The Seattle Symphony is set to dazzle audiences this holiday season with an exceptional line-up of performances that celebrate the joy and spirit of this special time of year. From the soulful melodies of Leslie Odom, Jr.'s Christmas Tour to the foot-tapping Disco Fever New Year's Eve Concert, there's something for everyone. Families can enjoy the magic of 'Home Alone' with live orchestration, while holiday classics like 'The Snowman' and 'Handel's Messiah' promise to enthrall. Experience joy, nostalgia, and musical excellence at Benaroya Hall.

A Symphony of Holiday Celebrations: Seattle Symphony's Festive Line-Up

A triumph of music and text, Handel’s Messiah is a matchless December tradition. The exquisite choral writing and the exultant “Hallelujah” chorus — featuring the Seattle Symphony, Chorale and a strong cast of soloists — honor Handel’s greatest work.

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Handel Messiah

Benaroya Hall

A family tradition! Celebrate the holidays with your family and the classic children’s film The Snowman. A young boy builds a snowman that comes to life and takes him on an adventure to the North Pole. This festive concert also includes other musical holiday favorites!

The Snowman

A true holiday favorite, this beloved comedy classic features renowned composer John Williams' charming and delightful score performed live to picture by the Seattle Symphony. Macaulay Culkin stars as Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old boy who's accidentally left behind when his family leaves for Christmas vacation, and who must defend his home against two bungling thieves. Hilarious and heart-warming, Home Alone is holiday fun for the entire family!

Home Alone in Concert with the Seattle Symphony

With a discography of over 130 albums and an extensive world-wide touring schedule, Canadian Brass is an important pioneer in bringing brass music to mass audiences everywhere. Masters of concert presentations, Canadian Brass has developed a uniquely engaging stage presence and rapport with audiences. Their concerts feature everything from trademark Baroque and Dixieland tunes to new compositions and arrangements created especially for them – from formal classical presentation to music served up with lively dialogue and theatrical effects. The hallmark of any Canadian Brass performance is entertainment, spontaneity, virtuosity and, most of all, fun – but never at the expense of the music. Canadian Brass joins forces with members of the Seattle Symphony's own brass section for this special holiday performance.

Canadian Brass: Making Spirits Bright

There’s no place like Benaroya Hall for the holidays! Powerhouse pianist and multi-hyphenate star Chloe Flower joins the orchestra for this dazzling program full of popular holiday favorites and plenty of yuletide cheer. Chloe Flower's self-created "popsical" genre is bridging the gap between classical and pop, bringing a fresh and exciting take on all of the joyful sounds of the holiday season.

Holiday Pops

Make memories together as the percussion family plays classic sing-alongs and your favorite holiday music. Perfect for families with children from birth to 5 years of age. Engage your youngest music lovers with these 35-minute interactive programs featuring musical games, stories and songs. Pre-concert include crafts, percussion play, a xylophone orchestra and reading station.

The Percussion: Jingle Bell Bash

Tony Award®-winning singer Leslie Odom, Jr. performs your favorite holiday songs with the Seattle Symphony in a special one-night-only event.

Leslie Odom, Jr.: The Christmas Tour

Iranian Female Composers Association (IFCA) is a group of artists who have combined their experiences and creativity to provide a platform for otherwise-unheard musical voices from inside Iran and the Iranian diaspora and to build and support a growing community of female and non-binary identifying composers. IFCA has curated and produced concerts at various significant venues including the Kennedy Center’s Direct Current Festival and Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival. This special multi-genre collaboration is curated in partnership with Seattle Symphony musicians and will include a multi-media world premiere piece crafted for Octave 9.

Composing Iran

Gabriel Fauré, who was sent to train as a church organist at only 9 years old, must have provided music for countless funerals. But he said he composed this Requiem “for pleasure.” This would be a Requiem to bring comfort to those who mourn, a series of heavenly tableaux rather than fire and brimstone, and one of his most beloved works. Tōru Takemitsu’s Requiem for String Orchestra expresses a more intense vein of grief. And finally, a riddle — Elgar’s “Enigma” Variations.

Fauré Requiem

Postmodern Jukebox has been lovingly dubbed "pop music in a time machine." This time-twisting musical collective has built a reputation as the Saturday Night Live of singers, introducing audiences to scores of dazzling musical artists. Now in 2024, in celebration of the group's 10th anniversary and 1,000th show, this sensational concert act will be touring the world with The '10' Tour.

Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox: The '10' Tour

In the stillness of dawn, distant horns sound. The birds chirrup and the world awakens to Mahler’s genius. This would be a symphony like none before — turning on a dime between the downright folksy, the comedic, tragic and the unforgettably sublime.

