SEATTLE SYMPHONY AND THOMAS DAUSGAARD ANNOUNCE 2021–2022 MASTERWORKS SEASON
A RETURN TO LIVE CONCERTS AT BENAROYA HALL ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2021
Thomas Dausgaard embarks on two-year Sibelius Cycle with the Seattle Symphony
Seven symphonies paired with seven new commissions; first year to feature new works by Ellen Reid and Angélica Negrón; violinist Isabelle Faust performs the rarely performed, original version of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto.
Upcoming season brings 6 commissions, 4 world premieres, 2 U.S. premieres
New works by Francisco Coll, Reena Esmail, Han Lash, Angélica Negrón, Ellen Reid and Joel Thompson this season along with additional premieres.
Contemporary voices and 20th century works
Upcoming season prominently features 18 recent and contemporary composers in mainstage programming including: Nathalie Dietterich, Brett Dean, Amy Beach, Florence Price, William Grant Still, George Walker, Adolphus Hailstork, William L. Dawson, Kaoru Ishibashi and John Adams.
Genre-bending, multimedia concert experience in Kishi Bashi: EO9066
The Seattle Symphony marks the 80th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, which saw the internment of innocent Japanese Americans during the Second World War, with Seattle-born composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist Kishi Bashi performing Improvisations on EO9066; Music Director Thomas Dausgaard conducts.
Morlot conducts Messiaen: Des canyons aux étoiles…
Seattle Symphony Judith Fong Conductor Emeritus Ludovic Morlot returns for Messiaen’s Des canyons aux étoiles… (“From the Canyons to the Stars…”), with Steven Osborne as guest pianist, in a multimedia collaboration with video artist Deborah O’Grady that integrates photography and videography of Messiaen’s journey.
Star soloists and conductors to join the Seattle Symphony on Benaroya Hall stage
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Julia Bullock, Ray Chen, James Ehnes, Isabelle Faust, Hélène Grimaud, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Han Lash, Garrick Ohlsson, David Robertson, Dalia Stasevska, Nathalie Stutzmann, Russell Thomas and more.
Seattle, WA — Seattle Symphony Music Director Thomas Dausgaard and President & CEO Krishna Thiagarajan today announce a return to live concerts for the 2021–2022 season. The new season brings spectacular Opening Night, Masterworks and Untuxed series concerts to Benaroya Hall; season programming for additional series will be announced this spring and summer.
When COVID-19 hit in early 2020, the entire world felt the impact and the arts sector was no exception. For the Seattle Symphony, the health and safety of its community, musicians and staff was the top priority, prompting the immediate closure of Benaroya Hall. Holding steadfast to its commitment to serve the community through music, the Symphony quickly turned to offering free live broadcasts, building out a variety of regular free programming for the remainder of the season, featuring recordings of past concerts as well as new performances, often filmed from the musicians’ own homes.
Despite new setbacks, the Seattle Symphony launched the current season digitally in September 2020 with the creation of a new streaming service, Seattle Symphony Live, which has since grown to nearly 4,000 subscribers. With viewers from Washington to New York, and Norway to New Zealand, Seattle Symphony Live has broadened the Symphony’s reach to audiences around the world. Through the implementation of meticulous safety measures and health protocols, the Symphony resumed live concert production this season with physically distanced musicians joined by exceptional guest artists on the Benaroya Hall stage. As the world continues the navigate the ongoing pandemic, the Seattle Symphony carries the experience, diligence and momentum of the last year to launch a new season with optimism.
“This is our long-awaited chance to be together after such long isolation and again experience live symphonic music with the magnificent Seattle Symphony,” shares Music Director Thomas Dausgaard. “This special season, we are so excited to throw open our doors and share the authentic and engaging sound of the full symphony orchestra. Diversity has been a driving principle in how we’ve conceived this season’s programs, and we’re both proud and excited about the result. What does the time we live in sound like? You will hear brand new music, written specially for us and for you from a rich and diverse range of composers, put in context of some of the greatest symphonic works of all time — music we have been longing to play and hear live again. Music has the power to lift us up, to touch us and uniquely make us experience the power of the moment. I look forward to sharing with you the thrill of live music in performances of great symphonic works from the last 400 years to today!”
