Where Are the Concerts?

San Juan IslandsHappy Seattle summer, classical music lovers!

After three years of maintaining the concert calendar, I’ve been slowly winding it down and will not be posting events for the upcoming concert season. Thank you for all your support throughout this project! It’s been wonderful to hear from so many local classical music fans. I feel confident that the community is in good hands.

I’m delighted to send you over to my friends at the Live Music Project, another online community dedicated to classical music concerts in Seattle. Search and browse for performances on their concert calendar, or submit an event of your own. Sign up for the email newsletter, which is chock full of everything you need to get your classical music fix for the week. And don’t miss Spontaneous Free Tickets – win a chance to see your favorite local musicians and ensembles for free!

Thanks again for supporting Classical Seattle. Enjoy the sunshine, everyone!

Back for Another Season!

Friday Harbor Ferry (Photo: Dana Wen)

Hello again, Seattle music lovers!

As you may have noticed, Classical Seattle has been relatively dormant since I posted the 2014-15 concert season last summer. It’s been a busy year for me, so I’ve had to take a break from posting and updating the calendar regularly.

Despite the break, I’ve noticed that traffic remains high. So many of you still stop by to learn about the latest classical music happenings in the greater Seattle area. Thank you for your support! It’s your dedication to the site that’s inspired me to bring back the Concert Calendar for another season.

I’ve started adding events to the calendar, with a focus on upcoming fall performances. As the calendar gets filled in, I’ll expand to the rest of the season. Check back often! The calendar will be growing throughout the next month.

Thanks again for visiting and supporting live music in the Puget Sound region. Happy listening!

Happy Summer, Seattle!

Discovery Park, Seattle (Photo: Dana Wen)

Greetings, Seattle! Hope everyone’s been enjoying the glorious summer sunshine.

We’re emerging from our summer vacation to start preparing for the upcoming concert season. We’re currently updating the Concert Calendar for the full 2013-14 season. We’ll continue to add performances in the coming weeks, so stop by often!

Looking forward to another wonderful year of live music in the Puget Sound region.

Weekly Concert Round-up: May 12 – 18

Soprano Haeran Hong in a rehearsal of Handel's "Semele", a joint production by Pacific MusicWorks and the UW School of Music (Photo: Steve Korn)

Soprano Haeran Hong in a rehearsal of Handel’s “Semele”, a joint production by Pacific MusicWorks and the UW School of Music (Photo: Steve Korn)

This week’s featured concerts:

May 15-17 & 22-24 — Spectrum Dance Theater premieres seven new dance works set to string quartets by American composers, with live music performed by the chamber musicians of Simple Measures.

May 16 – 17Choral Arts sings folk songs from around the world, bringing together musical traditions from Europe, South America, and the US.

May 16 – 18 — Pacific MusicWorks and University of Washington School of Music collaborate on an all-new production of Handel’s 1743 opera Semele. Based on a Greek myth, the story follows a mortal woman who falls in love with Jupiter, the king of the gods.

May 17 — Explore the life and times of legendary 12th century noblewoman Eleanor of Aquitaine with a program of songs by the Medieval Women’s Choir.

May 17 — Pianist Sara Davis Buechner joins the Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra for Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F. The orchestra will also perform favorites by Debussy and Rossini.

May 18 — The Washington Wind Symphony performs a medley of musical vignettes by American composers, transporting listeners to a gallery at the Louvre, a raucous rodeo, and a seaside holiday town.

This Month In Seattle: Classical Music Picks For May

Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Kaori Nakamura as Giselle (Photo: Angela Sterling)

Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Kaori Nakamura as Giselle (Photo: Angela Sterling)

Though May is already in full swing, there are still plenty of options for classical music fans looking for live music this month. It’s a busy time of year for Seattle’s classical music community as ensembles and organizations prepare to end the concert season with a bang. This month’s offerings run the gamut from opera and chamber music to modern dance and ballet. Don’t miss out on the action as international stars and local favorites take the stage at venues across the city.
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Weekly Concert Round-up: May 5 – 11

The Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra rehearses for a performance (Photo: Thomas James Hurst)

The Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra rehearses for a performance (Photo: Thomas James Hurst)

This week’s featured concerts:

May 9 – 11 — Choral ensemble The Esoterics performs music inspired by forests, trees, and flowers. Hear songs from a variety of global traditions, including works that incorporate poetry from Japan, America, and ancient Rome.

May 10 — Immerse yourself in the Tudor Choir‘s soulful program of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. The ensemble’s performance explores the work of British composer John Rutter and also features compositions by Tudor Choir artistic director Doug Fullington.

May 10 — The members of Concert Imaginaire take the stage at Wayward Music Series for a program of new and experimental works. Led by guitarist David Hahn, this adventurous chamber ensemble performs everything from original compositions and improvisations to the Beatles and the blues.

May 11 — Local favorite Joshua Roman joins the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra for their final concert of the season. The cellist performs Aaron J. Kernis’ Dreamsongs with the orchestra. Works by Tchaikovsky, Wagner, and Ravel round out the afternoon program.