Mahler Untuxed

Setting out on his own great symphonic odyssey, Gustav Mahler painted the silent stillness of first light in an eternal natural setting. Distant birdcalls and trumpets stir the air, and the wanderer is underway. The journey encompasses the whole world: tragic funeral marches, traditional dances laced with bitterness and at last, a blazing finale unlike any before it. Mahler was an inspiration to Benjamin Britten, whose rollicking Piano Concerto is full of vivid rhythm, color and irony. It’s a virtuosic tour de force for Benjamin Grosvenor, a pianist at the very height of his musical powers.

Mahler Symphony No. 1

Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Beloved for his charm and humanity as well as his talent, he is treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond not only to his remarkable artistry, but also to his irrepressible joy for making music.

Violinist Itzhak Perlman

The Age of Discovery in the 16th century saw horizons expand around the world. European explorers and merchants travelled to unexplored lands, developing links in food, art, religion, and music. In particular, the exploration of South and Central America by the Spanish and Portuguese at this time led to some of the most colourful, dramatic, and long-lasting cultural fusions in history. This program explores the musical links between Iberia and the ‘New World’ of South America, looking at the glorious European Renaissance music introduced by these conquistadors and merchants. It also remembers the musical traditions already in existence in South America, and celebrates how these two different musical heritages fused to form the seeds of a whole new world of South American music that flourished over the course of the following 500 years.

The King's Singers: The New World

All the subtlety and color of French music comes together in this concert — the music of visionaries. Messiaen’s deeply held religious faith inspired music of great spirituality, which he captured in this early work — a meditation on sacramental offerings both given and received. Lili Boulanger’s poignant work came just before her tragic death at age 24 and feels full of foreboding. Debussy conjures every possible play of light on the seemingly infinite sea in all its moods. And we are thrilled to welcome the truly poetic Tabea Zimmermann for the first Seattle Symphony performances of Bartók’s Viola Concerto — in which he draws inspiration from Hungarian folk traditions.

Debussy La Mer

Pulsing, shifting rhythms characterize Adams’ First Quartet. A steady tick of time crackles with high energy. Then we hear Meditation on Providence by Seattle’s own Angelique Poteat and César Franck’s ethereal, passionate sonata — originally conceived for violin, here given by cello.

John Adams to César Franck

AMP presents Disney Pixar’s Coco Live-to-Film Concert on Tour featuring a screening of the complete film with Oscar® and Grammy®-winning composer Michael Giacchino’s musical score performed by the 20-member Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México. In addition to the original score by Giacchino, Coco also features the Oscar®-winning song “Remember Me” by Oscar-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and additional songs co-written by Germaine Franco and co-director and screenwriter Adrian Molina.

Disney Pixar's Coco Live-to-Film Concert Tour

The battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 2 in Concert brings the final chapter to the big screen as the Seattle Symphony performs every note of the magical score by Alexandre Desplat.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 2 in Concert with the Seattle Symphony

Winner of the prestigious Chopin Competition, Yulianna Avdeeva is a true poet of the piano. She brings her dearest inspirations to Benaroya Hall in a program ranging from Chopin's tender Mazurkas to Liszt's virtuosic and powerful Piano Sonata in B minor.

Pianist Yulianna Avdeeva

( (( PHONATION )) ) is a multimedia performance by Bora Yoon with live video manipulations by Joshue Ott, exploring where sound connects to the subliminal using found sounds, new and antiquated instruments, electronic devices and voice. Classically trained and steeped in a first love of choral music, Yoon takes a sound designer’s approach to performance composition that is steered by a penchant for song. In every case, a particular sonic geography is evoked that might be inspired by a simple, found-sound in the world or an expression of a sonic paradox bouncing around only in the mind.

( ((Phonation)) )

SYML — Welsh for “simple” — is the solo venture of Seattle native Brian Fennell. SYML’s music encourages a feeling of sanctuary, whether that be an idea, place, or person. Released in 2019, his self-titled debut included the platinum-selling song “Where’s My Love” and fan favorite “Girl.”  For his second album, 2023’s The Day My Father Died, SYML teamed up with renowned producer Phil Ek (Fleet Foxes, Vance Joy, Father John Misty), as well as several guests: Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek, Elbow’s Guy Garvey, Lucius, and Charlotte Lawrence. SYML also recently collaborated with Lana Del Rey on the song “Paris, TX,” from her Grammy-nominated album Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd.

SYML with the Seattle Symphony

"She’s alive! She’s alive!" Come to Benaroya Hall for a good ol’ fashioned double feature. First revel in the spooky 1935 classic Bride of Frankenstein starring Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester, projected in all its glory onto the big screen as the Seattle Symphony performs the genius original score by Franz Waxman. For our second feature, the orchestra takes a break as we screen Mel Brooks’ 1974 comedy classic, Young Frankenstein, with an all-star cast including Gene Wilder and Teri Garr.