“We look to the new season with extreme gratitude for our community who stood by us and supported us throughout the past year,” says President & CEO Krishna Thiagarajan. “It’s shown us that music is an essential part of our lives. To gather with audiences again after being apart so long, this season is so much about our connection to the people and world around us. With that in mind, the Seattle Symphony launches the 2021–2022 season for our community, and we hope to see everyone back at Benaroya Hall in due course.”
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Thomas Dausgaard’s Sibelius Cycle to feature pairings with world premieres of new commissions
In his third year as Music Director, Thomas Dausgaard and the Seattle Symphony embark on an exciting two-year Sibelius Cycle, with Dausgaard bringing his Nordic roots and unique insight to exploring the iconic Finnish composer’s music. Over the course of two seasons, the Cycle will bring to audiences all Sibelius’ symphonies including the rarely performed, original versions of Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony and Violin Concerto. The symphonies will be presented in the context of a series of new Seattle Symphony commissions, where the leading composers of today are asked to relate to Sibelius’ works. Each new work will receive its world premiere alongside the Sibelius symphony it responds to.
The Sibelius Cycle begins February 3–5, 2022, when Dausgaard leads the orchestra in Sibelius’ Symphony No. 1 paired with composer Ellen Reid’s response to Sibelius in a new work to be premiered. On April 7–9, the Cycle’s second program pairs Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2 with a new work by Angélica Negrón, along with guest violinist Isabelle Faust bringing to life the original version of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto with Dausgaard at the podium.
On February 4 and April 8, audiences will also have the chance to experience these programs in a more casual setting with Dausgaard as part of the Symphony’s Untuxed Series, which presents mainstage programming in a pared down, relaxed format. The Sibelius Cycle will be completed in its second year with Symphonies Nos. 3–7.
World premieres and new commissions
Regarded as an orchestra “avid for new music” (The New Yorker), the Seattle Symphony continues its steady support for new works and current composers in the 2021–2022 season’s Opening Night and Masterworks Season with six commissions, four world premieres and two U.S. premieres.
In addition to the new works by Reid and Negrón commissioned as part of the Sibelius Cycle, the Seattle Symphony is proud to present in the upcoming season: the U.S. premiere of Francisco Coll’s Violin Concerto performed by violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja; the world premiere of Reena Esmail’s RE|Member, which will open the Symphony’s season on September 18; the world premiere of Han Lash’s The Peril of Dreams, a commissioned work for two harps with the composer herself debuting the work alongside Seattle Symphony Principal Harp Valerie Muzzolini; the U.S. premiere of Simon Steen-Andersen’s Piano Concerto, a provocative work which interweaves the sound and video recording of a grand piano falling eight meters to a concrete floor and its intricate dialogue with the live orchestra; and a new co-commissioned work by Joel Thompson.
Contemporary voices and 20th century works
The Seattle Symphony’s strong artistic commitment to expanding the canon continues in the upcoming season, which prominently features 18 recent and contemporary composers in mainstage programming.
In Fall 2021, the Symphony performs Nathalie Dietterich’s aeolian dust, conducted by David Robertson; and Music Director Thomas Dausgaard conducts Brett Dean’s Carlo and Amy Beach’s “Gaelic” Symphony. Later in the year, Peter Oundjian conducts the orchestra in his own arrangement of Florence Price’s Andante cantabile from String Quartet No. 2. In Spring 2022, the Symphony is set to perform George Walker’s Lyric for Strings and Folksongs for Orchestra, also conducted by Dausgaard; Adolphus Hailstork’s Epitaph for a Man Who Dreamed, conducted by Dalia Stasevska; and William L. Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony, conducted by Roderick Cox.
