Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma Romantic Reveries

Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma Romantic Reveries

Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma Romantic Reveries

Sarah Ioannides | Symphony Tacoma Music Director | Female Conductor and Composer

An evening of lush melodies and intricate orchestral textures that transport you to a world of romantic elegance and grandeur. Symphony Tacoma principal cellist, Alistair MacRae, takes the spotlight for a masterful interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s “Variations on a Rococo Theme,” bringing to life the elegant and virtuosic variations that highlight the cellist’s artistry, blending classical grace with romantic lyricism. Bruckner’s magnificent and expansive soundscape blends pastoral themes with soaring brass and intricate orchestral passages to evoke a sense of grandeur and serene beauty.

Come Early for Symphony Tacoma Soundcheck – 6pm. Learn more about the music, artists, and personalities of Romantic Reveries with composer and Professor of Music at Pacific Lutheran University, Gregory Youtz, and Symphony Tacoma Music Director Sarah Ioannides.

Concert Preview: Boston University Symphony Orchestra

Concert Preview: Boston University Symphony Orchestra

Concert Preview: Boston University Symphony Orchestra

Sarah Ioannides | Symphony Tacoma Music Director | Female Conductor and Composer

The Boston University Symphony Orchestra concludes its season with a concert that promises to be both stirring and sublime, uniting mystery, nobility, and raw emotional power under the skilled direction of guest conductor Sarah Ioannides. This exciting program—free and open to the public—showcases masterworks that span Romantic grandeur, mythic drama, and 20th-century edge, offering audiences an unforgettable evening of orchestral brilliance.

Opening the concert is Felix Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture (also known as Fingal’s Cave), a tone poem that vividly captures the windswept landscapes and haunting seascapes of the Scottish coast. With its brooding undercurrents and lyrical surges, Mendelssohn’s music conjures a sense of mystery and ancient legend—setting the perfect tone for a program that explores emotional and sonic depth.

Next, the orchestra shifts into a bold, contemporary register with Carl Nielsen’s Clarinet Concerto, a work that challenges both performer and listener with its dramatic contrasts, quirky dialogues, and introspective lyricism.

The evening culminates with Franz Schubert’s towering Symphony No. 9 in C major, “The Great”, a work of expansive beauty and noble spirit. Its broad, sweeping melodies and rhythmic drive reflect Schubert’s deep admiration for Beethoven while charting a voice entirely his own. Often hailed as a symphonic masterpiece that bridges the Classical and Romantic eras, this work brings the concert—and the season—to a triumphant and moving close.

Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma presents Beyond the Shores

Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma presents Beyond the Shores

Concert Preview: Symphony Tacoma presents Beyond the Shores

Sarah Ioannides | Symphony Tacoma Music Director | Female Conductor and Composer

A journey through stirring landscapes, resonant with the echoes of nature and human emotion. Mendelssohn beautifully captures the mysterious and windswept beauty of the Scottish coast, painting a vivid picture of the sea swirling through an ancient, echoing cave. George Li brings Schumann’s Piano Concerto to life with his expressive touch and technical brilliance, highlighting the work’s intricate dialogues and rich, Romantic touches. Kynance Cove evokes the serene beauty and sweeping landscapes of a coastal cove, with rich harmonies that capture the essence of the natural scenery. A beautiful intertwining of orchestral and vocal elements, featuring Symphony Tacoma Voices, creating a sense of adventure and hope, leading us on a powerful journey toward the unknown with sweeping melodies and deep emotional resonance.

Come Early for Symphony Tacoma Soundcheck – 6pm. Learn more about the music, artists, and personalities of Beyond the Shores with composer and Professor of Music at Pacific Lutheran University, Gregory Youtz, and Symphony Tacoma Music Director Sarah Ioannides.

Concert Preview: BU at Symphony Hall

Concert Preview: BU at Symphony Hall

Concert Preview: Boston University at Symphony Hall

Sarah Ioannides | Symphony Tacoma Music Director | Female Conductor and Composer

This special evening at Boston’s historic Symphony Hall, one of the world’s most renowned concert venues, features not just one, but three of Boston University’s ensembles: the Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and Symphonic Chorus. Boston University Symphony Orchestra, with conductor Sarah Ioannides, performs Richard Strauss’ Suite from Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59 and Maurice Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2 (with Boston University Symphonic Chorus)

Following the intermission, we have the unique duality of romanticism at its height: Strauss, with a Suite from his fifth opera which captured the hearts of opera-lovers, and Ravel, celebrating 150 years since his birth. Strauss, like Ravel, used melody to depict stories and ideas, otherwise known as “leitmotifs.” The Suite from Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59, (1911) is also heavily focused around dance, as Strauss wrote his opera Der Rosenkavalier with the idea of the waltzes from Mozart’s time. Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé Suite no. 2 (1912) is a story that revolves around the two pastoral lovers, Daphnis and Chloé, exploring the importance of melody and dance forms as Ravel was fascinated with both.

“BU’s Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Chorus, under the batons of Sarah Ioannides, Kenneth Amis and Daniel Parsley, are presenting a wide-ranging and highly varietal program; these works challenge the most seasoned performers and represent the musical aspirations of top ranked educational institutions anywhere,” says Michael Reynolds, Director, School of Music