Double Feature: Bride of Frankenstein and Young Frankenstein

The Seattle Symphony returns to the Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center for a FREE community concert of new and celebrated music for orchestra.

Community Concert in Renton

Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center

Antarctica’s name alone conjures imagery of the harshest environment on Earth, but it is more than its monochromatic color scheme of snow and ice. Meet the many species of penguins that waddle and swim through the freezing water, along with an abundance of other life, on a journey south with quantitative ecologist Dr. Heather Lynch.

Penguins of Antarctica | National Geographic Live

Bring your family together to build musical memories with Family Concerts! Enjoy a fun-filled family event featuring vibrant Mexican music and composers. Join us in the lobby before the concert as we celebrate the Day of the Dead with colorful festivities and decorated offerings dedicated to loved ones. This program is designed for ages 6–12.

Day of the Dead

Created, choreographed and performed by Sonia Franco, 2024 winner of the 2º Prize at the Choreography Competition in Madrid, Ser.Rana transforms the art of movement and sets dance free. The original music composed for this flamenco journey, together with the minimalist aesthetic of dance, creates a close connection between artist and audience. Music and dance uncover that which lives inside us.

Benaroya Hall Presents Ser.Rana

Legend has it that as a child, Mozart was terrified by the sheer volume and force of the trumpet’s sound. At the apex of his genius, however, he included a pair of them in his final, immortal “Jupiter” Symphony, where they are used to thrilling effect. This program joins that work with his 40th Symphony — darker and more poignant in mood. Star trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth brings the soul of the trumpet — brilliant and delicately burnished — to our stage in two luminous showpieces. Helseth captures Haydn’s delightful good humor and Bent Sørenson’s playful music in a concerto that was composed especially for her.

Mozart Jupiter Symphony

Experience the thrill of Cirque Noir, a symphonic performance that plays tribute to the film noir era. Featuring the acrobatic talents of Troupe Vertigo and set to a jazzy score and stunning visuals, Cirque Noir will awe audiences as aerial acrobats, dancers and contortionists perform alongside the Seattle Symphony.

Cirque Noir with Troupe Vertigo

Join the string family as they learn and play through all four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Perfect for families with children from birth to 5 years of age. Engage your youngest music lovers with these 35-minute interactive programs featuring musical games, stories and songs. Pre-concert include crafts, percussion play, a xylophone orchestra and reading station.

The Strings: Rain or Shine

Operatic love goes ever so wrong, but ends so right — in pure musical ecstasy! On the heels of her stunning success in 2023, Alevtina Ioffe returns to Benaroya Hall to lead the Seattle Symphony in a sparkling program that celebrates opera, dance, and all the rapture and mishaps of courtship. The Bartered Bride Overture is a hilarious romp for orchestra. Richard Strauss’ Suite from Der Rosenkavalier, full of waltzes and opulent love scenes, is paired with the delightful Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor. A musical dance between violin and cello, Brahms’ Double Concerto features our own Concertmaster Noah Geller and Principal Cello Efe Baltacıgil.

Brahms Double Concerto

Join us for a Volunteer Open House to discover the many ways you can support the Symphony as a volunteer. During this information session, you'll also learn about the benefits of being a Seattle Symphony Volunteer, including access to discounted tickets and invitations to special events. Symphony staff and current volunteers will be present to answer your questions and guide you through the next steps in becoming a Seattle Symphony Volunteer. Further location and event details will be provided upon registration.

Volunteer Open House

Be a part of this world premiere event! Elderflora (meaning “old trees”) is a song cycle telling the life story of a single tree, from birth to death, and is also a metaphor for human life. If trees could talk, these are the tales they would tell. Equally comfortable in punk rock clubs and concert halls, composer Majel Connery was inspired by the Indigenous belief that we must interact with the environment as if it is our kin. Elderflora weaves classical influences with electronic soundscapes, inviting us to become better citizens of nature.

Elderflora

Be moved by Tchaikovsky’s poignant journey from high drama to triumph. The composer brought new emotional intensity to his Fourth Symphony and created a masterpiece for the ages. Then, Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G sparkles in the hands of scintillating pianist Alexandra Dariescu — its whip-cracking wit, sad waltz and jazz-infused charms combining to make one of the best-loved concertos. New Zealand conductor Tianyi Lu returns to our podium for this program that also features Kaija Saariaho’s depiction of the music of the spheres as they wheel through the night skies — imagery that has entranced composers through the ages and a recurring theme of this season.

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4

In a cultural landscape filled with endless pundits and talking heads, Fran Lebowitz stands out as one of our most insightful social commentators. Her Netflix series Pretend It’s a City, directed by Martin Scorcese, offers an unforgettable glimpse into her world view, and has exposed her to a new generation of loyal fans.