Other highlights of the season include works by William Grant Still, Kaoru Ishibashi (Kishi Bashi) and John Adams.
Kishi Bashi: EO9066
2022 marks the 80th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, which saw the internment of thousands of innocent Japanese Americans during the Second World War, indelibly changing their lives and the Pacific Northwest region — the effects of which are still felt today. On January 27–29, 2022, in honor of those affected by this historical injustice, the Seattle Symphony presents Kaoru Ishibashi’s Improvisations on EO9066, with Music Director Thomas Dausgaard conducting. Dausgaard will be joined onstage by the Seattle-born composer, who performs as Kishi Bashi.
Improvisations on EO9066, which premiered in 2018, features Kishi Bashi on violin and vocals and explores the tragedy of Japanese American internment in a genre-bending, multimedia concert experience. The Symphony’s presentation of Kishi Bashi: EO9066 will be incorporated with other forthcoming community collaborations to contextualize and examine the impact of this moment in history.
Morlot conducts Messiaen: Des canyons aux étoiles…
Seattle Symphony Judith Fong Conductor Emeritus Ludovic Morlot returns to conduct Messiaen’s Des canyons aux étoiles… (“From the Canyons to the Stars…”). Commissioned to celebrate the bicentenary of the United States’ Declaration of Independence, the monumental work is a twelve-part orchestral suite. Witness to the grandeur of Utah’s Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks while preparing for the commission, Messiaen was particularly inspired by the natural beauty of the American West, from its canyons to its moonscapes. So struck was the composer at the time, that he regarded the geographical and astronomical scenes as religious work, divine in their wonder.
The Seattle Symphony performs the entire work on June 2 and 4 with Steven Osborne as guest pianist. The presentation integrates an impressive visual experience created by Deborah O’Grady, a video artist who followed Messiaen’s footsteps through the canyons he traveled, bringing to audiences photography and videography that documents the stunning scenes Messiaen’s music paints.
Special Performances: Avi Avital, Wayne Marshall & John Adams
Grammy Award-nominated mandolinist Avi Avital returns to Benaroya Hall as soloist and conductor on January 13–16. The electrifying artist leads the orchestra in Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and is joined by soprano Núria Rial for traditional songs inspired by the canals of Venice.
On June 16–19, Wayne Marshall conducts the Symphony from the piano in an all-Gershwin program that affectionately celebrates the glamor of the 1920s. Marshall is set to perform Gershwin’s Concerto in F, Second Rhapsody for Piano & Orchestra and An American in Paris with the orchestra.
John Adams is set to conduct the Seattle Symphony on January 6 and 8 in a program of his own works. The prolific American composer will be joined by pianist Jeremy Denk and saxophonist Timothy McAllister in a concert that features Short Ride in a Fast Machine, Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes? and City Noir.
Additional Featured Artists
The Seattle Symphony’s 2021–2022 season brings a star-studded roster of guest artists and conductors to the Benaroya Hall stage.
Music Director Thomas Dausgaard will be joined by: violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja, who reunites with Dausgaard on October 7 and 9 for the U.S. premiere of Francisco Coll’s Violin Concerto; pianist Nicolas Hodges for the U.S. premiere of Simon Steen-Andersen’s Piano Concerto on November 11–13; composer Han Lash at the harp for the world premiere of her own work, The Peril of Dreams, on November 18 and 20; Kishi Bashi for Improvisations on EO9066 in January; pianist Garrick Ohlsson performing Stenhammar’s Piano Concerto No. 2 on February 3 and 5; tenor Russell Thomas on February 10–13 in a program featuring works by Walker and Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde; violinist Isabelle Faust performing the original version of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto for the second concert of the Sibelius Cycle in April. Dausgaard will also present Verdi’s Requiem with the Seattle Symphony Chorale on June 16–19, 2022.
