphony Ticket Office. The Seattle Symphony Ticket Office is located in Benaroya Hall, at Third Avenue and Union Street. The Ticket Office can be reached by phone at 206.215.4747 during the following times: Tuesday–Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
THE MERRIMAN-ROSS FAMILY YOUNG COMPOSERS WORKSHOP
The Merriman-Ross Family Young Composers Workshop has a long history involving many prestigious names in music composition, providing local students the opportunity to connect with exceptional expertise in this field. The program began in 1992 under the direction of Rebecca & Jack Benaroya Conductor Laureate Gerard Schwarz, who was the Harriet Overton Stimson Music Director of the Seattle Symphony from 1985 to 2011, and former Composer in Residence Bright Sheng. It was originally named in honor of David Diamond, recognized as one of America’s greatest composers and the Symphony’s longtime Honorary Composer in Residence. This Education and Community Engagement program represents a rare opportunity for young composers to push the boundaries of traditional composition and to explore new musical landscapes. The Seattle Symphony is proud to support the next generation of composers as they embark on this journey of musical discovery and innovation.
SUNNY XIA | CONDUCTOR
Recognized for her innate musicality, compelling presence and technical precision, conductor Sunny Xuecong Xia’s ability to forge an immediate and captivating connection with orchestras and audiences alike has led to engagements around the country. Xia began her position as the Assistant Conductor of the Seattle Symphony in September 2022 and has served as the Douglas F. King Associate Conductor since the start of the 2023/2024 season, a role she continues in the 2025/2026 season. She also takes on three new positions in the 2025/2026 season: Associate Conductor of the Seattle Opera, Principal Conductor of the Ozark Music Festival and Conducting Fellow of the San Diego Symphony. Recent engagements include performances with the San Diego Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Seattle Opera, Baltimore Symphony, New Jersey Symphony and Chandler Opera Theater. A dynamic advocate for contemporary music, Xia led the Seattle Symphony in works by Samuel Adams, Quinn Mason, Reena Esmail, Jerod Impichcha̱achaaha' Tate, Bruce Ruddell, Gabriela Ortiz, Gabriella Smith, Paul Chihara, Tan Dun and others, as well as the world premiere of former Composer in Residence Angelique Poteat’s climate change-inspired Dear Humanity for Youth Chorus and Orchestra.
MARCIN PĄCZKOWSKI | WORKSHOP DIRECTOR
Marcin Pączkowski [‘marr-cheen pawnch-`koav-skee] is a composer, conductor, digital artist and performer, working with both traditional and electronic media. As a composer, he is focused on developing new ways of creating and performing computer music and his pieces involving real-time gestural control using accelerometers have been performed in the United States, Poland, Canada and South Korea. As the Music Director of Evergreen Community Orchestra, he presents concerts of diverse repertoire to local communities. He is also involved in performing new music and has led premieres of numerous works in Poland and the United States.
He has received grants and commissions from the Seattle Symphony, eScience Institute, Adam Mickiewicz Institute and Polish Institute of Music and Dance. He received his Ph.D. in Digital Arts and Experimental Media (DXARTS) from the University of Washington and holds Master's degrees from the Academy of Music in Kraków, Poland, and from the University of Washington.
SEATTLE SYMPHONY
Under the leadership of Music Director Xian Zhang, 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 won 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 500,000 people annually through live performances and radio broadcasts.
BENAROYA HALL
Benaroya Hall, the home of the Seattle Symphony, is located in downtown Seattle. 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, the 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 and event listings, visit benaroyahall.org.
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The Merriman-Ross Family Young Composers Workshop is generously underwritten by Pamela Merriman, Sonja Ross, and Kelley Ross. Additional support is provided by Patricia M. Davis, Ann Holbrook, and Michel and Christine Suignard.
Sunny Xia’s position is generously underwritten as the Douglas F. King Associate Conductor.
Efe Baltacıgil’s position is generously underwritten as the Marks Family Foundation Principal Cello.
The Arakawa Foundation proudly supports the Seattle Symphony’s Youth Education Partnerships. Additional support is provided by Delta Air Lines.
The Seattle Symphony’s Family, School & Community programs are supported by 4Culture, ArtsFund, the Merriman-Ross Family, and individual contributions to the Seattle Symphony Annual Fund.
Free or reduced cost access is supported by 4Culture.