An Evening with Fran Lebowitz

Discover music in which simply surviving is a victory — for Shostakovich’s compatriots, fighting a relentless war, and for the composer himself, whose every note was scrutinized by the Soviet regime. At great personal risk, he created a symphony for all victims of oppression.

Shostakovich Untuxed

Our Symphonic Series opens with music born from great conflicts of the 20th Century. Shostakovich’s Eighth Symphony dates from the darkest days of the Second World War, when making music scarcely seemed possible. He dedicated it to all victims of oppression. Conductor Emeritus Ludovic Morlot begins a season-long celebration marking 150 years since Maurice Ravel’s birth with Concerto for the Left Hand. Composed for Paul Wittgenstein, who lost his right arm in World War I, Ravel’s concerto spans the expressive power of the whole keyboard and bubbles with dark energy. We also salute the centenary of musical powerhouse Pierre Boulez.

Ravel & Shostakovich

Conductor Emeritus Ludovic Morlot opens our season with a sparkling Latin party. Inspired by Brazil, Mexico and of course, Spain, the evening will be full of sunlight and rhythm. Georgian-French pianist Khatia Buniatishvili also joins us to play George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue — marking the 100th anniversary of this legendary orchestral jazz work.

Opening Night Concert: Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue

The 8-Bit Big Band is a Grammy Award-winning 33 to 65-piece jazz orchestra formed in 2017 to explore and expand the ever-growing contemporary body of music dubbed “The Great Video Game Songbook.” Since its inception, the band has over 61 million YouTube views and over 1.2 million subscribers, followers and listeners across the globe. The 8-Bit Big Band continues to sell out concert venues with legendary music and themes of the most beloved video games from across the decades. Don't miss the band's Benaroya Hall debut this summer!

The 8-Bit Big Band

Harry’s last year at Hogwarts™ is here, part one of the epic finale Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ in Concert! Experience the loss and the love of this series’ finish all over again as Harry and his friends rush to face the Dark Lord Voldemort™ for the last time. With the full film set to a live symphony orchestra, the final battle for Hogwarts™ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has never been so emotional

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 1 in Concert with the Seattle Symphony

Yellowstone National Park’s two million acres of wilderness have many stories to tell, from the original native peoples who lived on the land to the epic supervolcano that powers the park’s iconic geysers. But Yellowstone is also a case study in wildlife conservation, from bison to wolves. Now, join National Geographic Explorer Doug Smith on a behind-the-scenes look at the ecosystem and his decades-long quest to reintroduce wolves to the world’s first national park. Return to the wild and witness the beauty, wonder, and science behind America’s greatest wilderness

Wild Wolves of Yellowstone | National Geographic Live

The incomparable Joshua Bell performs the innovative Elements Concerto, a modular work written for him by five of today’s leading composers. The orchestra ushers in summer with Brahms’ sunny Second Symphony

Joshua Bell Plays Elements Concerto

Darius Milhaud’s Suite for Violin, Clarinet and Piano was taken from the incidental music he wrote for Jean Anouilh’s 1937 play, Le voyageur sans bagage (The Traveler Without Luggage). The Trio by Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian features his characteristic style of composing classical music with folk-inspired rhythms and melodies, all emphasized by colorful instrumentation. Mendelssohn’s self-assured Piano Trio in C minor is the composer’s final chamber work

From Mendelssohn to Milhaud

Explore the music of Seattle-based composer Ken Benshoof, longtime collaborator with the Kronos Quartet and members of the Seattle Symphony. Composed during a summer vacation in Iowa, Dvořák’s twelfth string quartet drew inspiration from American folk music and birdsong

From Dvořák to Benshoof

Over the course of 15 weeks, students of the Merriman-Ross Family Young Composers Workshop worked closely with composer and specialist in the electronic field, Marcin Pączkowski, to create works combining acoustic instrumentation with electronic sounds. At this concert, Seattle Symphony musicians will perform the world premieres of these electroacoustic works

Merriman-Ross Family Young Composers Workshop Concert: Electroacoustic Edition

Sharks have roamed the planet’s waters since before the dinosaurs and have evolved into more than a thousand species. But only recently have we begun to understand their lives in the ocean—and how our actions can threaten their survival. National Geographic Explorer Dr. Jess Cramp will take audiences on a journey through the National Geographic archives to discover the work of pioneering women in shark science and storytelling before she dives into her work on the frontier of shark research and conservation. We’ll journey through the vibrant waters of the South Pacific in search of elusive breeding grounds and find out what it truly means to save sharks while working with communities struggling to maintain their traditional ways of life

The Untold Story of Sharks | National Geographic Live

DRUM TAO was established in 1993 with the dream of creating the best show in the world featuring Japanese Taiko drums, an instrument with a rare and distinctive variety of expressive sounds. DRUM TAO is based in Oita, Japan and create their own music, stage setups and costumes to produce their one-of-a-kind brand of entertainment