Other exciting guests to look forward to this season include: conductor David Robertson on September 23–26 in a program featuring works by Nathalie Dietterich, Ives and R. Schumann; legendary pianist Hélène Grimaud in Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, conducted by Peter Oundjian on December 2 and 4; violinist Ray Chen, who performs Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto on November 4–7; pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard, making his Seattle Symphony debut with conductor Dalia Stasevska on March 3–5; violinist James Ehnes performing Korngold Violin Concerto on March 17 and 19; and soprano Julia Bullock with conductor Nathalie Stutzmann for Brahms’ German Requiem on April 28 and 30.
For a complete list of artist and repertoire listings, please visit the Seattle Symphony Press Room.
Health and Safety
The Seattle Symphony’s top priority remains the wellbeing of its audience, staff and musicians. The organization is carefully planning for the safe return of audiences to Benaroya Hall. Comprehensive health and safety measures have been implemented in the current season to enable continued concert operations, including controlled air filtration, rigorous cleaning procedures, health screening protocols and more.
The Symphony recognizes that some patrons may not feel comfortable attending concerts in person for some time. Select concerts will be available through Seattle Symphony Live, the Symphony’s streaming service.
Additional guidelines for in-person concert attendance will be announced as the upcoming season approaches. The Seattle Symphony looks forward to welcoming audiences back to Benaroya Hall soon.
ADDITIONAL SEASON DOCUMENTS
THOMAS DAUSGAARD | MUSIC DIRECTOR
Music Director of the Seattle Symphony, Danish conductor Thomas Dausgaard is esteemed for his creativity and innovative programming, the excitement of his live performances and his extensive catalogue of critically acclaimed recordings. His programming in recent seasons have seen an increased focus on context, exploring the influences found in folk and liturgical music on orchestral works by a range of composers including Beethoven, Rachmaninov, Sibelius, Nielsen and Bartók.
Performing internationally with many of the world’s leading orchestras, Dausgaard is also the Chief Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. He also holds titles as Honorary Conductor of the Orchestra della Toscana (ORT) and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, having previously served as its Chief Conductor from 2004–11; and Conductor Laureate of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, having served as Chief Conductor from 1997–2019.
A renowned recording artist, Dausgaard’s releases with the Seattle Symphony have garnered critical acclaim resulting in international honors including a 2017 Gramophone Award nomination for Mahler’s Symphony No. 10 (Deryck Cooke version), Gramophone’s 2018 Orchestra of the Year Award, and a 2019 Best Orchestral Performance Grammy nomination for Nielsen’s Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4. An avid champion of contemporary works and the music of his homeland, Dausgaard and the Seattle Symphony are releasing the much-anticipated cycle of symphonies by Carl Nielsen throughout his tenure. A recent release with the orchestra features the world premiere live performance of George Walker’s Sinfonia No. 5, “Visions.”
Additional recently released recordings are Sibelius’ Kullervo with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra for Hyperion and the first of a multi-disc survey of Bartók’s orchestral music with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra for Onyx. Other projects, all for BIS, include Brahms symphonies with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos combined with six newly commissioned companion works also with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and Bruckner symphonies with the Bergen Philharmonic, one of which was recently released as well.
In total, he has made well over 70 CDs to date, including complete cycles of symphonies by Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann and Rued Langgaard, and a disc of Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen’s orchestral repertoire with the BBC Symphony Orchestra for Da Capo. Opening Doors, his ground-breaking series for BIS with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, has consistently won praise for performances of 19th-century repertoire more usually associated with symphony orchestras.
In the early part of his career he studied with Leonard Bernstein and assisted Seiji Ozawa, and now regularly appears with the world’s leading orchestras including the Bavarian Radio Symphony, BBC Symphony, Berlin Konzerthaus Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Salzburg Mozarteum Orchester, Staatskapelle Dresden and the Vienna Symphony.
He began his North American career as Assistant Conductor with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and has since appeared with the Baltimore Symphony, The Cleveland Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Montreal Symphony, New York Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Toronto Symphony and the Washington National Symphony Orchestra.