Hilary Hahn Shines at UW World Series

Hilary Hahn (Photo: Karsten Moran)

Hilary Hahn (Photo: Karsten Moran)

A few pieces into violinist Hilary Hahn‘s recital at the University of Washington, my companion leaned over and whispered in amazement, “Her tone is like clarified butter!” Indeed, Hahn’s sound is gloriously full and smooth — anything but gritty. When combined with her exacting technique and musical poise, it all adds up to the very picture of a master violinist at the top of her game.

A touring soloist since her teenage years, the 34-year old Hahn first gained attention for her interpretations of the classics, especially Bach. Recently, she’s expanded her musical horizons, pushing beyond the traditional classical canon. In 2012, she recorded an album of improvisations with German composer Hauschka, who’s known for his pared-down soundscapes featuring prepared piano.

Hahn’s latest recording project is In 27 Pieces: The Hilary Hahn Encores. The album features twenty-six short pieces commissioned from an illustrious list of composers including Nico Muhly, Jennifer Higdon, and Mason Bates. Hahn’s open contest to find the 27th encore drew a pool of more than 400 submissions from around the world.

Last week, Hahn visited Seattle for a UW World Series recital with pianist Cory Smythe. The April 29 concert at the UW’s Meany Hall for the Performing Arts paired repertoire by Mozart, Schubert, and Telemann with new pieces by living composers Antón García Abril and Richard Barrett, commissioned as part of Hahn’s encores project.

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Weekly Concert Round-up: April 28 – May 4

Hoffmann (John Uhlenhopp)  and Stella (Carrie Kahl) in Seattle Opera's "The Tales of Hoffmann" (Photo: Rosarii Lynch)

Hoffmann (John Uhlenhopp) and Stella (Carrie Kahl) in Seattle Opera’s “The Tales of Hoffmann” (Photo: Rosarii Lynch)

This week’s featured concerts:

Apr. 28 – May 4 — Salish Sea Early Music Festival presents a program of trio sonatas from the Baroque era. Hear works for harpsichord, baroque flute, and viola da gamba by J.S. Bach, Rameau, Couperin, and others.

May 3 — Known for their dedication to musical traditions of the ancient Christian church, Portland-based choral ensemble Cappella Romana branches out with a 21st century work. Commissioned in 2007, Robert Kyr’s A Time for Life is an “environmental oratorio” that honors the natural world around us.

May 3 — Baroque Northwest explores the reach of the French Baroque into the New World, particularly in Louisiana and Canada. Hear pieces from the Ursuline Manuscript, a collection of music from 18th century New Orleans.

May 3 – 17 — Seattle Opera‘s The Tales of Hoffmann marks Speight Jenkins’ final production in his 31-year tenure as general director. Offenbach’s operatic fantasy follows the adventures of a wayward poet and the women he loves.

May 4 — The Moscow Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra and conductor Vladimir Spivakov return to Seattle for a performance at Benaroya Hall. They’ll play music by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, and Piazzolla.

An Eclectic Easter With the Portland Cello Project

Portland Cello Project (Photo: Jason Quigley)

Portland Cello Project (Photo: Jason Quigley)

Portland Cello Project knows how to rock. They also know how to jazz, to funk, to rap, and to classical. It seems like there isn’t a musical genre that hasn’t been lovingly remixed by this roving band of cellists. Since 2007, the dozen-or-so musicians of PCP (as they’re lovingly called by members and fans) have pursued their mission to to boldly go where no cello has gone before, from rock clubs and art galleries to sports arenas and dive bars.
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Weekly Concert Round-up: April 21 – 27

Trio Pardalote (Photo: Rosemary Wagner)

Trio Pardalote (Photo: Rosemary Wagner)

This week’s featured concerts:

Apr. 22 — Cellist Joshua Roman returns to the Town Hall stage, this time with a program of music by Russian composers. He’ll be joined by pianist Andrius Zlabys for Stravinsky’s Suite Italienne (from Pulcinella) and Schnittke’s Sonata for Cello and Piano.

Apr. 24 — A NPR staple for years, From the Top showcases the next generation of classical musicians with interviews and performances. Pianist Christopher O’Riley hosts a taping of the show with live audience at Tacoma’s Rialto Theater.

Apr. 25 & 27 — The singers of Northwest Boychoir join forces with chamber musicians from Simple Measures. Their program takes audiences on a tour through the history of Western classical music with pieces for choir, organ, violin, harp, and percussion.

Apr. 26 — Head south for a program of classics with the Auburn Symphony. You’ll hear pieces from three eras of Western music, from Haydn’s “Farewell” Symphony to Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 9. Cellist Brian Wharton joins the orchestra for Bruch’s Kol Nidrei.

Apr. 27 Trio Pardalote and friends honor Holocaust Remembrance Day with music by Shostakovich and Jewish composers Mieczyslaw Weinberg, Gideon Klein, and Alexander von Zemlinsky. The ensemble’s Club Shostakovich concert series explores the Russian composer’s vast repertoire alongside other chamber works.

Apr. 27 — Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons comes to life in a collaboration between the Russian Chamber Music Foundation of Seattle and Emerald Ballet Theatre. Experience original choreography set to this suite of twelve piano pieces, each representing a different month of the year.