DRUM TAO 30th Anniversary THE TAO 夢幻響

Alisa Weilerstein plays the Seattle Symphony premiere of Lutos³awski’s Cello Concerto, a transcendent work composed in 1970. The trailblazing Shiyeon Sung, who has made headlines as the first female conductor from South Korea to reach the international stage, leads the orchestra through the program, which also includes Dvořák’s luminous Sixth Symphony

Dvořák Symphony No. 6

Centered around everyday objects, one can find at home, explore new and exciting ways to experience rhythm with our friends in the percussion section! Perfect for families with children from birth to 5 years of age. Engage your youngest music lovers with these 35-minute interactive programs featuring musical games, stories, and songs. Pre-concert activities will begin 30 minutes before each concert in the Samuel & Althea Stroum Grand Lobby

The Percussion: Sounds from Home

The swelling ocean pounds rocky cliffs in this concert of Scandinavian greats. Ning Feng, a “wonderful player with a creamy, easy tone and an emotional honesty” (Washington Post), makes his long-awaited Seattle Symphony debut playing Sibelius’ ethereal Violin Concerto. Danish composer Carl Nielsen believed that music is life, and the will of life is “inextinguishable.” This idea inspired his rich and urgently expressive Fourth Symphony.

Sibelius & Nielsen

With landscapes spanning the towering Himalaya, arid plains, and dense jungles, India is home to an unmatched diversity of wild cats. While many of the big cats are well known and thoroughly documented, photographer, filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer Sandesh Kadur is on a mission to highlight the country’s lesser known felines in order to protect their future. Discover the tiny, grumpy-faced Pallas’s cat, the fishing cat that jumps into water to catch its prey, and the ancient, elusive clouded leopard. Through Kadur’s captivating images and video, you’ll get an up-close look at a world of wild cats you’ve never seen before.

Wild Cats Revealed | National Geographic Live

Residents of a coastal town in Italy were enjoying afternoon snacks of walnuts and dried figs in A.D. 79 when nearby Mount Vesuvius erupted after centuries of dormancy. National Geographic Explorer Andrés Ruzo will explore the fiery portals to Earth’s core, and reveal how smoking peaks have shaped civilizations across the globe, from Iceland to the deep Amazon. Journey to far-off lava fields and hidden boiling rivers.

Hunt for Sleeping Giants | National Geographic Live

Mozart’s familiar Overture to The Magic Flute and Beethoven’s Sextet round out a chamber program that also features Rachel Matthews’ Voices of Trees, which explores the clarinet’s tonal qualities, inspired by the idea that its music is like “the sound of a tree singing.”

From Mozart to Matthews

Each year, Celebrate Asia brings the vibrant Asian communities and classical artists of Seattle into the limelight through unique and captivating programs at Benaroya Hall. The 2024 concert includes Chuseok Overture for Orchestra by Korean-American composer and Young Composers Workshop graduate August Baik, as well as Paul Chihara's Concerto for Piano and Chamber Orchestra "Concerto Fantasy" as performed by Vietnamese-American pianist Quynh Nguyen, lauded by the Boston Globe as a "musical and expressive player" with a "sensitive and poetic" touch. This family-friendly event promises a delightful experience for all ages, complete with pre- and post-concert performances by local dancers and music ensembles.

Celebrate Asia9

In the Arctic north, sea ice is synonymous with the sand in the desert. The ice is vital for transportation, for food, for living. And while the temperatures seem inhumane, the Arctic is teeming with life. Indigenous tribes call this frosty land home, but they’re not alone. Polar bears, musk ox, whales and caribou are some of the Arctic animals co-existing with more than 40 different ethnic groups in the north. Through beautiful images and awe-inspiring moments, National Geographic Live takes you on a journey with our first Indigenous National Geographic Explorer Kiliii Yüyan to understand the native peoples and their relationship to a frigid land and its animals.

Life on Thin Ice | National Geographic Live

Pablo Ferrández makes his Benaroya Hall debut performing Dvořák’s shining Cello Concerto. Conductor Alpesh Chauhan leads Rachmaninov’s expansive Second Symphony, from its brooding and solemn opening to an inspired and timeless Adagio and a resounding finale of pealing bells and joyous energy.

Dvořák & Rachmaninov

Legendary dancer, director and choreographer Gene Kelly changed the look of dance on film, blazing a trail that has inspired generations of new artists to pursue dance. Kelly’s wife and biographer Patricia Ward Kelly has crafted a deeply personal one-woman show to take fans behind the scenes, sharing an intimate portrait of the inimitable song and dance man.