He is also a regular visitor to Asia and Australia, appearing with the Singapore and Tokyo Metropolitan Symphonies; the New Japan, China and Hong Kong Philharmonics; and the Sydney and Melbourne Symphonies. Festival appearances have included the BBC Proms, Edinburgh International Festival, George Enescu Festival, Hollywood Bowl, Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival, Salzburg Festival and Tanglewood.
Dausgaard has been awarded the Cross of Chivalry by the Queen of Denmark and elected to the Royal Academy of Music in Sweden. His interests beyond music are wide-ranging, and include architecture, landscape, and a love of learning the life and culture of different communities.
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.
The Seattle Symphony thanks its entire family of sponsors and donors,
whose gifts help make each and every performance a reality.
2021–2022 Masterworks Season Sponsor Delta Air Lines
Artists generously supported through the Seattle Symphony’s Artists Circle:
John Adams’ performance is generously underwritten by Benjamin and Kelly Martz.
Julia Bullock’s performance is generously underwritten by Leslie and Dale Chihuly.
Jeremy Denk’s performance is generously underwritten by Tom McQuaid.
James Ehnes’ performance is generously underwritten by Patricia Tall-Takacs and Gary Takacs.
Reena Esmail’s performance is generously underwritten by Parul and Gary Houlahan.
Isabelle Faust’s performance is generously underwritten by Mel and Leena Sturman.
Concertmaster Noah Geller’s performances on April 21, 23 and 24, 2022 are generously underwritten by Grant and Dorrit Saviers.
Han Lash’s The Peril of Dreams is generously underwritten by Elizabeth and Justus Schlichting.
Angélica Negrón’s New Work is generously underwritten by Richard Meyer and Susan Harmon.
Michael Sanderling’s performance is generously underwritten by Sue and Robert Collett.
Dalia Stasevska’s performance is generously underwritten by Margaret and Eric Rothchild.
Joel Thompson’s New Work is generously underwritten by Betty Graham.
Season-long support for Seattle Symphony Musicians and Administration:
Thomas Dausgaard’s position is generously underwritten as the Harriet Overton Stimson Music Director.
Ludovic Morlot’s position is generously underwritten as the Judith Fong Conductor Emeritus.
Lee Mills’ position is generously underwritten as the Douglas F. King Associate Conductor.
Gerard Schwarz’s position is generously underwritten as the
Rebecca & Jack Benaroya Conductor Laureate.
Noah Geller’s position is generously underwritten as the David & Amy Fulton Concertmaster.
Susan Gulkis Assadi’s position is generously underwritten as the PONCHO Principal Viola.
Efe Baltacıgil’s position is generously underwritten as the Marks Family Foundation Principal Cello.
Jordan Anderson’s position is generously underwritten as the Mr. & Mrs. Heath Principal String Bass.
Zart Dombourian-Eby’s position is generously underwritten as the Robert & Clodagh Ash Piccolo.
Benjamin Lulich’s position is generously underwritten as the Mr. & Mrs. Paul R. Smith Principal Clarinet.
Laura DeLuca’s position is generously underwritten as the Dr. Robert Wallace Clarinet.
Jeffrey Fair’s position is generously underwritten as the Charles Simonyi Principal Horn.
David Gordon’s position is generously underwritten as the Boeing Company Principal Trumpet.
Principal Flute Demarre McGill is supported by David & Shelley Hovind.
Principal Oboe Mary Lynch is supported by anonymous donors.
Krishna Thiagarajan’s position is generously underwritten as the Leslie Jackson Chihuly President & CEO.
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An Artist Roster, Repertoire List, Chronological Listing of Concerts and a hard-copy of the 2021–2022 Season Brochure are all available upon request. Please email press@seattlesymphony.org to request any additional materials or visit the Seattle Symphony Press Room.
Media requests for photos, interviews and other press items relating to Seattle Symphony and all guest artists are welcome.