GENE KELLY: THE LEGACY – An Evening with Patricia Ward Kelly

Pulitzer Prize-nominated photojournalist and Nikon Ambassador Robin Layton presents her new book, rain — a limited edition coffee table book featuring 100+ evocative photographs that explore rain in all its vastness and intimacy. She will be sharing images and behind the scenes stories from the book with audiences at Benaroya Hall. Layton is teaming up with Todd Boston, Billboard Top Ten Guitarist/Multi-Instrumentalist, who will be playing live in front of her videos of rain.   

rain: An Evening with Robin Layton and Special Guest, Guitarist Todd Boston

Get ready to join Dumbledore's Army™! When Professor Umbridge™ takes over Hogwarts™ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, what else can Harry do to resist her terrible rule? Find out in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™ in Concert, accompanied by the Seattle Symphony performing Nicholas Hooper's dramatic score live in the concert hall.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Relive the mythic storytelling of the Star Wars saga like never before with this very special presentation. This concert features the complete film Star Wars: Return of the Jedi on a giant screen while the Seattle Symphony performs John Williams' iconic score live in the pitch-perfect acoustics of Benaroya Hall.

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert

In recognition of your generous support, Symphony Club donors are invited to our summer edition of Soundbites in Octave 9: Raisbeck Music Center, Benaroya Hall’s home for innovative musical experience. Join us before the Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi concert for happy hour and conversation with fellow music lovers.

Soundbites: Summer

Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony encompasses eternal questions of life and death and the ultimate power of love to illuminate darkness. The journey begins with the funereal, followed by a respite of nostalgic innocence, which leads to a finale full of hope and transcendence.

Mahler Resurrection

In Songfest, Leonard Bernstein’s exuberant and radically inclusive portrait of the United States at its bicentennial, a cast of powerhouse voices interpret four centuries of American poetry. Bernstein offers an irrepressible optimist’s vision of eclectic, raucous unity.

Bernstein Songfest Seattle Symphony

Join us to dance around the world! We will visit Hungary, China, Mexico and the United States with music by Johannes Brahms, Florence Price, Chen Yi, Ruth Crawford Seeger and Arturo Márquez.

Dances Around The World

Celebrated singer-songwriter Ann Hampton Callaway takes you on a musical journey through Linda Ronstadt’s iconic songbook, tracing the many aspects of love through songs like “Different Drum,” “Desperado” and “You’re No Good.” Callaway brings a songwriter’s sensibility to this crowd-pleasing program, having penned songs for the likes of Carole King and Barbra Streisand. Presented as part of the Seattle Pops Series.

The Linda Ronstadt Songbook

In this free community concert, the Seattle Symphony and Yakima Music en Acción share the stage at Benaroya Hall for an exciting side-by-side performance.

Side-by-Side with Yakima Music en Acción

Dance along with the brass family as they play everything tango! Join the trumpets, horn, trombone and tuba on this Argentinian adventure.

Your family’s musical adventures begin here! Seattle Symphony musicians share their favorite stories, songs and musical games in a series that introduces your youngest listeners to the instruments of the orchestra. These interactive and fun concerts are approximately 30 minutes, and are recommended for ages 0–5.

The Brass: Time to Tango

Conductor Emeritus Ludovic Morlot transports us to France for a program featuring the sublime “Organ” Symphony by Saint-Saëns. Dedicated to Franz Liszt, the Third Symphony is haunting in nature, with the organ adding luscious depth to the orchestral texture. Leading organist and composer Thierry Escaich also performs his own La Barque solaire.

Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony

oin Conductor Emeritus Ludovic Morlot and your Seattle Symphony for an Open Rehearsal in preparation for their performances of Camille Saint-Saëns' Organ Symphony. Symphony supporters are invited to go behind the scenes at Open Rehearsals throughout the 2022/2023 season. At these popular events, you’ll enjoy an insider’s view of a working rehearsal and witness the unique interplay between conductor and musicians that goes into each breathtaking performance.

Open Rehearsal: Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony

During the pandemic, Han Lash composed six songs inspired by Bach’s inventions for a series called Notes from Exile — wistful, poignant and disarmingly direct. Now they introduce six new pieces to add to them, to create a set of 12 pieces: The Art of Leaving.

The Art of Leaving

Join the Seattle Symphony for the 30th anniversary edition of the Merriman-Ross Family Young Composers Workshop Concert! This FREE community concert features world premieres by student composers performed by the Seattle Symphony. This concert is the capstone of a 15-week composition course led by composer, clarinetist, Merriman-Ross Family Young Composers Workshop alumna and Artist in Residence Angelique Poteat.

The Merriman-Ross Family Young Composers Workshop Concert

With perfect family fun for kids of all ages, Shrek 2 in Concert will make all your musical fairytales come true! See Shrek 2 projected on the big screen, accompanied by the Seattle Symphony live in the concert hall performing the enchanting orchestral score by acclaimed composer Harry Gregson-Williams.

Shrek 2

Join the Seattle Symphony for a very special community concert at Benaroya Hall featuring the world premiere of Dear Humanity for Youth Chorus and Orchestra, a work composed by Artist in Residence Angelique Poteat and the 2020 Community Youth Chorus that centers around the theme of climate change.

Dear Humanity

Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 silent masterpiece Battleship Potemkin remains one of the most influential films of all time. Eisenstein tells a powerful story of oppression, mutiny and triumph. Silent film expert Frank Strobel has created a striking collage of Shostakovich’s symphonies for the film’s soundtrack. Experience Battleship Potemkin projected on the big screen with a full symphony orchestra performing the accompanying soundtrack live to the film.

Battleship Potemkin with the Seattle Symphony

Hear the glamorous yet haunting ballroom waltzes, a dramatic march to the scaffold and the cackle of witches in Berlioz’s thrilling orchestral showpiece, Symphonie fantastique. This exhilarating work is paired with the U.S. premiere of a new work by South African cellist Abel Selaocoe, whose genre-crossing style is redefining the parameters of the cello.

Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique

World renowned violinist Midori marks her 40th anniversary as a performer with a celebrated return to Benaroya Hall. A 2021 Kennedy Center Honoree, Midori remains in constant demand by orchestras around the world. No matter what she's playing, Midori brings new life and vision to each performance.

In Recital: Midori

n big band history, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra is recognized as one of the best all-around dance bands. Jazz trombonist Tommy Dorsey led his band to 17 number one hits in the 1930s and 1940s, and a young Frank Sinatra cut his teeth singing with this legendary band. Now, under the baton of clarinetist Terry Myers, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra brings that classic, sentimental big band sound to the Benaroya Hall stage. Presented as part of the Seattle Pops Series.

Tommy Dorsey Orchestra

Composer Caroline Shaw and choreographer Vanessa Goodman present a performance installation exploring memory as a reconstructed process, not a fixed recollection of events.

Graveyards and Gardens

The Peasant Prince is based on the true story of Li Cunxin’s extraordinary life, told in the best-selling memoir Mao’s Last Dancer. This remarkable and inspiring story comes to life with music by Katy Abbott. Li’s journey of courage and determination is told with the power and simplicity of a great fairytale.

The Peasant Prince

O fortuna! So begins Carl Orff’s famous work for chorus and orchestra, Carmina burana. But there’s more to this epic masterpiece than the thunderous opening chorus, known far and wide for its use in Hollywood films and advertisements. Drawn from medieval poems that vividly celebrate the secular topics of love, lust, excess and indulgence, Carmina burana spans the full range of musical styles, ranging from the power and majesty of full orchestra and chorus to the delicate intimacy of a single human voice.

Carmina Burana

Go behind the scenes with guest conductor Xian Zhang and your Seattle Symphony at a rehearsal as they prepare for their performances of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. Symphony supporters are invited to go behind the scenes at Open Rehearsals throughout the 2022/2023 season. Principals Club donors and above have the unique opportunity to join the orchestra on stage for this rehearsal! Enjoy an insider’s view of a working rehearsal and witness the interplay between conductor and musicians that goes into each breathtaking performance.

Onstage & Open Rehearsal: Carmina Burana

Seattle Symphony's horn players showcase unique timbre & directional properties in Octave 9, featuring new piece by Shanyse Strickland & other spatial sound compositions for horn quartet.

The Living Horn

Premiered in 2019, the dynamic Three Continents Cello Concerto celebrates musical styles across a vast cultural space: three composers from three different continents and of nearly three generations. Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra is a thrilling masterpiece that puts the orchestra's virtuosity on full display.

Three Continents Cello Concerto

Gene Kelly was defined by music and now with reconstructed musical arrangements, you can witness him dance on the big screen accompanied live by the Seattle Symphony. Hosted by his wife and biographer, Patricia Ward Kelly, this Seattle Pops event offers an inside look into Gene Kelly's creative process.

Gene Kelly: A Life in Music

Richard Egarr Plays & Conducts

Explore new and exciting ways to experience rhythm with our friends in the percussion section! We’ll shake, we’ll rattle and we’ll clap along to the beat.

Your family’s musical adventures begin here! Seattle Symphony musicians share their favorite stories, songs and musical games in a series that introduces your youngest listeners to the instruments of the orchestra. These interactive and fun concerts are approximately 30 minutes, and are recommended for ages 0–5.

The Percussion: Lost & Found

The Seattle Symphony returns to the Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center for a FREE community concert of new and celebrated music for orchestra. A pre-concert performance will feature students of the Key to Change Studio.

David Robertson returns to conduct a program of music from Romania, Hungary and Russia. Seattle Symphony Concertmaster Noah Geller takes center stage with Bartok’s dramatic Second Violin Concerto, which veers between mystery, exuberance and transcendence. Ligeti’s Romanian Concerto brims with tuneful folk-inspired melodies.

Rachmaninov Symphony No. 1

The Seattle Symphony performs a FREE community concert of new and celebrated music for orchestra in collaboration with Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra’s MY Southeast program.

Community Concert in Rainier Valley

Aki Kurose Middle School

Freida Abtan’s music uses spectral processing to transform the sounds of the cello into immersive media choreography — specially created for Octave 9. We welcome back Seth Parker Woods for this new, extended version of Freida Abtan’s My Heart is a River.

My Heart is a River

Violinist Arabella Steinbacher takes on Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, beloved for its brilliant virtuosity and finesse. R. Strauss’ early tone poem Aus Italien evokes the charm of Italy, at last receiving its Seattle Symphony debut. Tianyi Lu conducts fellow New Zealander Salina Fisher’s Tupaia, inspired by the Polynesian navigator who aided James Cook’s Pacific voyage.

Arabella Steinbacher Plays Mendelssohn Violin Concerto

Experience the Seattle Symphony with guest conductor Tianyi Lu at an Open Rehearsal. See Arabella Steinbacher play Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto and Richard Strauss' Aus Italien in its Seattle debut. Observe the behind-the-scenes rehearsal process and the conductor-musician dynamic at Open Rehearsals during the 2022/2023 season and get an insider's view of each performance.

Open Rehearsal: Mendelssohn Violin Concerto

In recognition of your generous support, Symphony Club donors are invited to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a special concert featuring Seattle Symphony musicians and enjoy happy hour with fellow music lovers at The Collective in Seattle’s vibrant South Lake Union neighborhood. Soundbites events are thoughtfully curated for the next generation of supporters.

Soundbites: Valentine

The Collective

In his “Pastoral” Symphony, Beethoven flings open the doors of the concert hall, attuning his symphonic craft to the natural world like never before. Optimism, joy and thankfulness combine in the face of Nature’s raging storms. Charles Corey’s Together, This Journey was originally commissioned and composed in collaboration with members of Northwest Center and Best Buddies communities to be part of its 2020 Beethoven Festival celebrating the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth. And João Guilherme Ripper’s Cinco poemas de Vinicius de Moraes for soprano and orchestra links together five poems by Moraes to create a biographical journey of the man nicknamed "O Poetinha."

Beethoven Pastoral Symphony

For his seventh and final symphony, Sibelius distilled all his powers down to a succinct, momentous closing statement — an odyssey contained in just over 20 minutes. A newly commissioned work from Dai Fujikura takes its inspiration from this enigmatic work. We welcome back Augustin Hadelich to perform Britten’s Violin Concerto, composed in the growing shadows of World War II.

Sibelius Symphony No. 7

The Seattle Symphony’s 15th annual Celebrate Asia shines a spotlight on Seattle’s vibrant Asian communities and its superstar classical artists in one-of-a-kind programs that celebrate Asian heritage in the arts, dance and music. Join us for pre- and post-concert festivities with local dancers and music ensembles alongside a beautiful and diverse concert program.

Celebrate Asia

Dvořák’s optimistic Carnival Overture was written shortly before he left for his infamous travels to the United States. Martinů’s deeply personal Sixth Symphony originated in New York while he was in exile from Czechoslovakia. Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto unfolds with a sense of drama and romance in the hands of Nobuyuki Tsujii, “the definition of virtuosity” (The Observer).

Nobuyuki Tsujii Plays Rachmaninov

Obsession. Lust. Revenge. Old Testament politics and a timeless power struggle. This ancient tale of strength, vengeance, lust, and seduction is one of the most popular operas in French repertoire. Famous for its sensual "Bacchanale" and the aria "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix," experience the lust of one woman and the downfall of countless men.

Samson and Delilah in Concert

Seattle Center

Acclaimed pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet returns to the Seattle Symphony as conductor and soloist for a program devoted to Classical piano concertos. Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, all geniuses of their time, left an indelible mark on the keyboard repertoire. Each composer elevated the genre and standard by which all concertos are measured.

Seattle Symphony

19 - 22 Dec, 2024

Handel Messiah

Dec 23, 2024

A Festival of Lessons and Carols

Dec 31, 2024

New Year's Eve Concert & Party: Disco Fever

3 - 5 Jan, 2025

Marvel Studios' Black Panther in Concert with the Seattle Symphony

9 - 11 Jan, 2025

Beethoven Symphony No. 7

19 - 22 Dec, 2024

Handel Messiah

Dec 14, 2024

The Snowman

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